Probiotic combats diabetes

Pregnant women have a new natural weapon in the fight against gestational diabetes.

Dairy giant Fonterra has developed a naturally occurring probiotic, and research led by the University of Otago, Wellington has shown it has resulted in a 68 per cent reduction in gestational diabetes in a trial group of 194 women.

Fresh studies will soon be under way to discover if the probiotic could also help ward off diabetes in people disposed to it.

The probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, also referred to by Fonterra with the marketing name Surestart Lactob 001, is available only in supplements but the co-operative’s food arm NZMP is looking at putting it into foods such as yoghurt.

Otago University Professor Julian Crane said gestational diabetes was becoming increasingly common as rates of obesity climbed.

Caused by the mother not being able to produce enough insulin, it leads to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, and Maori, Pacific Island and Asian women have some of the highest rates.

It is also more prevalent in older mothers, and because women are having children later in life, it is a growing problem.

For the trial the probiotic was delivered in capsule form to the 194 women, while 200 received a placebo.

Fonterra programme manager nutrition and health, Dr James Dekker, said the probiotic had been trademarked and was already being used in health supplements by Du Pont.

Dekker said Fonterra had further work to do on research into its health effects. It had already been proven to be safe.