Probiotics can act on different bacteria associated with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
- Nausea and vomiting affect approximately 85% of pregnancies.
- Probiotics can be sold in the form of dietary supplements, but they are also present in certain foods such as yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut and tempeh.
Pregnancy is sometimes accompanied by some inconveniences. Many women experience nausea and vomiting during the first trimester. On a daily basis, this can be difficult to bear. A study, published in the specialized journal Nutrients, offers an effective solution: probiotics. Marketed in capsule form, they contain micro-bacteria that act on the intestinal flora and thus improve our state of health. In this research, conducted by a team from the UC Davis School of Medicine in the United States, probiotics were found to be effective in reducing nausea and vomiting.
How to explain the appearance of nausea and vomiting?
The authors of the study point out that the precise causes of these “Side effects” pregnancy remain unknown, but there are several hypotheses. They point out that during pregnancy, the levels of certain hormones such as estrogen and progesterone increase, which causes physical changes, but also metabolic: the intestinal microbiota can be This change in the microbiota can have an impact on digestive functions, which result in nausea, vomiting and constipation.
What are the effects of probiotics?
Scientists have tested a hypothesis: restoring the balance of the intestinal microbiota thanks to probiotics can prevent nausea and vomiting. Their study lasted 16 days, during which 32 participants agreed to take probiotics. The protocol was as follows: you had to take one capsule twice a day for six days, then nothing for two days. This was repeated twice in a row. The probiotics consumed mainly contained Lactobacillus. Throughout the duration of the study, the participants answered questionnaires about their state of health. Researchers found that taking the capsule significantly reduced nausea and vomiting. Nausea hours, the total number of hours participants felt nauseous, were reduced by 16%. The number of vomiting also fell by 33%. Participants also reported feeling less tired, having more appetite and less constipation.
Bacteria linked to the intensity of vomiting
Before and during the study, participants provided stool samples. Tests have shown that a low level of a type of bacteria that carries an enzyme called bile salt hydrolase, was associated with more vomiting during pregnancy. Since probiotics increase the amount of these bacteria, this may explain why dietary supplements reduced nausea and vomiting. High levels of microbes, called Akkermansia and A. muciniphila, at the start of the study were also associated with more vomiting. Regular consumption of probiotics has reduced the quantity of these microbes, at the same time as nausea and vomiting have decreased, which could explain the origin of these inconveniences. The researchers finally noticed that Vitamin E levels increased after taking probiotics, and a high presence of this vitamin has previously been associated with a lower amount of vomiting. While the results are exciting, the researchers urge caution: Due to the small sample size, further studies will be needed to confirm the effects of this probiotic on nausea and vomiting.
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