A clinical trial evaluating the effect of probiotics on the fasting blood glucose levels in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus.
An Irish randomized controlled trial of Lindsay and his collaborators published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2015 evaluates the effect of the daily intake of probiotics versus placebo in FPG and pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. The results do not prove an effective daily consumption of probiotics for 6 months superior to placebo in reducing blood sugar levels in pregnant women who participated in the study.
The Study Rationale
A sweet gestational diabetes, also called gestational diabetes, may occur in pregnant women. This diabetes is a disorder of glucose regulation leading to an excess of sugar in the blood, otherwise too high blood sugar. This is the most common metabolic complication with pregnancy. Its prevalence is estimated at 12% in developed countries. This number is likely to increase along with the increase in obesity pregnant women increases. Women who are overweight or obese pregnant with this type of diabetes rarely change their eating habits by lack of motivation, by a low sense of self-efficacy or lack of noticeable symptoms despite the risks for mother and fetus (risk cardiovascular or metabolic disease).
Probiotics could be a new solution to prevent gestational diabetes. Probiotics are dietary supplements of live bacteria compounds. They have the potential to alter the metabolism of a person and thus reduce the high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.
The Question
Probiotics it reduce the level of fasting blood glucose of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus?
The Method
The randomized controlled trial of Lindsay and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of probiotics on the fasting blood glucose compared with placebo. The double-blind study focuses on 149 pregnant women 34 weeks or less and aged over 18 years. A disorder of glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed by their doctor.
A blood sample is made before the beginning of the daily intake of probiotics or placebo then at 4 weeks and 6 weeks to assess the glucose, insulin, C-peptide and lipid levels.
The Non-Pharmacological Intervention (NPI) assessed
The NPI type of dietary supplement is a decrease in blood sugar and blood lipids. Each capsule contains 100 mg of probiotic Lactobacillus salivarius UCC118 corresponding to a target dose of 109 colony forming units (CFU). The CFU is the unit for counting the live bacteria.
A dietician provides each participant a sheet describing information about the probiotics used in the study and foods that contain them in order to minimize the risk of ingesting other probiotics. Participants should take one capsule a day after the meal of choice for 6 weeks.
Main Results
The study showed a decreased fasting glucose end of the procedure compared to the beginning in both test groups, the probiotic group and the placebo group. For cons, the increase in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol is less for the group who consumed probiotics.
What it means for Women
Gestational diabetes is common among pregnant women either overweight or obese. It is harmful to the mother and fetus. This study does not prove the efficacy of probiotics in reducing the blood sugar levels of pregnant women with gestational diabetes.
What it means for Healthcare Professionals
The results did not show an effective daily consumption of probiotics for 6 months superior to placebo in reducing blood sugar levels in pregnant women who participated in the study.
What it means for Researchers
This randomized double-blind trial against placebo showed no efficacy of daily intake of probiotics on blood sugar levels of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus. By cons, an interesting result on the normal elevation of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol with probiotics should be verified and deepened by future studies.
What it means for Policymakers
12% of pregnant women are currently gestational diabetes mellitus. This disease greatly increases the risk of later diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases or metabolic syndrome in the mother and in the child. Daily consumption of probiotics during 6 months was not allowed to act effectively on the blood glucose levels.
The Reference
Lindsay KL, Brennan L, Kennelly MA, Maguire OC, Smith T, Curran S, Coffey M, Foley ME, Hatunic M, Shanahan F, McAuliffe FM (2015). Impact of probiotics in women with gestational diabetes mellitus on metabolic health: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal Obstetric Gynecology, 496, 1-11.
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Same topic
Same population
Same non-pharmacological intervention
To reference this Blog en Sante © article.
Ninot G (2015). Probiotics enhance sugar levels in the blood. Blog en Sante, A61.
© Copyright 2015 Gregory Ninot. All rights reserved.