Maternal vitamin B12 deprivation exacerbates offspring obesity by reducing early-life colonization with Bifidobacterium pseudolongum.

Maternal vitamin B12 deprivation increases offspring obesity by reducing early colonization of Bifidobacterium pseudolongum during lactation.

• Why it matters: Understanding how maternal nutrition influences offspring health is crucial, as vitamin B12 deficiency is common during pregnancy and lactation, potentially impacting long-term metabolic outcomes through gut microbiota.
• What they did: The study involved depriving maternal diets of vitamin B12 and analyzing effects on maternal metabolism, reproductive success, and offspring obesity, focusing on gut microbiota composition and colonization patterns.
• The result: Restoring B. pseudolongum or acetate during early life mitigates obesity, highlighting the importance of early microbiota acquisition and suggesting interventions targeting gut bacteria could prevent metabolic disorders.