A recent study found a connection between early childhood antibiotic use and an increased risk of asthma. The research identified that this risk is due to the depletion of a gut-produced molecule called IPA, which has protective properties. Monash University researchers suggest that IPA could be used as a dietary supplement to prevent asthma in children at risk. Professor Ben Marsland emphasized that antibiotics early in life disrupt healthy gut bacteria, leading to a reduced amount of IPA. Experiments with mice showed that early antibiotic use made them more prone to developing allergic airway inflammation, but giving them IPA as a supplement prevented this. This research offers a potential preventative approach for allergic airway inflammation and asthma.
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