>Also, does anyone know of a current reference to back up the changed gut
>ph after "just one bottle"?  We have a pediatrician who is really upset
>that one of his patient's Mom brought him a copy of that little
>handout.  He doesn't believe it, and the reference to back that up
>appeared to be microbiology data from the 70's.  Thanks to you all,
>Rebecca Garcia, RNC,IBCLC
>

I found this while poking around on PubMed (http://www.pubmed.gov)
and it looks like it could be useful.  Note the sentence, "On the
other hand, the addition of formula or cow's milk to the human milk
was sufficient to alter the profile of VFA, the pH, and the lactic
acid concentration of breast-fed infants stools."  The abstract
doesn't say how much formula the "human milk + formula" group
received -- I'd be interested to read the full text.

Warmly,
Margaret
Longmont, CO

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1432461&dopt=Abstract

  J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1992 Oct;15(3):248-52

Comment in:
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1992 Oct;15(3):246-7


Volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, and pH in the stools of breast-fed
and bottle-fed infants.
Ogawa K, Ben RA, Pons S, de Paolo MI, Bustos Fernandez L.
Instituto de Gastroenterologia Dr. Jorge Perez Companc, Buenos Aires,
Argentina.

We measured fecal pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and lactic acid
concentrations in 67 healthy infants ranging in age from 1 to 5
months. The babies were divided into five groups according to their
diet: group 1: human milk, with subgroups of 1 month of age (n = 8),
and 2-5 months (n = 12); group 2: formula milk, with subgroups of 1
month of age (n = 9) and 2-5 months (n = 10); group 3: cow's milk,
one group of 2-5 months of age (n = 12); group 4: human milk
supplemented with formula milk, 2-5 months of age (n = 8); and group
5: human milk supplemented with cow's milk, 2-5 months of age (n =
8). Fecal VFA concentration and pH of bottle-fed infants (groups 2
and 3) were significantly higher and lactic acid concentrations
significantly lower than those of the breast-fed group. Groups 4 and
5 showed significantly higher pH and propionic acid concentration,
and lower lactic acid concentration than Group 1 did. There were no
significant differences in the data on pH, VFA, and lactic acid
concentrations between the feces of formula and cow's milk groups. On
the other hand, the addition of formula or cow's milk to the human
milk was sufficient to alter the profile of VFA, the pH, and the
lactic acid concentration of breast-fed infants stools. Low pH, low
VFA, and high lactic acid concentrations make the colonic content of
breast-fed babies an environment favorable for Bifidobacteria growth,
and this is probably the main protective factor against
gastrointestinal infections.

PMID: 1432461 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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