The Digest

Bifidobacterium infantis is a highly specialized microbe ("beneficial bacteria") that resides in the gut microbiome.

Unlike most other bacteria in the gut microbiome, Bifidobacterium infantis (also known as "b infantis") is an inherited microbe, often being passed down from mother to child during child birth. 

Once it takes up residence in the gut microbiome, Bifidobacterium infantis flourishes and helps to cultivate an environment where other beneficial bacteria can grow. 

Recent research suggests that supplementation with a medical probiotic containing Bifidobacterium infantis may be useful in helping to manage Type 2 diabetes. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Bifidobacterium infantis has been shown to strengthen the gut barrier, and increase butyrate production in certain contexts
• Currently, the most effective way to increase Bifidobacterium infantis levels is through the use of probiotics

Here we explore the many benefits of Bifidobacterium infantis and how it is being used as a probiotic.

What is Bifidobacterium infantis?

Bifidobacterium infantis is a lactic-acid-producing gut bacteria that provides many benefits to newborn infants as well as adults. 

What are the benefits of Bifidobacterium infantis?

Bifidobacterium infantis²: 

• Cooperates with other gut-microbiome bacteria to harvest energy from non-digestible nutrients, ultimately leading to the creation of butyrate
• Occupies space in the gut microbiome that potentially harmful microbes would otherwise fill

It is noteworthy that much of what is known about the benefits of Bifidobacterium infantis comes from studies that were done in infants².

While it is likely that these benefits extend to adults as well—and there is some evidence to support this—the magnitude of these benefits may differ as we get older. 

Digestion and butyrate

Bifidobacterium infantis is a specialized gut bacteria that has evolved to colonize the human gut very early in life, potentially even before birth². 

Once in the gut, Bifidobacterium infantis plays a critical role in breaking down complex carbohydrates that human cells are unable to digest. In infants, this skill is particularly useful as breast milk is primarily made up of fats, sugars, a set of non-digestible carbohydrates that are collectively referred to as Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO),² which are difficult to digest but contain many valuable parts that can be harvested and used by both bacterial and human cells. 

Very few organisms are capable of breaking up HMOs and making their useful parts accessible to others. 

Bifidobacterium infantis is one such organism! 

Equipped with an array of tools coded in its DNA, Bifidobacterium infantis is one of the few bacteria in the gut microbiome that can digest HMOs, transforming them from inert molecules to sources of nutrition for the gut microbiome². 

Among the many products that may come from this activity is the creation of the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) known as butyrate. 

Butyrate is one of the three main SCFAs produced in the gut microbiome and, among its many uses, is instrumental in helping the body regulate blood-sugar levels. 

Blocking harmful bacteria

Bifidobacterium infantis’ ability to extract nutrients from HMOs gives it a competitive advantage in a baby’s gut. This is because infants primarily feed on formula or breast milk which is made up of lactose, fats, and HMOs². 

In this environment, Bifidobacterium infantis is able to grow and occupy a large amount of space in the microbiome.

Simply by outcompeting others, Bifidobacterium infantis may help to keep infants healthy by preventing potentially harmful bacteria from taking up residence in the gut. 

Bifidobacterium infantis and Type 2 diabetes

Evidence suggests that Bifidobacterium infantis (when taken as part of a synbiotic know as Pendulum Glucose Control) may be a beneficial in helping to manage Type 2 diabetes. 

According to a study published in British Medical Journal, after several weeks, participants with Type 2 diabetes taking metformin who had taken Pendulum Glucose Control were found to have lower A1C levels—indicating a prolonged decrease in their blood-glucose levels¹⁷.

How to increase Bifidobacteria infantis in the gut

For adults, altering the gut microbiome often requires a personal approach that combines diet, exercise, and probiotics. 

Increasing Bifidobacterium infantis in the gut can, in theory, be done using probiotic foods or medical probiotics like Pendulum Glucose Control that contain Bifidobacterium infantis.^18 20

Are there any natural sources or foods that increase Bifidobacterium infantis?

