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Association between the faecal short-chain fatty acid propionate and infant sleep

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 74, pages 1362–1365 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

The gut microbiota harvests energy from indigestible plant polysaccharides, forming short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are absorbed from the bowel. SCFAs provide energy—presumably after easily digested food components have been absorbed from the small intestine. Infant night waking is believed by many parents to be due to hunger. Our objective was to determine whether faecal SCFAs are associated with longer uninterrupted sleep in infants. Infants (n = 57) provided faecal samples for determining SCFAs (7 months of age), and questionnaire data for determining infant sleep (7 and 8 months). Linear regression determined associations between SCFAs—faecal acetate, propionate and butyrate—and sleep. For each 1% higher propionate at 7 months of age, the longest night sleep was 6 (95% CI: 1, 10) minutes longer at both 7 and 8 months. A higher proportion of total faecal SCFA as propionate was associated with longer uninterrupted infant sleep.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge all the families who participated in the BLISS study, as well as the research staff involved from the Departments of Human Nutrition, Medicine, and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Otago.

Funding

Funding

This study was supported by Lottery Health Research, Meat & Livestock Australia, Karitane Products Society, Perpetual Trustees, High Value Nutrition Science Challenge, New Zealand Federation of Women’s Institutes and the University of Otago, with in kind contributions from Heinz Watties, Ltd; and by a fellowship from Karitane Products Society (RWT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Anne-Louise M. Heath & Jillian J. Haszard

  2. Microbiome Otago, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Anne-Louise M. Heath, Ian M. Sims, Rachael W. Taylor & Gerald W. Tannock

  3. Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Barbara C. Galland

  4. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Blair Lawley, Ana Otal & Gerald W. Tannock

  5. School of Physical Education, Sport & Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Nancy J. Rehrer

  6. Drummond Food Science Advisory Ltd, Akaroa, New Zealand

    Lynley N. Drummond

  7. The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand

    Ian M. Sims

  8. Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Rachael W. Taylor

  9. Dean’s Department, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Barry Taylor

Authors
  1. Anne-Louise M. Heath
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  2. Jillian J. Haszard
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  3. Barbara C. Galland
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  4. Blair Lawley
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  5. Nancy J. Rehrer
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  6. Lynley N. Drummond
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  7. Ian M. Sims
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  8. Rachael W. Taylor
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  9. Ana Otal
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  10. Barry Taylor
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  11. Gerald W. Tannock
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Correspondence to Anne-Louise M. Heath.

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Heath, AL.M., Haszard, J.J., Galland, B.C. et al. Association between the faecal short-chain fatty acid propionate and infant sleep. Eur J Clin Nutr 74, 1362–1365 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0556-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0556-0

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