Toronto, March 2 (Ians) A team of researchers has identified small blood molecules which can have an impact on the development of early childhood. The McMaster University team shows how food exhibitions, the first life experiences and intestinal health can influence the growth of a child and cognitive stages.

The team has collaborated with Brazilian scientists to carry out an unaware metabolomic analysis of blood samples with more than 5,000 children aged six months and five years in the Brazilian national study of the study on children’s nutrition.

They have found several metabolites – small molecules which are by pre -production of human metabolism and microbial fermentation, called uremic toxins – were opposite the results of development. Metabolites play an important role in human health, especially in the early stages of life.

“Our results reveal the complex links between food, intestinal health and progress in the development of a child,” said Philip Britz-Mckibbin, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

By identifying specific metabolites linked to the overall development of a child, we can better understand how potentially modifiable risk factors could support optimal growth and cognitive development in children, he mentioned in the study published in the Elife journal.

The researchers focused on the metabolites of the blood circulation which were correlated at the early stages of cognitive development, using a measure called development quotient (DQ). The World Health Organization uses the measure to determine if children respond to the stages adapted to age in social and cognitive development.

This approach has led to the identification of several bioactive metabolites most often associated with a chronic kidney disease, which suggests that even a modest increase in their concentrations can contribute to inflammation and development delays in early childhood. “What is interesting is that many of these metabolites are linked to the intestinal axis, which suggests that a healthy intestinal microbiome could play an essential role in the cognitive and social development of a child,” said Britz-Mckibbin.

The results could have large -scale implications, offering new possibilities for early identification and the intervention of children at risk of development delays. They could also better enlighten public health policies and early childhood development programs, stressing the importance of maternal nutrition, the quality of food and maternity practices.

Source

https://morungexpress.com/scientists-identify-blood-metabolites-behind-early-childhood-development#:~:text=They%20found%20several%20metabolites%20%E2%80%93%20small,at%20early%20stages%20of%20life.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250228/Researchers-discover-key-blood-molecules-impacting-child-development.aspx