Gut Check: Could Probiotics be the Key to Preventing Allergies?

May 16, 2023

Allergies are a common problem that affects millions of people around the world. From food allergies to environmental allergens like pollen or dust, allergies can cause a wide range of symptoms, from sneezing and runny noses to more severe reactions like anaphylaxis.     While there is hardly any cure for allergies, growing research shown that probiotics may play a role in preventing allergic reactions. Furthermore, probiotics have been mostly studied on rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis, which have shown beneficial effects (Lopez-Santamarina et al, 2021).

Definition of Allergy: A hypersensitivity reaction caused by an immunological response to a specific antigen, known as allergens. 

Probiotics are "good bacteria" with a number of health benefits as discussed in other topics, mainly in promoting good digestive health and boosting the immune system. But could probiotics also help prevent allergies?

The theory behind probiotics and allergies is that they can help regulate the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when the immune system overreacts to a harmless substance like food. Probiotics may be able to modulate the immune response by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can help reduce inflammation and improve the body's ability to fight off harmful pathogens. However, it should be noted that effective probiotics must be resistant to bile salts, gastric enzymes, and low pH, to survive through the digestive system, in providing benefits to the body. 

Several studies have shown promising results when it comes to using probiotics to prevent allergies. In one study, pregnant women who were given probiotics during the last trimester of pregnancy and for the first six months of breastfeeding were found to have a reduced risk of eczema in their infants (Dotterud et al, 2010). Another study found that administration of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. in children have shown reduction in hyperreactivity and inflammation caused by allergens and a decrease in cytokine release, among other beneficial effects (Lopez-Santamarina et al, 2021). Furthermore, the World Allergy Organization (WAO) recommends probiotic supplementation for allergy prevention on pregnant, breastfeeding women and infants (Fiocchi et al, 2015).

To sum up, if you or someone you know suffers from allergies, it may be worth considering adding probiotics to your diet or taking a probiotic supplement such as HEXBIO® MCP® Granule. It contains dominant bacterial species that naturally establish in newborn's gut microbiota, which potentially reduce the risk of allergies. The high-quality strains (BCMC® strains) have been proven to survive through the digestive system, restore healthy immunity and naturally reduce inflammation. Read more on HEXBIO® Clinical Studies.




References

Lopez-Santamarina A, Gonzalez EG, Lamas A, Mondragon ADC, Regal P, Miranda JM. Probiotics as a Possible Strategy for the Prevention and Treatment of Allergies. A Narrative Review. Foods. 2021 Mar 25;10(4):701. doi: 10.3390/foods10040701. PMID: 33806092; PMCID: PMC8064452.

Dotterud CK, Storrø O, Johnsen R, Oien T. Probiotics in pregnant women to prevent allergic disease: a randomized, double-blind trial. Br J Dermatol. 2010 Sep;163(3):616-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.09889.x. Epub 2010 Jun 9. PMID: 20545688.

Fiocchi A, Pawankar R, Cuello-Garcia C, Ahn K, Al-Hammadi S, Agarwal A, Beyer K, Burks W, Canonica GW, Ebisawa M, Gandhi S, Kamenwa R, Lee BW, Li H, Prescott S, Riva JJ, Rosenwasser L, Sampson H, Spigler M, Terracciano L, Vereda-Ortiz A, Waserman S, Yepes-Nuñez JJ, Brożek JL, Schünemann HJ. World Allergy Organization-McMaster University Guidelines for Allergic Disease Prevention (GLAD-P): Probiotics. World Allergy Organ J. 2015 Jan 27;8(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s40413-015-0055-2. PMID: 25628773; PMCID: PMC4307749.


Comments:0

No comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address cannot be published. Required fields are marked*

BACK TO TOP