Features - Probiotics Aid Allergy Fight

Exposing pregnant mothers and infants to probiotic bacteria boosts their immune systems and could stop them developing allergies, according to scientists.

Researchers selected 1,223 women with a history of allergies or a partner who suffered from them and gave them probiotic or placebo doses daily when they were eight months pregnant.

They then gave the same doses every day for six months to the 925 children of the women who stayed in the study.

The children were examined by doctors at three, six and 24 months, looking to diagnose allergies.

The results showed key proteins which stimulate the immune system were 50% higher on average in the blood of probiotic-treated infants than in placebo-treated infants.

Probiotic children were also 30% less likely than their untreated counterparts to develop an itchy skin condition known as atopic eczema, which is often an early sign of vulnerability to allergies.

The findings support theories that one reason for the increase in people suffering allergies is a lack of bacteria in food.

Immunologist Anthony Horner, from the University of California in San Diego, said that in the past people ate food loaded with bacteria and developed immunity to cope with it.

He said: "These probiotics are probably closely mimicking the effects of regularly eating unpasteurised and unsterilised food."

The study, carried out at the University of Helsinki in Finland, is featured on www.newscientist.com

 

Page created: 13 May 2008