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Willner Chemists: The Nutritional Supplement Professionals
Page 91
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Healthy Babies, Healthy Children
Probiotics Lead to Healthier Moms and
Babies.
When the amniotic sac ruptures—when the “water
breaks”—prematurely; before 37 weeks, chances for poor
pregnancy outcomes increase, including serious infection in
the womb. In this study, 106 women hospitalized with
amniotic sac rupture at 24 to 34 weeks gestation took standard
antibiotics alone or with a probiotic vaginal suppository for 10
days.
Women taking the probiotic suppositories gave birth at an
average of 35.49 weeks compared to 32.53 weeks for
antibiotics alone, with an average increased time in the womb
of 5.06 weeks vs. 2.48 weeks. Babies weighed 5.38 pounds
for probiotics vs. 4.42 pounds for antibiotics alone.
Babies born to moms in the probiotic group were also less
likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care for oxygen or
mechanical ventilation, and had shorter hospital stays. Doctors
said probiotics may help prevent vaginal bacterial infection
and improve pregnancy outcomes.
(Reference: Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy; 2017, 450995,
Published Online)
Less Pregnancy Gingivitis Reduced Chance of
Preterm Birth.
During pregnancy, hormonal changes increase blood flow to
gum tissues, cause inflammation, suppress the immune
response to oral bacteria, and allow plaque to form and
develop into gingivitis. Untreated, gingivitis can cause
periodontitis, an infection that raises chances for preterm
birth.
In this study, 45 healthy women with pregnancy gingivitis at
the start of the third trimester took a placebo or the probiotic
L. reuteri in a lozenge that delivered five-hundred-million
colony-forming units, twice per day until birth.
After the women delivered their babies, gingival symptoms
and plaque build-up in the probiotic group were significantly
lower compared to placebo. Doctors concluded L. reuteri
reduces harmful oral microbes without harming teeth, and
may be a valuable new tool to help control pregnancy
gingivitis.
(Reference: Journal of Clinical Periodontology; 2016, 12606,
Published Online)
Mothers’ Omega-3’s Reduce Asthma in
Children.
Childhood asthma in the United States is increasing and at
historically high levels. Doctors believe one factor is low levels
of omega-3s in the Western diets consumed by mothers during
pregnancy. In this study, 663 women in the 24th week of
pregnancy began taking 2,400 mg of omega-3 fish oil per day,
or a placebo, through birth.
Doctors followed the children for five years and found kids
born to moms in the omega-3 group were 31 percent less
likely to have developed asthma compared to kids whose
moms had taken the placebo. Kids of the omega-3 moms were
also 28 percent less likely to develop persistent wheeze, and
were less likely to have respiratory infections. Results were
greatest for children of mothers who began the study with the
lowest levels of EPA and DHA. They were 54 percent less
likely to have developed asthma compared to kids of moms in
the placebo group.
(Reference: New England Journal of Medicine; 2016, Vol. 375,
No. 26, 2530-9)
Vitamin D for children with IBS
In irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the intestine looks normal,
but does not function normally. In this study, doctors reviewed
55 cases of IBS in children and young adults, age 6 to 21, and
compared them to 116 healthy children and young adults.
Overall, 90 percent of those with IBS were deficient in
vitamin D, which doctors defined as less than 75 nanomoles
per liter of blood, or 30 nanograms per milliliter of blood. A
majority of the healthy participants-75 percent-also were
deficient in vitamin D. Anxiety, depression, and migraine
headache often accompany IBS, and those with IBS and
migraine had much lower vitamin D levels compared to
healthy participants.
Discussing the findings, doctors said children with IBS and
low levels of vitamin D are more likely to have decreased
bone mass and recommend measuring and supplementing
vitamin D levels in those with IBS.
Probiotics reduce strep throat incidence in
children.
A variety of viruses and bacteria can cause sore throat
(pharyngitis), making it one of the most common infections. In
this study, 48 kids with a recent history of acute pharyngitis-
strep throat-took the probiotic streptococcus salivarius K12
during a nine-month follow-up period.
Overall, episodes of strep throat decreased from 154 before
the study to 16 episodes during the study, or 90 percent fewer
episodes of strep throat. Doctors also compared the 48
children with recent strep throat to 76 kids who had relatively
few recent incidents and found those taking the probiotic
were 75 to 100 percent less likely to experience a range of ear,
nose, and throat infections.
(Reference: PLOS ONE; 2017, Vol. 12, No. 3, e0172183)
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Oils Improved
Reading by Children.
In this reading study, 122 children, ages 9 to 10, took a
placebo or 558 mg EPA plus 174 mg DHA and 60 mg GLA per
day. After three months, kids taking the omega-3/6 had better
reading skills compared to placebo. Doctors saw the greatest
benefit when kids had to read a nonsense work aloud,
pronouncing it correctly; and to quickly read aloud a series of
letters. Children with mild attention problems who took
omega-3/6 showed the most improvement. The brain largely
relies on omega-3s for nerve cell communication, doctors said.
(Reference: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry; 2017,
Vol. 58, No. 1, 83-93)
G
ood nutrition, and the right nutritional supplements, can contribute to healthy children. This starts during
pregnancy. It is well known that proper nutrition, and supplementation with nutrients such as folic acid and
omega-3 oils, are of crucial importance. But there are other nutrients that are important as well, and recent
research supports this. Here are a collection of recent studies dealing with healthy children, starting with pregnancy.
The pharmacists and nutritionists
at Willner Chemists will be happy
to advise you about appropriate
supplementation during
pregnancy and during childhood.
The Willner Chemists web site is a
valuable resource for information
on nutritional supplements...
how to choose them,
and how to use them.
. . . and remember to visit Don’s
Blog
