Milk Fat Globule Membranes: Effects on Microbiome, Metabolome, and Infections in Infants and Children

Dietary supplementation with bovine milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) concentrates has recently emerged as a possible means to improve the health of infants and young children, or defense against infections. We identified 5 double-blind, randomized, controlled trials (DBRCT) exploring the effects of supplementing the diet of infants and children with bovine MFGM concentrates on infections. We reviewed 3 studies which found a protective effect against infections at different ages during infancy and early childhood. Two of them have reported effects on the metabolome, and 1 study also on the microbiome and lipidome. MFGM supplementation had moderate, albeit interesting, effects on the oral and fecal microbiome, fecal and serum/plasma metabolome, and serum and erythrocyte membrane lipidome, which also are reviewed. We conclude that studies on MFGM supplementation during infancy and childhood indicate positive effects on the defense against infections and other outcomes, but more high-quality DBRCTs with well-defined MFGM fractions and outcome measures are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. (C) 2020 Nestle Nutrition Institute, Switzerland/S. Karger AG, Basel