Daily Archives: December 10, 2021

You can consume probiotics naturally through certain foods, but theyre also available as a supplement. That said, science is still iffy on whether taking probiotic supplements is helpful for already-healthy adults.

Lets dive into the deets on why your body might love these friendly bacteria.

A healthy microbiome the world of live microorganisms in your body requires a delicate balance of different types of bacteria. When you get an overgrowth of bad bacteria, things can go a little sideways. Probiotics to the rescue!

Balancing your gut microbiome is probiotics main claim to fame. And thats a big deal because research shows that your gut health may influence the health of other areas from your brain and heart to your skin and teeth.

It makes sense that a healthy gut = healthy poop. But scientists have found that probiotics specifically reduce your risk of getting the runs.

A 2017 research review suggests that probiotics may prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Since antibiotics kill off bad *and* good bacteria while fighting infections, probiotics top up the good guys. This could potentially help you avoid those extra-urgent trips to the toilet.

Some research has also found that probiotic supplements could put the kibosh on travelers diarrhea.

The jurys still out on this one, but some studies have linked probiotics to improvements in mood disorders.

One small 2015 study of 20 people found that the group given probiotic-rich foods and probiotic supplements for 4 weeks reported less sadness than the group given a placebo.

Other research from 2016 also suggests that taking supplements containing several strains of probiotics could dial down symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.

But we still need more studies to find out more about this possible link.

Got high cholesterol? How about stratospheric blood pressure? These two health probs are major clues that its time to take better care of your ticker.

Research has linked a probiotic-rich diet with lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and even less body fat.

Bottom line: That probiotic yogurt and kombucha in your fridge may help improve your heart health.

Maybe youve even heard that rubbing yogurt on your hands will help with your eczema?

Heres the scoop: Some research suggests that topical probiotics (meaning you apply them to your skin, not ingest them) seem to improve some skin conditions, including eczema. But scientists are still studying how and why this could happen, so stay tuned before you open up the Chobani.

A 2012 study also found that when women with eczema took specific probiotic supplements while pregnant, their babies were significantly less likely to get eczema.

The research is still slim, and more studies are needed to explore the link between probiotics and skin disorders.

While theres no cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), probiotics may be a treatment option for IBD symptoms.

Some probiotic strains have helped soothe symptoms in folks with mild ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and even necrotizing enterocolitis, a deadly bowel condition in some premature newborns.

It might seem obvious that good gut bacteria could help with gastrointestinal issues. But we need more research to fully understand the *exact* strains of probiotics that could help, how often to take them, and which IBD or IBS symptoms they could prevent.

We know boosting your immune system isnt really a thing, but that doesnt mean you cant give your body the best conditions to thrive. Probiotics can help keep your gut healthy, contributing to overall wellness.

These bad boys have also been linked to lower rates of respiratory infections and urinary tract infections. But that research is more than 10 years old, and we need more current studies to find out more about these effects.

Want the expert take from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services? Probiotics might influence your bodys immune response. But also, Possible harmful effects of probiotics include infections.

(But the HHS also notes that those harmful effects are more likely to happen in people who have serious illnesses or weakened immune systems.)

Bottom line: Talk with your doc before trying probiotic supplements to ward off illness. If you have an underlying medical condition, they *might* tell you to opt for probiotics from food instead.

If your goal is to lose weight, stocking up on probiotics but not just any probiotics might help. Research suggests some strains may contribute to fat loss, while others may be linked to weight gain.

One 2013 study linked 12-week supplementation of the probiotic Lactobacillus gasseri with an 8.5 percent belly fat reduction.

A 2014 study also found that women with obesity who took Lactobacillus rhamnosus supplements for 12 weeks lost significantly more weight than those who didnt take a probiotic. But the supplement didnt have a notable effect on the weight of the men in the study.

In a 2015 study, participants who drank fermented milk supplemented with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 for 1 week seemed to absorb less fat and excrete more fat in their poop than those who drank plain fermented milk.

But some 2012 research also found that Lactobacillus acidophilus led to weight gain.

The TL;DR: We need more research to explore the role of probiotics in weight loss, but there seems to be a link.

If probiotics keep bad gut bacteria in check, can they do the same thing for the bacteria in your mouth? Maybe!

Research is limited, but some older studies suggest that you could prevent cavities by noshing on probiotic-rich foods regularly. Whether science eventually confirms this or not, noshing on unsweetened kefir and yogurt wont hurt.

