Can Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) Help Kids with Cow Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA)?

You’re doing everything possible to ensure your baby gets the best care and nutrition. Then you discover your little one has a food-related allergy, specifically Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA). It’s a stressful diagnosis, but remember - this is not your fault, and it’s a common condition many parents face. With the help of your pediatrician, you’ll be able to learn about the special nutritional needs your baby has and how to manage them effectively. 

One of the most common food allergies in infants and young kids is CMPA. CMPA occurs when a baby’s immune system sees cow's milk protein as harmful and reacts negatively to it. Surprisingly, kids can develop this allergy even while breastfeeding.

This is a serious and complex condition, so let’s break down the science behind CMPA and explore how nutrition, particularly Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs), can support kids dealing with this allergy.

What Is Cow Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA)?

CMPA is a type of food allergy that develops in the intestine (the "gut"). A healthy baby’s gut immune system recognizes which foods are safe to eat - those which it can “tolerate.”

Insufficient ”training” of the gut immune system leads to some foods – such as cow milk protein – being seen as “bad”, so the immune system reacts with allergic symptoms. This is referred to as “CMPA”.

How Gut Immunity Plays a Role

While the immune system is found throughout the body, the majority of immune tissue is located in the gut. When a baby is born, their gut-immune system starts developing immediately. Two key components in establishing a healthy gut-immune system are Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) and the good bacteria in the gut microbiome. 

The bacteria (the “Biome”) that start off in Baby’s gut should be “good” ones such asBifidobacteriumandLactobacillus These bacteria (which can be supplemented through diet) are fundamental for a "Healthy Baby-Biome". When they are missing, the gut can become less capable of managing food allergens like cow's milk protein. 

Several factors can hinder the development of a healthy gut microbiome, such as cesarean delivery, antibiotics, formula feeding instead of breastfeeding, and other environmental conditions.

How Can Nutrition Help with CMPA?

HMOs, naturally found in breast milk, are critical in supporting the development of a healthy baby biome. This is why we formulated BeginBaby Pre + Pro with both HMOs and Bifidobacteria. 

HMOs are special sugars which feed the good bacteria in the gut. In fact, many of the good bacteria in a baby’s gut thrive on HMOs, converting them into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs are nutrients that nourish the gut lining,and help the immune system function properly, to  reduce the risk of food allergies like CMPA. Even beyond this, HMOs havedirect effects on gut immune tissue.

When babies have a healthy microbiome - fueled by HMOs - their guts are better equipped to tolerate good foods, so they are less likely to develop food allergies and certain infections.

In other words: if your baby’s gut starts out with the “good” gut bacteria and you feed them HMOs, your baby is less likely to get food or other allergies, and certain infections.

What Happens If a Baby Doesn’t Have a Healthy Gut Biome?

If a baby’s microbiome lacks the necessary good bacteria, they can experience "dysbiosis," which is an imbalance of gut bacteria. Dysbiosis is linked to an increased risk for various health conditions.

Babies and kids with CMPA can also have gut dysbiosis, meaning their good bacteria are either in short supply or mixed with harmful bacteria. This imbalance can lead to an underdeveloped gut immune system, making it harder for the body to properly tolerate food proteins like those found in cow’s milk.

Thankfully, it is possible to restore balance to a dysbiotic gut. Research shows that supplementing with the right probiotics, or good bacteria, can help rebuild a healthy gut microbiome. Adding HMOs to the mix gives them the best chance to thrive in baby’s gut.

What Does the Research Say about HMOs and Cow Milk Protein Allergy?

Recent studies show that special infant formulas containing HMOs can indeed help improve gut dysbiosis in babies with CMPA. In several studies, babies who were fed formulas supplemented with HMOs not only grew well but also showed improvements in their CMPA symptoms. Importantly, these formulas were safe and well-tolerated by the babies.

The encouraging results from these studies have led to the development of HMO-supplemented formulas specifically designed to manage CMPA. While these formulas don’t cure CMPA, they can serve as an important part of managing the condition by supporting gut health and immune function.

Final Thoughts 

While HMOs and probiotics are not a cure or prevention for CMPA, they offer valuable tools to support kids with this complex allergy. By nourishing a baby’s gut with the right nutrients and bacteria, we can better manage CMPA symptoms and improve overall gut health.

 

Experts highlight the importance of breastfeeding and the potential of HMO-supplemented formulas for managing CMPA. As more research unfolds, we hope to see even better nutritional strategies for children with food allergies.

"Findings emphasize the importance of breastfeeding encouragement and HMO-supplemented formula milk for high allergy-risk infants. Although further investigation is necessary to determine the most efficacious structures against varying allergy phenotypes and their long-term efficacy, HMOs may represent a promising complementary tool for childhood allergy prevention." —Tarrant and Finlay, 2023

For more information on how HMOs can support your kiddos gut health, check out our other blog posts like “The Critical Role of HMOs and Bifidobacteria for Your Baby’s Health” to learn more.