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The research which was reported in the Daily Mail on 7th December gave 220 expectant mothers and their new born infants a type of probiotic bacteria called lactobacillus reuteri. This bacterium occurs naturally in the digestive tract of about 15% of the UK population and its presence helps to prevent the growth of other harmful bacteria. Lactobacilli bacteria also secrete enzymes which help to break down food in the gut.
All the children involved in the research had a family history of allergies and were tested with food skin prick tests at age 6 months. Only 8% of those receiving the bacteria develop an allergic reaction to egg compared with 16% of those who had been given a placebo. Research has already shown that positive pin prick tests to food is an indication of an increased risk of developing asthma, a condition suffered by over five million Britons at the present time.
Naturally occurring levels of lactobacilli may vary as a result of genetic make-up but may also be linked to diet. Highly packaged frozen foods contain very few bacteria, the main dietary sources being yogurt, fermented vegetables and unpasteurised cheese foods which are generally not recommended during pregnancy because they may also contain the harmful bacteria listeria. However countries of Eastern Europe where the diet contains many live organisms have been shown to have a correspondingly lower incidence of asthma highlighting the importance of these.
Supplements containing live bacteria are available as are prebiotics, supplements which encourage the body to increase its own natural supply of "good" bacteria.
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