Modifying the intestinal flora by introducing prebiotics (which promote the growth or activity of intestinal bacteria beneficial to our health) and this very early (before birth and during the first months of life) would prevent the risk of allergies usually occurring in the very first years, depending on new research of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research.
8% of children have food allergies
“The evolution of our lifestyles has profoundly modified our overall relationship with microbes – pasteurized food, important hygiene, very protected children – so that our microbiota, that is to say all the bacteria that colonize our body (our intestines, our skin …) has also evolved. And this evolution has been accompanied by an increase in cases of allergies since the end of the 20th century. Today, 8% of children and 2% of adults have food allergy. This progression is explained by a decrease in the capacity of the immune system to tolerate theoretically harmless foods. By intervening on the composition of the microbiota, we would like to correct this “, explains Antoine Magnan, pulmonologist and co-author of this work.
The researchers modified the diet of pregnant mice and during lactation with prebiotic supplements (galactooligosaccharides and inulin). After three weeks, the researchers analyzed the reaction of the baby mice to wheat proteins. Rodents that received prebiotics from their mothers were less affected than others by allergens. “The addition of prebiotics has therefore considerably reduced the severity of allergies”, summarizes Antoine Magnan.
Human clinical trials to come
To assess this discovery, the researchers submitted a request for a hospital clinical research project (PHRC) to perform the experiment in 500 to 1,000 women at risk of transmitting allergy to their child due to a personal or family history. . Volunteers are treated during pregnancy and lactation with prebiotics. This trial will start in 2016 and its results will be known two years later.
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