Fish oil could shield babies from egg and nut allergies

PREGNANT women who take fish oil capsules and probiotics could protect their babies from allergies, research shows.

Fish oil has been found to shield against egg and peanut reactions for the first time.

A daily capsule taken after the 20th week of pregnancy – and for the first three or four months of breastfeeding – could cut the chance of a child developing an egg allergy by almost a third.

A review of 19 fish oil studies, led by Imperial College London, found a 38 per cent reduction in peanut allergy risk, but only in two reports.

Researchers also said a daily probiotic supplement could reduce the risk of childhood eczema by more than a fifth. Eggs are the most common food allergy and can cause anaphylactic shock, vomiting and breathing problems.

Fish oil is believed to keep a child’s immune system in check, preventing it from flaring up in response to food. Probiotics may curb allergies by regulating bugs in the gut.

Lead researcher Dr Robert Boyle said: ‘There has been a suggestion that what a pregnant woman eats may affect her baby’s risk of developing allergies or eczema, but there has never been such a comprehensive analysis of the data. Our research suggests probiotic and fish oil supplements may reduce a child’s risk of developing an allergy. These findings need to be considered when guidelines for pregnant women are updated.’

Seif Shaheen, professor of respiratory epidemiology at Queen Mary University of London, said further large trials ‘may be able to identify particular subgroups of mothers and children who would benefit most from these interventions’.

The research comes from one of the biggest investigations of maternal diet and childhood allergy ever undertaken.

Scientists pooled total data from more than 400 studies involving 1.5million mothers and their children.