In recent research, an imbalance in the microbiome (human gut bacteria), has been implicated in conditions such as diabetes and schizophrenia. A team of researchers led by University of Alberta microbiome epidemiologist Anita Kozyrskyj set out to look at the interaction between gut bacteria and asthma during pregnancy. The researchers recruited 1,000 mothers and their infants. At 3-4 months of age, the infants’ fecal microbiota was assessed and compared with samples from mothers without asthma.
Kozyrskyj reported, “We saw a significant reduction in the family of microbes called Lactobacillus in Caucasian baby boys born to pregnant women who had asthma, and this was especially evident if the asthmatic mother had allergies or was overweight.”
This may imply that conditions like asthma, allergies, and the tendency to be overweight may be influenced by the individual’s microbiome. In the future probiotic treatments to restore proper gut flora may be an accepted part of preventive medicine.
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