Title : Effect of maternal nutrition on offspring ageing: Importance of microbiota and probiotics
Abstract:
The overall health of pregnant and lactating women is an important element in a country's development. The nutritional status of the mother affects the weight of the newborn, which in turn affects the health of the individual in adulthood. Malnutrition during the early stages of development (pregnancy and lactation) is associated with increased oxidative stress, which is implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases and developmental defects. Epidemiological studies have shown that maternal nutritional imbalance alters the metabolism and composition of the microbiota of both mother and offspring. Thus, pregnancy and lactation are windows of opportunity to implement lifestyle modifications that could prevent adverse effects in both mother and offspring. One of these modifications would be the consumption of probiotics, microorganisms that stimulate the protective functions of the digestive tract, thus helping to ameliorate the metabolic and immunological changes associated with malnutrition. As described above, the consumption of probiotics plays an important role in maintaining the intestinal ecosystem and stimulating the immune system, thereby improving or preventing certain pathologies. While pregnancy is a period of vulnerability for predisposition to disease in postnatal life, it is also a window of opportunity to implement interventions to improve the health of the mother and consequently her offspring. Today, women are increasingly aware of the link between nutrition and health, which has prompted the development of functional foods such as probiotics.