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9 Health Benefits of Probiotics from Supplements and Foods - Greatist

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat also referred to as healthy fats praised for their potential protective roles in several chronic diseases, such as heart disease and dementia.

They are one of the key building blocks for cell membranes and remain a subject of interest in the scientific community.

The family of omega-3 fatty acids includes:

DHA and EPA are the primary polyunsaturated fats in brain cell membranes and have been popularized and successfully marketed as dietary supplements.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential, meaning the human body is incapable of creating them on its own the fatty acids or their precursors must be obtained from the diet.

For instance, ALA from plant seeds can be converted in the body to all the other types of omega-3 fats: EPA, SDA, DHA, DPA.

However, this conversion is quite inefficient, with rates of less than 3% of ALA being converted to DHA or EPA in males and less than 10% in females warranting adequate dietary intakes of DHA and EPA themselves.

DHA, EPA, and DPA omega-3 fatty acids are synthesized by marine organisms such as algae and phytoplankton.

When consumed by fish, aquatic mammals, and crustaceans, the fatty acids enter the food chain and are stored in body fat, liver, and blubber. They are then later consumed by humans.

Food sources of DHA, EPA, and DPA include:

ALA, on the other hand, is concentrated in plant sources and is the most frequent omega-3 fatty acid used by the body to create all other types of omega-3 fatty acids.

Sources of ALA include nuts and seeds, such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts as well as oils, such as echium seed oil, canola, and soybean oils.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), most adults in the United States consume the recommended amount of omega-3 1.1 grams (g) for adult females and 1.6 g for adult males in the form of ALA.

However, given that the conversion of ALA to DHA and EPA is poor, dietary intake of a combination of foods rich in ALA, EPA, and DHA is recommended.

Furthermore, a myriad of DHA and EPA omega-3 supplements are available and contribute significantly to daily omega-3 intake. Fish oil is the most common omega-3 supplement used by adults and children.

Decades of research on the health impacts of omega-3 fatty acids have provided controversial findings. Here are some evidence-backed benefits of consuming omega-3 fatty acids.

Chronic inflammation also called low-grade inflammation is linked to the development of obesity, heart disease, and cancers.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects in the human body and may aid in lowering markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6.

In fact, omega-3 fatty acids are regarded as one of the most potent lipids capable of reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. It also potentially guards against the development of chronic diseases.

In a 6-week study, daily supplementation with at least 1.2 g of DHA significantly reduced triglyceride levels and increased good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein.

In addition, omega-3 fatty acids lowered the bad cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), when dietary saturated fats were replaced with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids found in plants foods such as nuts and avocados.

Elevated triglycerides and LDL cholesterol are linked to an increased risk for metabolic syndrome and heart disease.

However, a recent evidence-based practice summary has shown no impact on a range of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes from the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements in patients with established CVD or raised risk factors for CVD.

On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve vascular health the health of the blood vessels by increasing the bioavailability of nitric oxide.

In a phase 2 scientific study, nitric oxide induced dilation (relaxation) of the blood vessels and led to a significant reduction in blood pressure.

By reducing markers associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease high triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a review analyzing existing studies.

The same review concluded that high-dose daily supplementation with 4 g of purified EPA in people with elevated triglycerides levels led to a 25% reduction in cardiovascular events.

In their 2018 review, Prof. Fereidoon Shahidi, professor of biochemistry at Memorial University, Canada, and Prof. Priyatharini Ambigaipalan, currently at the School of Science and Engineering Technology at Durham College, also in Canada, identified evidence of health benefits from omega-3 in noncardiovascular health conditions.

Omega-3 fatty acids may improve the efficacy and tolerance of chemotherapy and is a potential supportive treatment to people undergoing cancer treatment.

More specifically, daily supplementation with EPA and DHA helped patients with head and neck cancers and breast cancer to maintain body weight and reduce cancer-related muscle loss.

A 2019 review study of over 2,000 participants showed a beneficial impact of EPA omega-3 fatty acids on depression, with DHA showing little benefits.

This finding is supported by other studies included in Prof. Shahidis and Prof. Ambigaipalans review, indicating that fish oil supplementation helps protect against major depressive disorder in people between the ages of 15 and 25 years.

Furthermore, moderate intakes of fatty fish and seafood were associated with fewer occurrences of depression.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been successfully marketed as heart-friendly and reported to reduce the risk of adverse heart disease-related outcomes.

However, its role and health benefits for some conditions have been challenged and discredited. This Cochrane report review found no evidence of the benefit of omega-3 supplements on heart disease, stroke, or death.

