Probiotics for Kids
By Demi Sumler
What Are Probiotics?
Live microorganisms known as probiotics provide benefits to your health when consumed or applied to the body. Probiotics can be found in yogurt, one of the finest food sources. Probiotics can be obtained via a variety of fermented foods in addition to supplements, which is one of the most common ways to consume them.
Despite the fact that many people view bacteria and other microbes as destructive, many of them are actually beneficial. When you have an infection, your system is thrown out of balance by the additional bad bacteria. To restore balance, further bad bacteria are removed with the help of good bacteria. Some bacteria produce nutrients, aid in food digestion, and even kill disease-causing cells. Probiotic-supplements are a way to add good bacteria to your body. The microbes included in probiotic supplements resemble or are identical to many of the ones found in our bodies naturally. Probiotics are made of good live bacteria that naturally exist in the human body, which maintains the health and functionality of our body.
A number of bacteria may be present in probiotics. Bacteria from the families Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the most prevalent. As probiotics, other bacteria as well as yeasts like Saccharomyces may be used.
Why Are Probiotics Important for Kids?
A common and natural remedy for children is probiotics. During early childhood and while still in the womb, children’s microbiomes grow. A dysfunctional microbiome is regarded to be the root cause of a number of disorders. Probiotics might contribute to the microbiome’s health.
These probiotics can aid in food digestion as well as nutrient absorption. Researches in recent decades has confirmed the pivotal function of probiotics in modulating immunity by a variety of mechanisms. This is crucial for kids as their immature systems are susceptible to digestive disorders and infections.
Depending on specific strains, probiotics may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. They might also shorten how long gastroenteritis-related diarrhea lasts. Probiotics can help prevent/relieve allergies and eczema in newborns by being given to pregnant and nursing moms. A probiotic supplement during the first three months of a baby’s life may aid in preventing/relieving colic, digestion, and boosting immunity.
There is some debate over whether probiotic foods or supplements are best. It is normally ideal to obtain nutrients from whole foods. As previously discussed, yogurt is a great example of a probiotic food to include in your kids diet to help keep their microbiome healthy. However, your child might not be able to acquire enough probiotics from diet alone and it’s possible that probiotics in food may fail to survive the manufacturing and storage process.