Let’s talk immunity!

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At FrieslandCampina Ingredients we believe that delivering the right combination of nutrients with the right mechanisms makes all the difference in building and strengthening infant immunity. That’s why we offer a broad range of ingredients that all offer their own specific potential to support the infant immune system [5-41].

Important immunity mechanisms in early life

When a baby is born, its immune system has not yet fully matured. During the final stage of pregnancy and when breast feeding, the baby receives a certain amount of bioactive proteins (e.g. immunoglobulins) from the mother, which offers a great start when it comes to inhibiting pathogens [2].

However, those bioactive protein levels decrease within a few months following birth, and are absent entirely if breast feeding is not possible. In such cases, it’s all the more important that a new-born’s immune system develops quickly and grows strong to protect the infant when exposed to pathogens and other external threats. As 70% of the immune system is in the gut [3], gut health plays an important role in immunity. In other words: the inside matters, and the immune system needs to be built with the right support from within.

From a scientific standpoint, there are four key elements that help to build and strengthen the immune system, via different but interactive mechanisms: microbiota, gut barrier,  anti-pathogenic effects and immune modulation [2,4]. Some specific nutrients in human milk support these 4 mechanisms, in one way or another  [1]

Related Ingredients

Vana-Sana ® Micro-encapsulated LC-PUFA oils

Features DHA and ARA, involved in the prevention of common respiratory complaints and diarrhoea^38,39. These fatty acids steer cells of the adaptive immune system⁴⁰ and assist in gut barrier integrity⁴¹

Vivinal® MFGM

Supports the development of the immune system via its potential role in gut maturation^6,7,9, gut barrier function^5,8 and by reducing the risk of infections^10-13​

References

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