Here are some conditions that omega-3 fatty acids may not prevent or improve, based on the latest scientific evidence.

Prof. Shahidi and Prof. Ambigaipalan also found that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids does not reduce the risk of adverse heart disease-related outcomes, such as sudden cardiac death, heart attack, or stroke, even in individuals without a history of disease.

Although omega-3 fats lower the risk of developing heart disease by lowering triglyceride, the bad cholesterol LDL, and blood pressure, a meta-analysis of over 80,000 individuals found that their supplementation neither prevented death from all causes nor heart disease.

Anti-clotting effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been proposed by reducing platelet aggregation. However, this finding has been controversial, and the evidence in this regard is weak typical doses of omega-3 fats from foods and supplements have a mild effect.

Evidence suggests that increasing omega-3 intake does not prevent or treat diabetes.

It does not affect fasting blood sugar, insulin resistance, or glycosylated hemoglobin in those with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been reported to reduce the complications of some cancer patients, and early findings look promising. However, there is no evidence of any action of omega-3s preventing the development of cancers.

In a meta-analysis of over one million people, a particularly high intake of omega-3 fats 515 g per day did not significantly reduce lung cancer risk, and in some cases, increased the risk of developing lung cancer.

Therefore, too low or too high omega-3 intake may be harmful.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential compounds that are key building blocks for cell membranes, particularly in the brain.

For decades, they have been the subject of scientific interest, but findings have been controversial and inconsistent.

The evidence shows that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and may lower cholesterol, blood pressure, depressive episodes, weight loss during cancer treatment, and the risk for heart disease.

However, omega-3 intake does not reduce the risk of adverse and severe heart disease-related outcomes, including sudden death and stroke. Additionally, it cannot prevent or treat diabetes or prevent blood clots.

This is an emerging area of evidence, and further results will continue to inform health recommendations.

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Omega-3: Facts and myths about its health benefits - Medical News Today

When children suffer malnutrition, their gut microbiomes suffer as well. Although malnourished children gain some weight and grow better when fed a nutrient-rich supplement, they fail to catch up to their well-fed counterparts. Their gut microbiomes also fail to recover.

This conundrum weighed on microbiologist Jeffrey Gordon, who for more than a decade has tracked how a poor diet affects childrens health in Bangladesh, Malawi, and other parts of the world. So Gordon and his team at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, began to gauge the precise role that the microbiome might play in the connections between diet and health.

Ensuring that malnourished children and their microbiomes recover requires more than just dietary supplements. Image credit: Shutterstock/Dana Ward.

Over time, the team started to home in on food as the link between the microbiome and human health. In April, they reported that a unique mix of foods such as peanuts, bananas, and more that supported the growth of age-appropriate microbes helped restore the health of malnourished toddlersand was more effective at improving their health than standard supplements used to treat malnutrition (1). Their food blend worked not just by feeding the kids but by feeding their microbes too.

The teams work is helping to find better ways to define a healthy microbiome, Gordon says, potentially using diet to help the malnourished microbiomes recover. Its not the only approach aiming to treat ailments by targeting microbiotaother studies are looking to treat diabetes and other metabolic conditions.

Changes in the gut microbiome have been correlated with allergies in babies, Alzheimers disease, cancers, and several other diseases, making our bacteria an appealing target to treat a variety of conditions. But attempts to apply these data to fix the microbiome have had limited success. Thats in part attributable to a long struggle to define exactly what a healthy microbiome looks like, says Justin Sonnenburg, a microbiologist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Researchers have consistently found that individuals have a core microbiome, the activities of which remain consistent over long periods of time, but the composition of this core community differs based on a persons lifestyle, habits, or health.

Gut microbes associated with a Western-style diet have been linked to inflammatory disorders, diabetes, and other diseases. But the microbiomes of healthy people in developed countries are also starkly different from those of people in huntergatherer communities. And within an individual, diet, exercise, sleep, and many other factors can shift the proportions and activity of various species greatly from one day to the next, or even over the course of a single day. Theres just such a huge array of species, Sonnenburg says. To promote overall health, its not quite clear what facets of the microbiome we would be trying to maintain or change.

Discerning this answer was part of Gordons aim. Through a series of studies, his team mapped out how the microbial community develops in a healthy child and how that process is disrupted in malnutrition.

In 2014, the researchers sampled gut bacteria from children up to age 2 with and without malnutrition and found consistent differences in the proportions and species of bacteria present (2). Microbial communities in children with malnutrition appeared more similar to those from well-fed children who were younger. Even after children in the former group were fed standard supplements, their microbiomes failed to recover from malnutrition.

