For the first time, a new study shows that “Probiotics and prebiotics can have different effects on the immune system in male, compared [with] female, piglets.” The findings have important implications for research on the effects of these supplements, as well as for personalized, probiotics-based treatments.

Share on Pinterest New research suggests that the benefits of probiotics, such as those in yogurt, may vary depending on a person’s sex.

Probiotics are trending in the world of nutrition these days, and a growing body of evidence is suggesting that the hype may well be justified.

Prebiotics, such as the fiber in fruits and vegetables, and probiotics, such as the microorganisms in yogurt and other fermented foods, may keep the whole body healthy by supporting gastrointestinal health and a good balance of bacteria in our guts.

The link between probiotics and the immune system has also received considerable attention from the medical research community.

Evidence suggests that probiotics help mediate the host’s immune response, which is why some researchers believe that probiotics may help treat immune-related conditions such as allergies or eczema.

But immunity differs considerably by sex; the medical community recognizes sex-based disparities in adults’ immune responses to various inflammatory and infectious diseases.

However, researchers know less about immunological sex differences in infants and even less about the effect that dietary supplementation with probiotics may have on the early-life development of the immune system.

So, with this in mind, a team led by Marie Lewis, Ph.D. — a lecturer in gut immunology and microbiology at the University of Reading, in the United Kingdom — set out to investigate the effect of pre- and probiotics in young piglets of different sexes.

Lewis and her team published their findings in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.