Iron deficiency is common in women of childbearing age and is a global health problem. Iron deficiency-related anemia increases the risk of premature birth, underweight newborns, and neonatal death.
A new study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that taking a particular probiotic supplement improves iron levels in healthy pregnant women.
Probiotic and Iron Status in Healthy Women
Probiotics are microorganisms believed to provide health benefits when consumed, usually by improving or restoring gut health. Consumption of probiotics is generally considered safe, but undesirable side effects may occur on rare occasions because of host-microorganism interactions.
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In the study, a group of researchers from Lund University, in collaboration with the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, evaluated the effect of a probiotic strain preparation containing Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum 299v (Lp299v, 1010 colony forming units), 4.2 mg iron, 12 mg ascorbic acid, and 30 µg folic acid (Lp) on iron status in healthy, non‐anemic, pregnant Swedish women (Axling et al. 2021).
The researchers recruited 326 healthy women at antenatal midwife clinics in the investigation between September 2016 and March 2018. The women were at 18–42 years, serum ferritin was ≥20 µg/L, and had a body mass index between 18 and 30 kg/m2 at the baseline visit.
The participants were randomized to receive a placebo or the probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum 299v (Lp299v) administered with a low dose of iron, folic acid, and ascorbic acid. They took the placebo or the combination product twice daily during pregnancy.
They were also advised not to take any other probiotic products or to consume any other supplement containing iron during the study unless the investigator recommended iron therapy.
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Blood samples were collected and analyzed for serum ferritin, hemoglobin, soluble transferrin receptor, total iron-binding capacity, plasma iron, transferrin saturation, mean corpuscular volume, and C‐reactive protein. All analyses were conducted at a certified local hospital laboratory using standardized and validated methods.
The study found that the prevalence of anemia was significantly lower in the Lp group than in the placebo group at week 28 (14% vs 26%) and at week 35 (7.4% vs 21%). Also, in the Lp group prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was significantly lower than in the placebo group. What’s more, women taking the study product until delivery showed significantly higher ferritin levels at the follow‐up visit compared with the placebo group (49.4 vs 40.2 µg/L).
Iron deficiency in women at childbearing age is a common health problem (Kassebaum 2016). In a report in 2015, World Health Organization revealed that about 40% of pregnant women suffer from anemia (WHO 2015). In a pregnant woman, iron deficiency can lead to several complications for the mother and her child (Rahman et al. 2016).
Significance
In a press release (Wiley 2021), the study’s lead author, Ulrika Axling, Ph.D., of Probi AB, stated, “We have previously shown that the Lp299v strain together with a low dose of iron increases iron absorption. With this study, we proved that this translates into an improved iron status in pregnant women.”
The author further added, “Iron deficiency is especially common during pregnancy, and high-dose iron supplements are often recommended. Since these typically come with side effects such as stomach pain and constipation, there is a need for new solutions. This probiotic product could offer a novel and safe approach for improving iron status during pregnancy.”
