Probiotics, synbiotics beneficial in gestational diabetes

Interventions involving supplementation with probiotics or synbiotics help manage glucose and lipid concentrations, as well as exert anti-inflammation and antioxidant benefits in diet-controlled patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), according to the results of a meta-analysis.

Researchers accessed multiple online databases and identified 12 randomized controlled trials for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The total study population comprised 894 women.

Pooled data showed that compared with placebo, probiotic and synbiotic supplements yielded greater improvements in glucose and lipid metabolism as well as anti-inflammation and antioxidant capacity. Specifically, the intervention conferred benefits for insulin (weighted mean difference [WMD], 3.57, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], −5.26 to −1.88) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL; WMD, −5.03, 95 percent CI, −8.26 to −1.79).

At the end of the trial, participants who received probiotics or synbiotics vs placebo showed more favourable changes in nitric oxide (WMD, 2.31, 95 percent CI, 0.91–3.70), total antioxidant capacity (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.74, 95 percent CI, 0.21–1.27), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (SMD, −1.23, 95 percent CI, −1.97 to −0.49).

Furthermore, probiotic and synbiotic supplements improved the following neonatal outcomes: foetal hyperbilirubinaemia risk (risk ratio [RR], 0.26, 95 percent CI, 0.12–0.55), foetal macrosomia risk (RR, 0.47, 95 percent CI, 0.27–0.83), and newborn weight (SMD, −0.29, 95 percent CI, −0.50 to −0.09).

The findings underscore that the microbiome is essential in the metabolism of GDM patients.