Pregnant women can be protected against heavy metal poisoning by consuming yogurt that contains probiotic bacteria, according to a new research.
Researchers at the Canadian Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotics found a protective benefit of the probiotic against mercury and arsenic in pregnant women. According to their study probiotic 'L. Rhamnosus' binds to toxic heavy metals. The team hypothesized that regular intake of this particular probiotic strain might prevent metals from being absorbed.
This is important as "reduction in these compounds in the mothers could presumably decrease negative developmental effects in their foetus and newborns", according to lead researcher Gregor Reid from the Canadian Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotics.
While the results found in the children studied showed benefits and lower toxin levels, the sample size and duration of treatment did not allow statistical significance.
Working with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the researchers created and distributed a special yogurt containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus bacteria and observed the outcomes against a control group.
In a Chicago Parent article published in April this year it was stated that probiotics play an important role in overall health of pregnant women. It reduces the risk of preeclampsia, the leading cause of maternal death in America. Apart from this, probiotic consumption in the first trimester helps lose postpartum weight faster, helps digestion and nutrient absorption and also reduces the risk for postpartum depression
The findings of the current study appeared in the journal mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
