title: Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Metabolic Status in Pregnant Women: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data is available on the effects of multispecies probiotic supplementation on metabolic status in pregnant women in the first half of pregnancy. The current study was carried out to determine the effects of multispecies probiotic capsule supplementation on metabolic status among pregnant women in the first half of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized clinical trial was conducted among 60 pregnant women aged 18-37 years. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: group A (n = 30) received multispecies probiotic supplements containing three probiotic bacteria spices Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum (2 × 109 CFU/g each) and group B (n = 30) received placebo from 9 weeks of gestation for a duration of 12 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study and after 12 weeks of intervention to determine metabolic profiles, inflammatory cytokines and biomarkers of oxidative stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12 weeks of intervention, compared to the placebo group, the pregnant women who consumed probiotic capsule had significantly decreased serum insulin concentrations (-1.5 ± 4.8 vs. +1.3 ± 5.2 µIU/mL, P = 0.03), the homeostasis model of assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (-0.3 ± 0.9 vs. +0.3 ± 1.1, P = 0.04), the homeostasis model of assessment-estimated b cell function (HOMA-B) (-7.2 ± 23.1 vs. +5.3 ± 22.6, P = 0.03) and increased quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (+0.01 ± 0.05 vs. -0.01 ± 0.02, P = 0.03). In addition, changes in serum triglycerides levels (-14.7 ± 46.5 vs. +37.3 ± 74.2 mg/dL, P = 0.002), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (-1.0 ± 2.6 vs. +1.7 ± 4.3 mg/L, P = 0.004), plasma nitric oxide (NO) (+6.8 ± 9.3 vs. -4.7 ± 7.4 µmol/L, P < 0.001), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (+171.9 ± 187.6 vs. -51.9 ± 208.8 mmol/L, P < 0.001) and glutathione (GSH) concentrations (+34.3 ± 71.6 vs. -36.9 ± 108.3 µmol/L, P = 0.004) in supplemented women were significantly different from those of the placebo group. However, after controlling for baseline levels, age and BMI at the study baseline, the changes in plasma GSH were not significantly different between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, probiotic supplementation for 12 weeks among pregnant women in the first half of pregnancy had beneficial effects on markers of insulin metabolism, triglycerides, biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jamilian
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bahmani
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vahedpoor
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmani
authors.affiliation: Faculty Member of Science Department, Science Faculty, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Central branch, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tajabadi-Ebrahimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Science Faculty, Islamic Azad University, Arak Branch, Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahrzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashemi Dizaji
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Zatollah
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Asemi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001644:Bifidobacterium; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007492:Iran; D007778:Lactobacillus; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005978:Glutathione