Children who were not breastfed while receiving antibiotics in the first year of life had triple the risk of developing asthma suggests a new Canadian study.

Lead researcher Doctor Stuart Turvey says it’s because they lacked specific protective sugars found in human milk.

Amoxicillin and other antibiotics that are commonly prescribed to treat a wide range of infections in young children, can disrupt the development of a healthy gut.

Researchers say while it’s been known for some time that getting antibiotics early in life puts children at higher risk of asthma later on, the protective sugars had not been identified until now.

The findings could mean synthetic versions of the natural sugars in human milk could one day be added to formula for people who cannot breastfeed.

The study is published in the journal  ‘Med.’