What Are The Benefits Of Probiotics For Kids
Researchers are still learning about all the benefits of probiotics and how they work. Probiotics may help with digestion, preventing infectious diseases and even playing a role in maintaining a healthy weight.
Some studies say probiotics help children with digestive issues such as:
- Constipation
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Infectious diarrhea
However, other studies say probiotics have no effect. Dr. Sanghavi believes this is because each child has his or her individual microbiome.
“The microbiome is unique for each individual, almost like a fingerprint,” Dr. Sanghavi explains. “Most probiotics contain strains of lactobacillus, but there are many different types that may or may not exist in your gut.”
Dr. Sanghavi says that probiotics may only help if they contain the right strains of bacteria for your child’s gut; otherwise, they may not have any effect.
Benefits Of A Bifidobacterium
The decline of Bifidobacterium in infant gut microbiomes and the associated dysregulation of the microbial community, with more numerous potential pathogens, has been suggested as one possible contributor to the increased incidence of autoimmune diseases that plague residents of resource-rich nations. Conversely, observational studies have shown beneficial immune effects of having a fecal microbiome dominated by Bifidobacterium. In two studies in Bangladeshi infants and young children, fecal B. infantis and Bifidobacterium abundances at two months of age were strongly correlated with improved vaccine responses at six months and two years old compared with infants not colonized by B. infantis or with low relative abundances of Bifidobacterium.
In an effort to restore the Bifidobacterium-dominated infant gut microbiome that was typical of breastfed babies 100 years ago, we decided to conduct a randomized, controlled trial using the B. infantis EVC001 probiotic. Given that not all B. infantis strains consume all HMOs efficiently, we selected B. infantis EVC001 because we knew this strain had the full cassette of genes needed to fully digest all HMOs. Healthy, full-term, breastfed infants were randomized to consume B. infantis EVC001 for 21 consecutive days starting on day 7 postnatal or to not receive the probiotic.;
Bifidobacterium
Do Probiotics Relieve Constipation
Studies suggest that probiotics may relieve constipation related to pregnancy, certain medications, or digestive issues like IBS. Probiotics are largely safe and effective, making them an excellent addition to a healthy diet to improve bowel regularity.
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Are Probiotics Safe For Infants
In most cases, probiotics have been shown to be safe for most healthy infants. However, at this time, there has not been very much research regarding the safety and effectiveness of probiotics in infants. Make sure to discuss the use of probiotics for your infant with your pediatrician prior to using them.
There are many different strains of probiotics, so you want to be sure to administer the best strain for your child. At this time there is no specific recommended dose for infants.
Improve Symptoms Associated With Constipation
As we just saw, Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria combined with either Bifidobacterium breve or Bifidobacterium animalis has been found to improve many;underlying causes associated with constipation. Research has found that Bifidobacterium lactis can also help ease stool expulsion and improve symptoms such as bloating, hard stools, and the sensation of not emptying your bowels completely.5
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Do Babies Need Probiotics
Amniotic fluid is not sterileits your babys first introduction to bacteria. And the kind of bacteria in the amniotic fluid is influenced by moms gut and oral flora.
In a perfect world, moms would have great flora to pass onto their babies. But over the last century, we have been subjected to antibiotics, GMOs, sugary/starchy diets, and lots of processed foodsall of which can degrade the gut flora passed onto our babies.;
Baby probiotics are a babys first line of defense, since they help to improve the balance of good bacteria in their body.
Can Probiotics Upset A Babys Stomach
The Food and Drug Administration considers them a supplement. Therefore, they are not regulated like medications nor proven to be safe. There is no official recommended dose for infants at this time. Some of them have side effects that cause allergic reactions, stomach pain, diarrhea, and gas and bloating.
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Which Are Best For Baby
The best baby probiotic supplements are drops or powdered sachets.;
-
is a powder that can be placed on the nipple before breastfeeding
All are suitable from birth onwards.;;;
Biogai and Biokult Infantis can be mixed with formula or breast milk. Optibac can be mixed with food or drinks, including formula. All three contain Lactobacillus strains which may be helpful for colic or constipation.;
Best Probiotics for Toddlers
Possible Prevention Of Eczema
Eczema is an uncomfortable skin condition that affects people of all walks of life. It tends to be a result of inflammation, which is manageable to some extent via the introduction of probiotic bacteria. It starts at a young age, where anti-inflammatory properties from probiotics in breast milk are transferred to the child and may prevent against the development of atopic eczema, which can develop easily in infants.
