Scientists found that Russian babies had a better immunity than western infants during a research of immune-related deceases. The certain type of bacteria prevalent in the gut determines whether the child later in life is prone to diabetes or allergies.
Early expose to pathogens (harmful bacteria) seems to train the body to exhibit a more useful response, Science Daily reported. The spread of immunity-related deceases in western countries has been a notable occurrence in recent decades. It coincided with the improvement in health and medicine.
Western babies are less exposed to pathogens early in life. As the result, the body’s immune system is not trained to provide a strong response.
Why Russian Babies Have Better Immunity
The study was conducted by a group of scientists including Russian Sergei Mokurov and Natalya Dorshakova and recently published by Aalto University from Finland. Stool samples were collected from young infants in Russia (Karelia), Estonia, and Finland. The group united academics from different countries. Tests showed that samples from Russian infants differed from the ones collected from babies in Estonia and Finland.
The gut microbiom was prevailed by either Bacteroides or Bifidobacterium species. The first type didn’t allow healthy immune reactions to develop, while the second type of gut microbial mix supported the rise of healthy immune responses.
E. coli has been pinpointed as the major ingredient in developing correct reaction that a healthy person needs in response to foreign bacteria. E. coli bacteria lives in guts of all infants, as the study confirmed.
Researchers believe this bacteria trains the immune system. When mixed with Bacteroides, the healthy response is inhibited. This makes a person more likely to develop inflammatory types of body reactions to certain stimuli later in life.
Possibly, better life standards lead to Bacteroides being prevalent in the gut microbiom of western infants.
It may be that better life standards support the spread of immunity-related deceases in western countries.
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I think the breastfeeding of newborns in Russia plays an important role in their immune system formation. Most of the women in Europe are concerned about career and choosing a bottle feeding, but despite the high quality of modern baby formulas, natural mother’s milk still the best nutrition for infants and positively affects their immunity.
Oh, that sounds pretty realistic. Russia has so big territory and so many places are still have clean air and water. When my parents left Moscow for the country side they were exited with the level of their health which increased dramatically!
Of course, they are. Did you even see our kindergartens? Or our schools? Trust me, only the strongest can survive. From the very beginning because of the low level of our medicine, the child has to meet all the diseases face to face. And almost nothing can help him. That’s why, they have such strong immunity.
Russia is a really big country. It’s a pity but newborns in big cities like Moscow, St.Petesburg, Kazan and others can’t be proud of the ecology they live in. But other parts of country still have good nature, many people have houses and their own products so they are simply healthier. And we all know that child’s health depends on parent’s health.
Perhaps it is so because of special climate and nature in Russia. There are hot summers and very cold winters. That is why the immune system is tempered. Besides the Russian women prefer breastfeeding and during this period eat more healthy food than European.