There are many probiotic foods, such as: 

• Yogurts containing live cultures; 
• Fermented vegetables such as Kimchi
• Probiotic cheeses, kiefer, or buttermilk 

However, we are unaware of commercial-food products that currently include Bifidobacterium infantis in their list of ingredients²³. 

Are there Bifidobacterium infantis probiotics or supplements that you can take?

While it may be difficult to know what species of bacteria are included in foods, probiotic supplements can be much more direct in how much Bifidobacterium infantis they provide. 

Beware of confusion around Bifidobacterium infantis 35624. 

Align® is a probiotic that is commercially available and has previously been marketed as containing Bifidobacterium infantis strain 35624. 

However, it now correctly states that it has Bifidobacterium longum 35624—meaning it does not contain Bifidobacterium infantis.

The medical probiotic Pendulum Glucose Control also contains a unique strain of Bifidobacterium infantis, alongside multiple other bacterial species that are known to produce butyrate or fortify the gut barrier¹⁸.

Bifidobacterium infantis is included in Pendulum Glucose Control because it’s known to help support cross-feeding between the various species of bacteria that are encapsulated with it. 

Ultimately, this means that the inclusion of Bifidobacterium infantis in Pendulum Glucose control may help boost butyrate production and help with the management of Type 2 diabetes.¹⁸

How many CFUs of Bifidobacterium infantis should you take?

The amount of bacteria in a probiotic is often measured in colony forming units, abbreviated as CFUs. 

A “colony” of bacteria is formed when one bacterial cell replicates into two, and then four, and so on.

In essence, CFUs is a reference to how many bacteria are alive and well enough to grow under the right conditions. 

Usually probiotics are taken with the goal of establishing, or increasing, the amount of specific bacterial species in the gut microbiome. So how many CFUs does it take to make sure Bifidobacterium infantis is growing in the gut microbiome?

At present, there is no universally agreed upon amount of Bifidobacterium infantis that should be taken. 

This is because several factors—such as medication you may be taking, your diet, exercise level, age, health—affect how successfully the bacteria will be able to grow in your gut microbiome. 

If you are trying to figure out how much of a probiotic to take, talk with your healthcare professional and, if no guidance is provided, follow the instructions provided with the probiotic. 

Bifidobacterium infantis vs bifidobacterium lactis: what’s the difference?

When researching probiotics and probiotic foods, you’re likely to come across the species Bifidobacterium lactis.

Like Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis is a member of the Bifidobacterium genus—meaning they’re closely related species of bacteria. 

But while they’re closely related, they are different in important ways²⁴,²⁵. 

One of the largest differences is in their ability to metabolize certain carbohydrates.

Bifidobacterium infantis specialized in digesting HMOs and similar sugars. On the other hand Bifidobacterium lactis cannot metabolize HMOs but can metabolize lactose²⁵. 

Bifidobacterium lactis’ ability to digest lactose has made it a very popular ingredient in probiotic yogurts and milks that contain large amounts of lactose. In the presence of its preferred food source, Bifidobacterium lactis is better able to make a home in the gut. 

For this same reason, Bifidobacterium infantis is able to take up residence in the infant gut much better than Bifidobacterium lactis—the former can digest HMOs, while the latter cannot. 

Most probiotic dairy products will include Bifidobacterium lactis²²,²⁴. 

Final Thoughts

Overtime, the gut microbiome diversifies as many other species of beneficial bacteria move in. But all the while, and creating building blocks that enable butyrate-producing bacteria to thrive. 

Bifidobacterium infantis’ many beneficial qualities has made it an interesting subject for both researchers and the general public as a potential probiotic. 

Bifidobacterium infantis is an old friend from the gut microbiome. Thanks to probiotics like Pendulum Glucose Control, it’s one that may be able to stick around to help us pursue a healthy future. 

References

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