How a baby's gut bacteria could help fight off viral infections later
The study, done by scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and University College London (UCL), suggests that certain gut bacteria babies pick up in their first week could lower their chances of ending up in the hospital with serious respiratory infections in the first two years of life.
This is the biggest study of its kind on UK babies' microbiomes — basically, the community of tiny microbes living in their digestive system.
The researchers took stool samples from over 1,000 newborns and used whole genome sequencing to figure out what bacteria were hanging out in there. Then, they checked the babies' health records to see who ended up admitted to the hospital with viral lower respiratory tract infections (that's infections in the lungs and airways caused by viruses) before age two.
Here's the kicker: babies born vaginally with a specific mix of 'pioneer' bacteria, especially one called Bifidobacterium longum (B.
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longum), were less likely to need hospital care for these infections. This beneficial bacteria was often found alongside other helpful species like Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bacteroides dorei. So, it looks like these early microbial neighbors might be helping the baby's immune system fight off nasty viruses later on.
Why does birth method matter?
The study also backed up previous findings that how a baby is born influences their early microbiome.
Babies born vaginally usually pick up a different mix of gut bacteria compared to babies born via C-section. Vaginally born babies get exposed to their mom's bacteria passing through the birth canal, which helps seed their gut with beneficial microbes right away.
Babies born by C-section don't get that same exposure, so their early gut bacteria profile tends to be different. But interestingly, the study found that not all vaginally born babies had the same protective microbiome — some still had a higher risk of hospital admissions for viral infections.
So, birth method is just one piece of the puzzle.
What about feeding?
The researchers also looked at whether babies were breastfed, formula-fed, or had a mix. Breast milk is known to help develop a healthy gut microbiome, but even after considering feeding type and whether babies took antibiotics, the link between the beneficial bacteria and lower infection risk still held up.
Correlation, not causation
It's important to keep in mind this is an observational study, which means it shows an association between certain bacteria and lower hospital admissions — but it doesn't prove that those bacteria cause the protection.
More research is needed to figure out if these microbes are directly guarding babies against infections, or if something else is at play.
Still, the results are exciting because they open the door to new ideas for preventing serious viral infections in kids. Imagine if we could develop targeted probiotics — basically, good bacteria supplements — to give babies a microbial boost and help their immune systems stay strong.
Bigger picture: The gut microbiome and future health
This study is part of a growing wave of research showing that our gut microbiome plays a huge role in our overall health, especially immune system development. The first month of life seems like a critical window to set up a healthy gut ecosystem, which might influence how well babies handle infections and other health issues later on.
The team behind the study is now gearing up for an even bigger project called the Microbes, Milk, Mental Health and Me (4M) study.
This will look at how early microbiomes affect a whole range of health outcomes, not just respiratory infections.
Experts weigh in
Dr. Cristina Garcia-Mauriño, the lead author at UCL, told Medical Express, viral respiratory infections are a major reason kids get hospitalized, so finding ways to reduce this risk is huge. She highlighted how this study raises the idea that some babies' gut bacteria could be part of that protective shield.
Professor Nigel Field from UCL, who co-leads the 4M project, called the findings 'striking and new.' He pointed out that combining genome technology with health records made it possible to uncover these associations — and bigger studies are needed to understand how our microbiomes and health really interact.
Professor Louise Kenny, who wasn't part of this study but is an expert on childbirth and child health, stressed that C-sections save lives and that birth choices are complex.
She said this study shows not every vaginally born baby has the same gut bacteria or infection risk, meaning other factors matter too. More research will help create personalized advice for moms and babies.
Dr. Trevor Lawley from the Sanger Institute, also a co-lead on 4M, shared how our microbiome develops rapidly in those first few days and adapts as we grow. He's excited about the potential to design probiotics tailored to a baby's unique microbiome to promote health.
Babies' gut bacteria aren't just tiny passengers — they could be playing a major role in protecting kids from some serious viral infections during their early years. While we're still figuring out the details, this research shines a light on the importance of early microbial development and opens exciting possibilities for future infant health interventions.
So next time you think about baby gut health, remember: those little microbes might just be superheroes in disguise.