The researchers transplanted microbial samples from under-nourished infants and their healthy counterparts into germ-free mice to test whether these differences could account for differences in the childrens health. The mice responded much like the children: Despite eating the same foods, those mice with under-developed microbiomes failed to gain weight and thrive as well as those with age-appropriate microbes. Transplanting bacteria from healthy animals into malnourished ones improved their microbiome and helped the animals thrive.

Diet has a big impact on microbiome function, potentially pointing to ways to improve long-term health. Image credit: Reprinted from ref. 3, with permission from Elsevier.

For children in resource-poor regions, though, such transplants wouldnt be a practical solution. These microbes only grow in the absence of oxygen, making them expensive to culture, store, and turn into probiotic pills, which are the most common way to deliver beneficial bacteria to the gut. The question was, what could we do to repair the microbiota of these kids that was both culturally acceptable and scalable? says Gordon.

In recent years, efforts to repair the gut microbiome have focused on two approaches: probiotic supplements that aim to deliver beneficial gut bacteria, and fecal microbial transplants (FMT), which aim to supplant a disease-linked microbiome with a healthy one. Neither one offers a clear path forward for treating malnutrition. Probiotic pills could prove not only expensive to manufacture and distribute on a large scale, but also less than effective. There's still scant evidence of long-term benefit from adding what are presumed to be beneficial bacteria. FMT has not been tested in the context of malnutrition and would pose cultural and logistical challenges in resource-poor regions where malnutrition is common. And the procedure has only proven effective in very limited conditions, such as gut infections caused by Clostridium difficile. FMT is like restarting a computer to fix a problem, says gastroenterologist Purna Kashyap of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt.

Difficulties with modifying the microbiome arise, in part, because an established gut community is simultaneously in constant fluxchanging with food, sleep, or jet lagand resistant to long-term change. If you change diet, you see this very short-term perturbation where the community changes in response to the chemicals in food, Sonnenburg says. But over time, it will rebound back to something similar to its starting state.

That starting state likely reflects an individuals core microbiome. But Sonnenburg and others have begun to find hints of how to use microbiome-directed foods to drive long-term changes in both the gut community and human health. He and his colleagues tested two dietary changes thought to benefit gut bacteria: plant-based diets high in fiber, and diets high in fermented foods such as kombucha and kefir (3). The researchers monitored changes in the participants microbiomes as well as their health after several weeks of the diets.

Those who consumed high-fiber plant-based meals rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes showed an increase in certain carbohydrate-digesting enzymes produced by gut microbes but no changes in the proportion of different species. Fermented foods, however, were kind of the food equivalent of probiotics, Sonnenburg says. Those who ate more of these foods showed an increase in their gut microbial diversity and a decrease in inflammatory immune markers, perhaps because these foods are rich in so-called prebiotic chemicals that feed beneficial gut bacteria (see ref. 4). Still, neither group showed long-term effects on weight loss, fatigue, stress, or other general markers of well-being.

To understand those links, epidemiologist Tim Spector and nutrition researcher Sarah Berry, both at Kings College in London, UK, and their team, homed in on a long-overlooked aspect of human metabolism: our response to meals. Most research on glucose or fat metabolism has focused on the levels of these chemicals after a long period of not eating. Typically, doctors will request a fasting blood test to gauge a persons metabolic health. But most people eat two or three meals a day interspersed with snacksand every bite contributes to short, sharp rises in circulating sugars and fats. If we were to map blood levels of these metabolites into a typical eating pattern, you actually see that we spend most of our time not fasting, Berry says. The long-term effects of diets, certain foods, or nutrients arise because of their short-term impacts on circulating metabolites, according to Berry.

The researchers also found that peoples genetics showed only a weak correlation to their metabolic responses to food; rather, the microbiome composition was much more strongly associated with how certain metabolites changed after meals. In follow-up studies, the team identified specific groups of microbes associated with metabolic responses to different foods. Then the team developed a machine-learning model to predict how a person might respond to food, based on several factors including their microbiomes (5). Nearly 1,100 study participants had their microbial composition, blood glucose levels, and lipid levels assessed after eating a specific set of foods (6). They then received a set of personalized diet recommendations aimed at health outcomes such as weight loss or improving blood sugar levels in participants with diabetes.

