Non-Cholesterol Sterols in Breast Milk and Risk of Allergic Outcomes in the First Two Years of Life

Lieve van Brakel, Carel Thijs, Ronald P Mensink, Dieter Lütjohann, Jogchum Plat*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This study aimed to explore associations between non-cholesterol sterol concentrations in breast milk and allergic outcomes in children aged two. Data from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study, the Netherlands, were used. Non-cholesterol sterols were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in breast milk sampled one-month postpartum (N = 311). Sterols were selected for each allergic outcome, i.e., eczema, wheeze, and allergic sensitization, prior to analyses. Associations between the selected sterols with allergic outcomes were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs). The odds of eczema in the first two years of life were lower with higher concentrations of cholestanol (OR (95%CI): 0.98 (0.95; 1.00), p = 0.04), lanosterol (0.97 (0.95; 1.00), p = 0.02), lathosterol (0.93 (0.87; 0.99), p = 0.02), and stigmasterol (0.51 (0.29; 0.91), p = 0.02) in breast milk sampled one-month postpartum. None of the sterols were associated with wheeze in the first two years of life. The odds of allergic sensitization at age two were lower with higher concentrations of campesterol in breast milk (OR (95%CI): 0.81 (0.70; 0.95), p = 0.01). In conclusion, our data suggest that exposure to higher non-cholesterol sterol concentrations in breast milk may indeed be associated with the prevention of allergic outcomes in the first two years of life.

Original languageEnglish
Article number766
Number of pages15
JournalNutrients
Volume14
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Feb 2022

Keywords

  • Child
  • Cohort Studies
  • Eczema
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity/epidemiology
  • Milk, Human/chemistry
  • Sterols/analysis
  • CHILDHOOD ASTHMA
  • METABOLISM
  • allergic sensitization
  • eczema
  • immune system
  • non-cholesterol sterols
  • PLANT STEROLS
  • INFANT
  • HEALTH
  • infant health
  • wheeze
  • breast milk
  • MECHANISMS
  • OBESITY
  • DISEASE
  • STANOLS
  • CONSUMPTION

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