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Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Fauja Singh: Granddad who didn't ‘feel like dying'
Written by Khushwant Singh I always knew I'd be asked to write Fauja Singh's obituary one day, but I believed that day was still far away. Never did I imagine that a man who single-handedly redefined the meaning of living with dignity would meet such a tragic end on the same highway that had once claimed one of his sons' lives. The highway had been a backdrop to his life's most crucial experiences: It had set in motion his running career as he sought solace after his son's death. It became the place where his own was taken away, prematurely, as it feels. True to his name — Fauja, meaning 'army' and Singh, meaning 'lion'– Fauja Singh was an extraordinary man. I often told people he was the romanticised prototype of a Sikh and a peasant, embodying sabr (patience), courage, wit, resilience, and above all, decency. He embodied the original meaning of the word Sikh: A seeker. On this foundation, he built his kirdar (character), becoming a global symbol of human resilience and inspiration, especially when he completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2011 at the age of 100. The first time I met him was in 2005 in the UK, while I was writing Sikhs Unlimited: A Travelogue from Delhi to Los Angeles via London (Rupa & Co.), a book that chronicled the lives of some extraordinary Sikhs in the UK and the US. Fauja had shot into the limelight after the sportswear company Adidas signed him for their 'Running 2004' campaign, and his billboards appeared all over the UK. It's a separate story altogether that Fauja could never quite pronounce the brand name and always referred to it as 'kompany'. It was only after they signed him that Adidas realised how difficult it was to get him to say 'Adidas' correctly for the advertisement. Nor did they know that Fauja told me he preferred the 'sher waley jutey (the pair with the feline on them)' over 'kompany waley jutey'. He had asked me to meet him at a gurdwara in Seven Kings, Ilford. He had moved in with his eldest son after the tragic death of his middle son. What followed was a friendship that lasted two decades. He looked frail at that first meeting, very unlike a marathon runner. He was wearing a blue turban, had a flowing beard, and was dressed in a blue suit. However, the giveaways were the matching tie, which had marathon runners printed on it, and the sports shoes, which had 'Fauja' and 'Singh' inscribed on them. After introducing me to some fellow devotees as 'Likhari India toe aaya (the writer who has come from India)', he told me that he could either sleep or walk, and the interview would have to be done while walking. 'We will walk eight to 10 miles, I have to pick up my shoes from the cobbler, and then we'll have tea at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara,' he said. 'Yes, Babaji,' I replied, and off we went. About a kilometre into the interview, I realised I would need to find someone else to provide accurate information. For Fauja, everything had happened paroo, meaning 'some time back'. Thank God for Harmander Singh, his coach, from whom I eventually got the necessary details. Harmander told me how he had to virtually get Fauja out of his suit and into a vest and track pants to make him running ready. Once set, though, there was no looking back. London, New York, Toronto, Nairobi, Lahore, name a city, he conquered them all. Mumbai, twice, where he was the star attraction both times. Like Adidas, he could never pronounce Mumbai and called it Bumba. His short biography in Sikhs Unlimited soon turned into a full-fledged book. Titled Turbaned Tornado: The Oldest Marathon Runner Fauja Singh, it was released at the House of Lords, London, in July 2011. During the 100-odd kilometres I walked alongside him through the streets of London for both books, I was finally able to piece together his life. He was born in Bias Pind, in Jalandhar district, on April 1, 1911, to Mehr Singh and Bhago Kaur. Ironically, the legs on which he clocked endless miles of running were spindly, and his friends used to call him Danda. He was adopted by his aunt, Rai Kaur, and was nicknamed Gallari (talkative), a tag he carried till his last breath. Fauja Singh could entertain you endlessly with his stories and wit, albeit frequently punctuated with the choicest of Punjabi expletives. I can hear his favourite one as I write this. But Fauja was not all talk. He was an indefatigable farmer. Village folklore has it that the oxen would get tired, but Fauja wouldn't. This relentless work ethic eventually found expression on the track. Yet, what many don't know is how deeply charitable Fauja was. He donated his entire endorsement fee from Adidas to a UK-based charity called Bliss. During the 2016 Mumbai Marathon, Nestlé agreed with his request to send its endorsement money directly to the Pingalwara Trust in Amritsar. During a book tour to Australia in 2013, he was invited by many gurdwaras and showered with dollars. He would simply pick up the dollars and put them in the golak, and I would watch in awe, admiring the man that he was. Fauja was sharp and observant. At the celebrity chef cookout, part of the Mumbai Marathon carnival, he was paired with Gul Panag. They had to cook pasta. When Gul was trying to explain what pasta was, he surprised her by asking, 'Bal waala (fusilli) je, ke nali waala (penne)?' The last time I met him was in December 2024 at his home in Bias Pind, from where I had started the fourth day of my People's Walk Against Drugs, and he had walked half a kilometre in solidarity. But even before that, I had asked him, 'Do you fear death?' 