Oral probiotics have no significant impact on HbA1c levels in children with type 1 diabetes: Study

The study showed no significant effect of consumption of oral probiotics on HbA1c levels in children with type 1 diabetes.

Probiotics are living microorganisms that can have positive effects on the balance of intestinal microflora and the health of the host. Recent studies have shown that probiotics can promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the gut and improve the diabetes course. The effectiveness of probiotics has been reported in the treatment of some diseases such as insulin resistance, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Proper control of blood glucose in children with type 1 diabetes has a direct effect on their quality of life and metabolism by reducing the risk of complications. Hosein Shabani-Mirzaee, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, and colleagues aimed to evaluate the effect of oral consumption of probiotics on glycosylated haemoglobin in children with type 1 diabetes.

For this purpose, the researchers conducted a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial comprising 52 children with type 1 diabetes. They were categorized into two groups of 26 individuals each.

The probiotic group received a daily probiotic capsule for 90 days, along with a routine insulin therapy. The control group received only insulin therapy. Blood samples of both groups were taken to measure fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, and lipid profiles at the trial’s beginning and end.

Key findings of the study:

• HbA1c was high in both groups, but this increase was lower in the probiotic group (an increase of 0.1%) than in the control group (an increase of more than 0.4%). This decrease in HbA1c rising in the probiotic group was not statistically significant.
• The mean level of fasting plasma glucose in the probiotic group was significantly reduced compared to the control group.
• Acute complications of diabetes, like ketoacidosis or considerable hypoglycaemia, did not occur in the studied patients.

“The results suggest that the consumption of oral probiotics has no significant effect on HbA1c levels in children with T1DM,” the researchers wrote. “Another result of this study was a significant reduction in the mean level of fasting plasma glucose in the probiotic group after the intervention.”

“This issue may indicate the potential of future studies on the beneficial effect of probiotics with glycemic status in children with type 1 diabetes,” they concluded.

Reference:

Shabani-Mirzaee H, Haghshenas Z, Malekiantaghi A, Vigeh M, Mahdavi F, Eftekhari K. The effect of oral probiotics on glycated haemoglobin levels in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus – a randomized clinical trial. Pediatr Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2023;29(3):128-133. doi: 10.5114/pedm.2023.132025. PMID: 38031828; PMCID: PMC10679923.