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Your Guide To: Probiotics For Children
Tags: Pre & Probiotics
This article was made possible due to an unrestricted educational grant from Activia. Written in collaboration with Dragana Skokovic-Sunjic BScPh RPh NCMP, AEProbio
As a parent, you want to give your baby the best start in life.;You are conscious of your babys health and development and want to ensure they grow up happy and healthy. There is a lot of talk today about a healthy gut being the foundation for a healthy child and how probiotics can build up your babys gut health.;;
If you didnt know,;probiotics are defined as;Live microorganisms which,;when administered in adequate;amounts confer a health benefit on the host. In plain language, probiotics are good microbes;that are meant to help the person taking them.;These friendly microbes help us digest food, maintain health and fight disease.;Many Canadians are;hearing about how great probiotics;are,;and;are;looking to;supplement their diet with them.;
Not every child will need to be given probiotic. Early life exposures to microbes in the world we live in, playing outside, having a pet, eating variety of food are all factors supporting good gut microbes and in turn good health.;
Evidence supports using specific probiotics as an intervention in treating or preventing very specific childhood conditions, not as a general health supplement;
For probiotics in children and young adults, clinical evidence supports the use of probiotics;as an intervention;for:;
Not All Probiotics Are Equal
If youre planning to take a probiotic supplement to manage constipation, its important to remember that all probiotic bacteria do not have the same effects.;For instance, if Bifidobacterium lactis is able to increase the frequency of bowel movements, its not necessary that other probiotic bacteria would have a similar effect. So check the strain of probiotic bacteria that youre consuming to make sure that itll be beneficial in your case. And as always, when in doubt, speak to your doctor.6 It is also a good idea to increase your intake of probiotic foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut which boost your digestive health and the number of good bacteria in your stomach.
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How Do Probiotics Affect Stool
August 12, 2013 by Lara Swanson
Although it is fairly common to hear people advise others to take probiotics after a round of antibiotics, few people really understand the reason behind that, or what the benefits of probiotics are. One common question that comes up in probiotics discussions is their effects on the bowels. If you have read our previous discussions on probiotics for men, women, and children, you may be wondering if taking probiotics will have an effect on your bowel health. This article will explore the positive effects that probiotics can have on stool, especially in relation to antibiotic-related diarrhea, and overall bowel health.
The Effects of Antibiotics
According to the Mayo Clinic website, diarrhea cause by taking antibiotics is not an unusual occurrence. Although most cases of diarrhea are considered mild but the Mayo clinic report, diarrhea is never a pleasant experience. WebMD reports that antibiotic related diarrhea occurs in 1 in 3 people taking antibiotics, a much broader scope than indicated by the Mayo clinic. Again, many cases are mild and clear up soon after the antibiotic course is finished. Other cases are more severe and can cause colitis, or inflammation of the colon.
Probiotics and AAD
Help for Constipation
Constipation and Diarrhea? What Gives?
A Day At The Ranch Store
One day at the Ranch Store we were talking about how the chicks we sold in the Spring are all grown up now;, ;most are laying their first eggs or are in freezers .
As I have mentioned before, for chickens there is only one exit for anything that passes through their bodies. They tend to have problems in that area from time to time, and we get calls to help customers help their chickens through these difficulties.
Baby chicks can experience stress from shipping. When they arrive, we give them a special cocktail of warm water mixed with sugar, vitamins, electrolytes and probiotics. They usually arrive early in the a.m. after being in a box travelling on several different flights for 2 or 3 days. They would probably prefer Bloody Marys; Im just making an assumption,;if I were in their place, I would want alcohol.
We give them that special mix to prevent poopy or as I like to call it, gunky butt. This is a condition where poop sticks to the fuzz of baby chicks or feathers of adult birds to the point where it accumulates and hardens then will eventually plug the vent . If this does happen, the only treatment is too soften the poop with warm water, clean it off, dry the bird so the other birds wont pick on it and continue with probiotics in their drinking water.
Who knew raising a family flock would be so hard? In my next post I think I will teach you about what to do when your hens get egg bound. Bet you cant hardly wait.
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Do Probiotics Help Babies Poop
Babies taking probiotics, however, had significantly more bowel movements than babies on the placebo after two, four, and eight weeks, suggesting an improvement in their constipation. At the beginning of the study, the probiotic babies had, on average, less than three bowel movements per week.
Should My Child Take Probiotics After Antibiotics
For some children, antibiotics can change the balance of bacteria in their guts, which can cause diarrhoea. There is some evidence that the same probiotic strains; Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii, thought to help diarrhoea after tummy bugs, may also help prevent diarrhoea caused by antibiotics .;
However, this does not seem to help all children and researchers are unsure why this is the case.; As probiotics arent harmful, you could consider trying them to see if they help your little one.
