The Effect of a Fish Oil and/or Probiotic Intervention from Early Pregnancy Onwards on Colostrum Immune Mediators: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blinded Clinical Trial in Overweight/Obese Mothers
: Soukka Jenni, Polari Lauri, Kalliomäki Marko, Saros Lotta, Laajala Teemu D., Vahlberg Tero, Toivola Diana M., Laitinen Kirsi
Publisher: WILEY
: 2023
: Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
: MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH
: MOL NUTR FOOD RES
: 2200446
: 67
: 15
: 12
: 1613-4125
: 1613-4133
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.202200446(external)
: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/mnfr.202200446(external)
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/180006765(external)
Scope
Modifying the composition of colostrum by external factors may provide opportunities to improve the infant's health. Here, we evaluated how fish oil and/or probiotics supplementation modify concentrations of colostrum immune mediators and their associations with perinatal clinical factors on mothers with overweight/obesity.
Methods and results
Pregnant women were randomized in a double-blind manner into four intervention groups, and the supplements were consumed daily from early pregnancy onwards. Colostrum samples were collected from 187 mothers, and 16 immune mediators were measured using bead-based immunoassays.Interventions modified colostrum composition; the fish oil+probiotics group had higher concentrations of IL-12p70 than probiotics+placebo and higher FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (FLT-3L) than fish oil+placebo and probiotics+placebo (one-way analysis of variance, post-hoc Tukey's test). Although the fish oil+probiotics group had higher levels of IFN alpha 2 compared to the fish oil+placebo group, these differences were not statistically significant after correction for multiple testing. Multivariate linear model revealed significant associations between several immune mediators and the perinatal use of medication.
Conclusion
Fish oil/probiotics intervention exerted a minor effect on concentrations of colostrum immune mediators. However, medication during the perinatal period modulated the immune mediators. These changes in colostrum's composition may contribute to immune system development in the infant.