'Yes,' he admitted. 'Hunn tey mela laggya, mehmaan 'Granddad, Granddad' karde ne. Maran da ji nahi karda (Now that it feels like a fair, with everyone calling me Granddad. I don't feel like dying),' he said in chaste Punjabi. Bye, Granddad. And as one of your admirers wrote on social media, at 114, you are still not out. Life cheated on you. The writer, former state information commissioner of Punjab, wrote Turbaned Tornado: The Oldest Marathon Runner Fauja Singh, the biography of the runner
Indian Express
6 days ago
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Run, Fauja, Run: The man who never stopped running
At 114, Fauja Singh died too soon. For a man who led a remarkable life, the end was abrupt, almost staccato – hit by an unidentified vehicle while crossing the road. Fauja Singh was 100 when he became 'the oldest man to run a marathon' – clocking 8 hours and 11 minutes at the Toronto Marathon in 2011. Some years earlier, when he was a sprightly 95, and soon after he had finished a marathon, Fauja Singh, resplendent in a big, black turban paired with a matching satin shirt, had told a group of journalists gathered around him in Chandigarh: 'Zindagi inni sohni hai ki maran nu te jee hi nahin karda (Life is so beautiful that I just don't feel like dying).' His eyes twinkled and his face creased into a wide smile. He ran some more, before he finally hung up his boots in 2013, when he turned 102. But Fauja Singh never gave up on life – or his shoes. He collected at least 100 pairs and much later in life, ditched his kurta-pyjama for joggers and fancy suits. 'I love clothes too,' he told The Indian Express that afternoon in Chandigarh, volunteering to open his suitcase to display his collection. Chandigarh-based writer Khushwant Singh, who wrote a 2011 biography of the marathoner, recalls that when he first met him in 2005, Fauja was wearing an electric blue suit, a tie that read 'Marathoner' and a pair of shoes with 'Fauja' on one and 'Singh' on the other. If Fauja first ran, it was to escape a personal tragedy. Villagers in his Beas village in Jalandhar district say Fauja was building a dhaba for his son Kuldeep when the roof collapsed and killed the youngster, the fifth of his six children. That was in August 1994, just two years after his wife, Gian Kaur, died. Devastated, Fauja lost all will to live. His youngest son Harvinder Singh remembers seeing him mourning for hours at the cremation ground. That's when Sukhjinder, the eldest of his sons who lived in England, took him along. In London, he went on long walks. 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Soon, Fauja was a jet-setting marathoner, greeted aboard flights with public announcements. A British Airways crew even printed 'World traveller, centurion marathoner' on his boarding pass, and Fauja beamed. In 2011, after running nine full marathons in 11 years, he ran the London Marathon, his last when he clocked 7 hours, 49 minutes and 21 seconds. He later transitioned to the shorter 10-km category in marathons. At the 2013 Mumbai Marathon, Fauja rubbed shoulders with actors John Abraham and Gul Panag, jogging with one and cooking pasta with the other. When a reporter asked Abraham how it felt to be with Fauja, he replied: 'Ask me how it feels to be with Fauja Singh ji.' The same year, Fauja ran in the 10-km category in the Hong Kong marathon – his last international run. Khushwant Singh, who spent two years writing Fauja's 2011 biography Turbaned Tornado, recalls how he interviewed the marathoner on foot in East London: 'He said, 'I can either walk or sleep.' So walk we did'. Khushwant says Fauja's accomplishment as the 'oldest marathoner' was not recognised by the Guinness World Records because he did not have a birth certificate to prove his age. Fauja, he says, had a British passport that showed his date of birth as April 1, 1911, while a letter from Indian government officials stated that birth records were not maintained in 1911. Khushwant, who once travelled with Fauja to Australia, recalls how he never lost his humility or his large heart, not even when fans from the expat Sikh community thrust dollars into his palm at gurdwaras, 'On the way back, he would quietly put all the money into the gurdwara's gullak,' he says. Khushwant says that when Nestlé asked for Fauja's address for a sponsorship cheque, he gave the name of an Amritsar-based charity organisation. Back home in Punjab, Fauja was courted by politicians, yet was never dazzled by authority. In 2011, in a meeting with then CM Amarinder Singh, he quipped, 'Bibi Bhattal (former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Amarinder's rival) speech badi takri dendi hai (Bhattal gives very powerful speeches).' How Amarinder took the quip isn't part of the records. Around three years ago, Fauja finally moved back from London to his home in Beas, where he lived with his youngest son Harvinder's family. 