The researchers are still studying whether the recommended dietary changes alter gut microbes as well. But the data so far suggest that different foods promote a change in the microbiome composition, Berry says. The more data that emerge, the more well start to see this symbiotic relationship: Its not enough to just consume beneficial bacteria, but we also need to ensure were giving them the appropriate food.

Gordon and his team wanted to find the appropriate foods for children with severe malnutrition. They designed dietary supplements using different proportions of bananas, peanuts, chickpeas, and other common foods that in laboratory tests in mice appeared to support a healthy microbiome. In mice carrying microbiomes of malnourished children, one specific cocktail helped transform these microbiomes to resemble those found in healthy children. When the researchers fed malnourished toddlers in Dhaka this particular supplement twice a day for three months, their health improved: The children gained height and weight in patterns similar to healthy peersan effect not seen with the standard treatments used for malnutrition. Blood tests also showed that, compared with current remedies, children who received the microbiome-targeting supplement had higher levels of circulating proteins linked to bone growth and brain development (1). Its a nutrient substrate that benefits both the microbes and the host, Gordon says. We have to think of their development together.

In future studies, the group plans to test how long the benefits last and the mechanisms linking host and bacterial metabolism. They emphasize that the work does not try to define a single normal microbiome. Instead, their goal is to identify a community that most benefits a persons health in the context of their individual circumstances.

The results could also help parents seeking ways to optimize childrens nutrition as they shift from infant diets of milk or formula to solid foods. If were able to connect the dots between food and the development of microbiota that drive human growth, we could have a microbiome-informed sequence of foods [to improve childrens health], Gordon says.

Their approach could also extend to other disorders where the microbiome has been implicated, he and others on the team add. What were trying to emphasize with our studies is that we have to change the way we think about food in many ways, says Robert Chen, Gordons doctoral student at Washington University who co-authored the new study. The supplement, Chen adds, is a food designed with a specific purpose and specific targets. And in that way, he says, it is more like a bridge between food and medicine.

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Inner Workings: Can feeding the gut microbiome treat malnutrition? - pnas.org

Annual editors' choice awards program recognizes top industry leaders, suppliers, service providers and retail brands in the natural products industry.

CRANBURY, N.J., Dec. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nutritional Outlook, the industry's leading multimedia resource for manufacturers of dietary supplements, healthy foods and beverages, is proud to announce the winners of its 2021 Best of the Industry Awards, which recognizes individuals, groups and companies whose initiatives in 2021 set a new standard for excellence and positively influence the natural product, dietary supplement, and food and beverage industries.

Nutritional Outlook logo.

"Congratulations to all the 2021 Best of the Industry Award winners," said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences, the parent company of Nutritional Outlook. "Thanks to their trailblazing achievements in 2021, this year's winners will help shape for the better the state of the natural product, dietary supplement, and food and beverage industries for years to come."

Best of the Industry Award winners are selected by Nutritional Outlook's esteemed editors based on their survey of market achievements. This year, the editors recognized companies across four different categories for their contributions in promoting the state of the natural products industry.

The 2021 winners are:

Industry leader: NOW, whose testing of dietary supplement products sold on Amazon.com showed how a supplement company can raise awareness about the presence of low-quality products and also share that information freely with the entire industry, regulators, and Amazon itself in an effort to clean up the market.

Retail brand/product: Good Catch, for its leadership in mainstreaming the plant-based seafood category through its retail and food service partnerships.

Ingredient supplier: Seraphina Therapeutics, for the company's groundbreaking work in odd-chain fatty acids, specifically pentadecanoic acid, and in launching its FA15 ingredient in the form of the Fatty15 supplement brand, bringing awareness and ultimately good health to consumers.

Service provider: Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program, now celebrating its 10th anniversary and whose critical information has warned the botanicals industry about ongoing adulteration, improving the quality and safety of botanical products on the market.

Read exclusive stories about each of our award winners here.

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To hear from our winners, listen to the latest episode of "The Nutritional Outlook Podcast" here.

About Nutritional OutlookAn award-winning media-content provider in the dietary supplement and natural products market, Nutritional Outlook, an MJH Life Sciences brand, provides insights and industry updates critical to manufacturers of dietary supplements, healthy foods, nutritious beverages, and natural products. Nutritional Outlook keeps industry abreast of current market trends, research updates, news, and regulatory developments. Nutritional Outlook goes beyond the 24-hour news cycle and provides in-depth analysis to help industry players navigate the challenges and changes in the near- and long-term. Nutritional Outlook is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

Media ContactAlyssa Scarpaci609-716-7777ascarpaci@mjhlifesciences.com

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Nutritional Outlook Reveals Its 2021 Best of the Industry Award Winners - Yahoo Finance

The researchers at the UC Davis School of Medicine have found that probiotics significantly improve the symptoms of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

The study has been published in the 'Nutrients Journal'.

