Three Myths About Children’s Probiotics

In the world of supplements, probiotics have become a hot commodity. They’re used to replenish good bacteria in the body and help with some conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, eczema, and common cold.

The knowledge about good bacteria is good for humans. Some scientists have also recently doubled down when it comes to studying the benefiting bacteria. But there are very few medical professionals who feel that healthy children need to take probiotics prophylactically, and claim that on the contrary, it is more health fad than solid science.

Should you include probiotics in your kid’s diet?

Children start developing their microbiome in the womb and in very early childhood. Previously it was thought that an unhealthy microbiome is responsible for many diseases. But it is still unclear how probiotics play a role in keeping the microbiome healthy.

Probiotics are known to be a popular remedy for kids. According to a survey from the 2012 National Health Interview, probiotics are the third-most natural product used by children. Another study from JAMA Pediatrics found that giving infants probiotics in the first three months of their life can help prevent constipation and acid reflux.

There is also a lot of anecdotal evidence that supports the use of probiotics in children. But its health benefits can be strain-specific. A strain can be helpful against one condition can be useless against another.

Also, remember that giving probiotics to kids is not without any risk. Children who have compromised immune systems can experience infection, whereas others might develop gas and bloating.

Here are three myths about children’s probiotics that will help you cope with this probiotic bacteria craze:

Probiotics Can Help With Colic

Probiotics cannot help your child with colic. Some studies have shown that probiotics implicated in preventing or curing colic are just as effective as sugar water. Another few experiments have shown that insufficient controls and poor study design hamper the significant effects.

Probiotics Only Help In Pooping Better

It’s a general fact that good gut bacteria help everyone to poop better. A recent study has found that babies who have diverse gut flora have high cognitive scores, and another research found that children aged 18 to 27 months who have genetically diverse microbiomes are more likely to be extroverted, sociable, and curious. It can be because the microbes in us give as much as they take with chemicals that are known to regulate mood such as serotonin and dopamine.

Yogurt is Needed for Good Gut Health among Kids

According to Biotechnology Companies in India, yogurts are the best probiotics because they are made by adding a culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus that gives it a special tangy goodness. But store-bought yogurt can have a huge amount of added sugar. The health risks of these additional calories can lead to obesity are far greater than the probiotic benefit. It is because of this, many doctors suggest steering kids towards cultured yogurt drinks like Kefir or even making Greek-style yogurt at home.

Probiotic bacillus subtilis is known as a gram-positive and catalase-positive bacterium. It can be found in soil and even in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. This bacterium can help activate the production of some specific antibodies like interferons, and cytokines that can help white blood cells to fight infections. Some species of Probiotic bacillus subtilis have also been effective in protecting gut infections like diarrhea and controlling irritable bowel syndrome.