'He never sat still,' says Bhanjit Kaur, Fauja's daughter-in-law in Beas village. 'From room to courtyard to street, he was always on the move.' Once awake, he wouldn't stop. He would start his day with a desi pinni (a ladoo made with flaxseed or dal and dry fruits), followed by a light brunch of chapati and a sabzi. He loved ghiya (bottle gourd), tinda (apple gourd), and was 'crazy about mangoes. Even till the end, he would eat a kilo a day,' smiles Bhanjit. The trees in the family compound bore fruits from the seeds he once planted. At 3 pm, he would have a cup of tea, after which he walked for hours through the village. 'Jis din reh gaya, ussi din baith jaunga (The day I skip my walk is the day I give up),' he told The Indian Express once. On July 14, too, he was walking. He was crossing the highway to visit a small roadside eatery named after his late son, Kuldeep Singh, when an unidentified vehicle struck him down.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
Your workout should match your personality, says new study — here's why it matters
Not everyone is a gym-lover, and that is completely okay. And if forcing yourself onto a treadmill feels more like punishment than self-care, you're not alone. But according to new research out of the UK, the trick to actually enjoying exercise might be as simple as playing to your personality. Your personality might be the key to a consistent workout A new research published in Frontiers in Psychology, postulates that personality traits can influence which physical activities people enjoy, as well as how often and how much benefit they get from exercise. Scientists at University College London explained that about 31% of adults are unable to even complete 150 minutes of their recommended physical activity per week. In an official press release, senior author Paul Burgess, a professor at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, said, 'Understanding personality factors in designing and recommending physical activity programs is likely to be very important in determining how successful a program is, and whether people will stick with it and become fitter.' Inside the study: how it worked For this research, the scientists recruited 132 adults and split them into two groups. For the duration of the research, 8 weeks, one group asked to follow a home fitness routine that included strength training and cycling workouts at varying intensities. Meanwhile, those in the control group stuck to stretching exercises and continued with their usual daily routines. It's easy to assume that introverts would prefer solo workouts while extroverts thrive in group fitness settings—but the study revealed a few surprises. To start, all volunteers completed questionnaires measuring the Big Five personality traits: agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness. As expected, participants who scored high in extraversion showed to enjoy high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and aerobic fitness tests conducted in a lab. However, despite their enthusiasm, extroverted individuals were less likely to follow through with the study's final assessments. In fact, only 86 participants completed the entire study. Interestingly, extroverts didn't show greater improvements in fitness compared to others—challenging the assumption that their energy would translate into better physical results. How different traits respond to fitness routines People who scored higher in neuroticism—meaning people more prone to mood swings or anxiety—tended to prefer low-intensity workouts at home rather than being supervised in a lab setting. They were also less likely to self-monitor their heart rates. One important takeaway for those with anxiety: participants high in neuroticism within the exercise group were the only ones who showed a reduction in stress, the researchers noted. At the start of the study, those who were more conscientious already had better physical fitness and reported exercising more hours per week. However, being conscientious didn't necessarily predict how much someone would enjoy working out. Participants who scored high in openness were less likely to enjoy high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or threshold cycling sessions, which involve pushing aerobic limits with varied intensities. Still, they were more likely to complete follow-up testing. People high in openness may be more willing to experiment with new or varied workout styles, said study author Dr. Aguirre in an email. 'For instance, if they typically go to the gym and like to jog, they may be open to trying dance, hiking or some new fitness trends.' And even with that adventurous streak, the trait of agreeableness predicted greater enjoyment of an 'easy, long' bike ride, the study found.
