Effects of Probiotic Supplementation during Pregnancy on the Future Maternal Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Probiotics are live microorganisms that induce health benefits in the host. Taking probiotics is generally safe and well tolerated by pregnant women and their children. Consumption of probiotics can result in both prophylactic and therapeutic effects. In healthy adult humans, the gut microbiome is stable at the level of the dominant taxa: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and has a higher presence of Verrucomicrobia. During pregnancy, an increase in the number of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria phyla and a decrease in the beneficial species Roseburia intestinalis and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii are observed. Pregnancy is a “window” to the mother’s future health. The aim of this paper is to review studies assessing the potentially beneficial effects of probiotics in preventing the development of diseases that appear during pregnancy, which are currently considered as risk factors for the development of metabolic syndrome, and consequently, reducing the risk of developing maternal metabolic syndrome in the future. The use of probiotics in gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia and excessive gestational weight gain is reviewed. Probiotics are a relatively new intervention that can prevent the development of these disorders during pregnancy, and thus, would reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome resulting from these disorders in the mother’s future.

Probiotics for preventing gestational diabetes in overweight or obese pregnant women: A review

“…Asgharian et al [ 6 ] showed some beneficial effects on glucose metabolism in overweight and obese pregnant women by using probiotic yogurt, whereas no significant differences were found in other studies provided with probiotic capsules[ 3 , 41 , 51 , 54 , 55 ]. A review reported daily consumption of 200 g yogurt containing Lactobacillus gasseri (10 8 CFU/g) for 12 wk significantly reduced abdominal obesity[ 39 ]. According to a study by Homayoni et al [ 56 ], foods are better carriers of probiotics than supplements are.…”

“…Synbiotics are a mixture comprising live microorganisms and substrates selectively utilized by host microorganisms that confers a health benefit on the host, which is better than prebiotics alone[ 59 ]. Studies also showed that probiotics and prebiotics (synbiotics) were used to modulate the maternal gut microbiome composition, which might enhance probiotic survival and growth better than probiotics alone[ 39 , 52 ]. A narrative review by Li et al [ 23 ] reported that novel food-processing strategies like enzyme-modified prebiotics and probiotic-fermented natural foods have been developed to enhance the beneficial effects on alleviating metabolic diseases.…”

“…Intestinal microbiota disorder during pregnancy may interact with various pathways such as IR, chronic inflammatory reaction, endotoxemia, and energy metabolism[ 38 ]. Chronic inflammatory reaction increases IR, deceases insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP), disrupts the function of pancreatic β cells and insulin secretion, which can cause and promote progression of GDM[ 39 ]. New means to stabilize the microbial balance during pregnancy could benefit maternal health[ 40 ].…”

Bile acids and microbes in metabolic disease

“…If these compositions are altered, pregnant women may experience an increase in adipose mass, blood sugar levels, IR, and circulating proinflammatory cytokines, resulting in gestational DM (GDM)[ 49 ]. In patients with GDM, obesity, and T2DM, the relative abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria belonging to the genera Faecalibacterium , Rubinococcus , Roseburia , Coprococcus , Akkermansia , Phascolarctobacterium , and Eubacterium was found to decrease[ 50 ]. Moreover, Liu et al [ 51 ] demonstrated increased hyperlipidemia and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and increased relative abundance of Streptococcus , Faecalibacterium , Veillonella , Prevotella , Haemophilus , and Actinomyces species in patients with GDM.…”

Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM): A Review

“…Pregnancy, both normal and complicated with diseases, also changes the composition and activity of the GM because of fat mass gain, hormonal changes, and increased release of pro-inflammatory cytokines [ 24 ]. Compared to the state before conception, in pregnancy, the GM is characterized by an increase in bacteria belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, with a simultaneous depletion of the beneficial Roseburia intestinalis and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii [ 25 ].…”