There is stronger evidence to show probiotic supplements may shorten the length of time diarrhoea continues for after a course of antibiotics .;;
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Whats The Best Way To Give Baby Probiotics
You want to avoid giving probiotics in hot bottles or hot food, as the heat can damage the live bacteria before it has a chance to start working in your babys gi tract. However, there are lots of ways to administer probiotics. You can mix the probiotics with room temp formula or breastmilk, give on a spoon, or mix into food . A couple of other options are to put the probiotics on your nipple before breastfeeding, or put the drops on your finger and rub them inside the babys cheek.
Regulate Time Taken For Food To Pass Through Your Digestive System
The food that you eat needs to move from your stomach through your small intestine and your large intestine. The time taken to do this is known as whole gut transit time. If food passes through your guts faster than normal, you wont be able to absorb nutrients properly; on the other hand, if it passes through too slowly, too much water will be drawn out of it, making it hard to pass and causing constipation.1 Heres where probiotics may help.
Research shows that they can shorten whole gut transit time. A study that looked at the effect of consuming Bifidobacterium lactis in yogurt on whole gut transit time found that not only did it decrease whole gut transit time significantly, it also reduced the frequency of symptoms like constipation, irregular bowel movements, and flatulence two-folds when compared to the control group which took a placebo.2
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While On Certain Types Of Medication
Many medications have a known negative effect on the gut flora and your digestive system. For example, antibiotics and radiation therapies greatly diminishes your healthy gut flora, and opioid pills and other painkillers can lead to constipation or inflammation in the gut.;
In these cases, probiotics are a powerful way to strengthen your gut flora, restore bacterial diversity and support healthy digestion.
What To Know About Constipation For Babies And Toddlers
- Know the symptoms of constipation
- Understand why constipation happens at these ages
- Learn common dietary treatments for constipation
Constipation in children is defined as having fewer than two bowel movements per week and/or difficulty passing stools that are small, hard and dry.1 But every child is different. Pay attention to whatever seems regular for your little one, because any deviation from your babys normal can be unpleasant.
What causes constipation?
Inadequate hydration is the likely constipation culprit, along with eating a diet low in fiber.
It is important for babies and toddlers to drink enough fluids to keep their bodies properly hydrated and bowels moving regularly.2 And when increasing the amount of fiber in your childs diet, it is important to keep increasing the amount of water to help process the added fiber.
How much fluid does your family need? Read more here: Hydration to Prevent Constipation for the Family
Is my infant constipated?
Healthy babies under 6 months are unlikely to experience constipation because they receive adequate hydration and nutrients from breastmilk or formula or a combination.
Remember that its very common for your baby to grunt, strain, and turn red while passing stool since their abdominal muscles are still weak so they must work harder to have a bowel movement. As they become older and their muscles get stronger, theyll be able to pass stool much easier!
Reasons babies under 6 months may become constipated:
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Best Strains Of Probiotics For Babies
Researchers of an Australian study found that the best probiotics for infants were ones that included 2-3 strains or species of probiotics . Here are the top three to look for:
1. B. bifidum is one of the first strains to colonize babys intestines and adheres to the intestinal wall better than other strains. It continues to be an important bacteria for digestion and nutrient absorption. It may help with infant skin conditions like baby eczema and yeast infections. It may also help with infant digestive issues such as;necrotizing enterocolitis , IBS, constipation, diarrhea, and even lung infections.
2. B. infantis is the strain that is most prevalent and powerful in infants and declines as we age. In fact, a new study;shows that this strain may be going extinct in the Western world. This is a huge issue, as it crowds out pathogenic bacteria and helps with overall health and digestion. One review found that B. Infantis can reduce inflammation and support immune function.
3. L. reuteri is a strain that has been found to have many benefits for young children and infants. One study found that children ages 6 months to 3 years who took supplemental L. rheuteri had;nearly one third fewer cases of diarrhea and half as many respiratory infections. Another study suggests that L. rheuteri is an excellent treatment for colic. It was also found to reduce the levels of bacteria that cause;tooth decay!
Enhanced Microbiome For Mom
The mothers microbiome has a huge impact on the health of her child. Many people dont realize that breastfeeding, while an excellent option in comparison to the alternatives, can leach nutrients such as beneficial bacteria from the mothers body. Naturally, this causes the immune system to weaken to an extent, affecting metabolism in the process. By taking a probiotic supplement, you can help to curtail the impact that breastfeeding can have on the bodys natural bacteria you may even feel healthier and more energetic!
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Should I Give My Baby Probiotic Drops
The Food and Drug Administration considers them a supplement. Therefore, they are not regulated like medications nor proven to be safe. There is no official recommended dose for infants at this time. Some of them have side effects that cause allergic reactions, stomach pain, diarrhea, and gas and bloating.
Do Probiotics Make Babies Poop More
Babies taking probiotics, however, had significantly more bowel movements than babies on the placebo after two, four, and eight weeks, suggesting an improvement in their constipation. At the beginning of the study, the probiotic babies had, on average, less than three bowel movements per week.
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