Prevention of GDM via myo-inositol and probiotics
Myo-inositol is an essential vitamin-like nutrient that has a role in the body’s sensitivity to insulin. It is produced from glucose in the body and rich in many foods such as fresh fruit, green vegetables, cereals and nuts. Myo-inositol is also available as nutritional supplement.
Studies have demonstrated that myo-inositol can help lower the incidence of GDM in women at risk by over 50%.
Probiotics are sometimes called “friendly bacteria”. This is because they can control the “bad bacteria” in your gut and have shown plenty of health benefits.
Some foods naturally contain probiotics:
- Yoghurt and yoghurt drinks
- Fermented milk products (e.g. Kefir, Buttermilk)
- Sauerkraut, Pickles
- Kimchi (spicy, fermented Korean dish)
- Miso, Tempeh and soya drinks
You can also buy probiotics as a supplement in pharmacies and drugstores. Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis active cultures have been found to lower blood glucose and help reduce GDM incidence.
There are many strains of probiotics, each affecting the body in a different way. Supplementation with probiotics helps balance the microbiota in your digestive tract.
A combination of myo-inositol and probiotics (specifically L. rhamnosus and B. lactis) were clinically shown to reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes by over 60%.
Nutritional supplements may also reduce the risk of preterm birth
A recent scientific study assessed the effects of a combination of myo-inositol, probiotics and micronutrients, consumed both before and during pregnancy. The nutritional supplements decreased the incidence of preterm birth – another globally increasing public health problem.
