Probiotic Supplementation during Pregnancy: Evaluating the Current Clinical Evidence Against Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Eleni Pavlidou; Olga Alexatou; Gerasimos Tsourouflis; Georgios Antasouras; Sousana K Papadopoulou; Dimitrios Papandreou; Anastasia Sampani; Constantinos Giaginis

doi:10.2174/0115733998284749240417052006

Probiotic Supplementation during Pregnancy: Evaluating the Current Clinical Evidence Against Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Curr Diabetes Rev. 2024 Apr 26. doi: 10.2174/0115733998284749240417052006. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Eleni Pavlidou¹, Olga Alexatou¹, Gerasimos Tsourouflis², Georgios Antasouras¹, Sousana K Papadopoulou³, Dimitrios Papandreou⁴, Anastasia Sampani⁵, Constantinos Giaginis¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Environment, University of Aegean, Myrina, Lemnos, 81400, Greece.
² Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Medical School, University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece.
³ Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece.
⁴ Department of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, College of Health University of Sharjah, P.O Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
⁵ First Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Athens, 11527, Athens, Greece.

PMID: 38676509
DOI: 10.2174/0115733998284749240417052006

Abstract

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) constitutes a common metabolic disorder that could lead to deleterious short- and long-term complications in both the mother and her infant. Probiotic supplementation seems to exert diverse, healthy effects by acting as a preventive agent against various human diseases, including GDM.

Objective: The purpose of the current narrative review was to critically summarize and scrutinize the available clinical studies during the last 15 years (2008-2023) concerning the use of probiotic supplementation during pregnancy as a protecting agent against GDM.

Methods: A thorough and in-depth search was performed in the most accurate scientific databases, e.g., PubMed., Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar applying effective, and relevant keywords.

Results: There are currently some clinical studies suggesting the potential beneficial impact of probiotic supplementation in the prevention and/or co-treatment of GDM. Nevertheless, there is a high heterogeneity amongst the available clinical studies concerning the dosage, the administration duration, the probiotic species types, the method designs and protocols, and the study populations.

Conclusion: Probiotic supplementation at conventional dosages and in combination with a balanced healthy diet, and lifestyle seems to reduce the the risk of developing GDM, while ameliorating the severity of its symptoms. Further clinical studies taking into account the above considerations should be performed to establish conclusive results, while the future meta-analyses should include studies with the feasibly lowest heterogeneity.

Keywords: Probiotics; clinical studies; fasting glycose levels; gestational diabetes; insulin resistance; pregnancy; prevention; supplementation; treatment..