Nausea and vomiting affect about 85 per cent of pregnancies and can significantly impact the quality of life, particularly during early pregnancy.

"The cause of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is unknown to this date. Various theories have been proposed, but none of them is conclusive," said Albert T. Liu, lead author for the study and a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology.

SEE PICS: Foods to eat during high-risk pregnancy

"Nausea, vomiting and constipation during pregnancy can significantly diminish the quality of patients' lives. Once nausea and vomiting during pregnancy progress, they can become difficult to control, and sometimes the patient even needs to be hospitalized," Liu said.

Probiotics are referred to as "beneficial bacteria." They can be found in foods like yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut and tempeh. Probiotics are also available as food supplements. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, other than vitamins, probiotics or prebiotics were the third most commonly used dietary supplement for adults.

Probiotics are thought to support the community of different microbes, often referred to as the "gut microbiome," found in the gastrointestinal tract.

During pregnancy, hormones like estrogen and progesterone increase, bringing about many physical changes. These increases can also change the gut microbiome, which likely affects the digestive system functions and cause unwanted symptoms like nausea, vomiting and constipation.

The researchers set out to determine whether supplementing with a probiotic could be beneficial for gastrointestinal function during pregnancy.

The study lasted for 16 days. A total of 32 participants took a probiotic capsule twice a day for six days and then took two days off. They then repeated the cycle.

The probiotics were available over-the-counter and mainly contained Lactobacillus, a type of good bacteria. Each capsule contained approximately 10 billion live cultures at the time of manufacture.

Participants kept 17 daily observations of their symptoms during the duration of the study, for a total of 535 observations for the researchers to statistically assess.

What the researchers found was that taking the probiotic significantly reduced nausea and vomiting. Nausea hours (the number of hours participants felt nauseous) were reduced by 16 per cent, and the number of times they vomited was reduced by 33 per cent. Probiotic intake also significantly improved symptoms related to the quality of life, such as fatigue, poor appetite and difficulty maintaining normal social activities, as scored by questionnaires.

Probiotics were also found to reduce constipation significantly.

"Over the years, I've observed that probiotics can reduce nausea and vomiting and ease constipation. It's very encouraging that the study proved this to be true," said Liu.

"Probiotics have also benefited many of my other patients who weren't in the study," Liu added.

Participants also contributed faecal specimens before and during the study. The samples were analyzed to identify the type and number of microbes and the different byproducts of digestion.

This allowed the researchers to examine whether biomarkers in the faecal specimens corresponded with more severe nausea and assess how the probiotics affected participants who began the study with different baseline biomarkers.

One finding was that a low amount of bacteria that carried an enzyme named bile salt hydrolase, which generated bile acid to absorb nutrients, was associated with more pregnancy-related vomiting. Probiotics increase bile salt hydrolase-producing bacteria, which may explain why the supplements decreased levels of nausea and vomiting.

Another finding was that high levels of the gut microbes Akkermansia and A. muciniphila at the beginning of the study were associated with more vomiting. The probiotic significantly reduced the amount of those particular microbes and also reduced vomiting. This suggested Akkermansia and A. muciniphila may be reliable biomarkers that can predict vomiting in pregnancy.

Another finding was that vitamin E levels increased after taking probiotics. Higher levels of vitamin E were associated with low vomiting scores.

"This research provides key insights about the impact of gut microbes on gastrointestinal function during pregnancy. Our gut microbiota explains why we are what we eat, and why bacteria-generated metabolites and products have a huge impact on our health," said Wan.

"They affect the gastrointestinal tract as well as skin health and neurological function," Wan added.

Although the findings are intriguing, the researchers cautioned that due to the small sample size, further studies will be needed to confirm the effects of the probiotics.

"Our previous work showed the benefits of probiotics in preventing liver inflammation. The current study might be one of the first to show the benefits of probiotics in pregnancy," said Wan.

"It would be interesting and important to further test whether probiotics can reduce nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy in cancer patients," Wan concluded.

Additional authors on this study include Shuai Chen from the Department of Public Health Sciences, and Prasant Kumar Jena, Lili Sheng and Ying Hu from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, Davis.

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Having this food can help reduce nausea and vomiting during pregnancy - Hindustan Times