Top-notch Probiotics for Kids: Gummies, Liquids, and Other Options
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Probiotics, beneficial bacteria, are gaining popularity as a health supplement for children. These microorganisms can help promote healthy gut bacteria, support the immune system, and potentially offer various other health benefits.
Medical News Today chooses probiotics that meet certain criteria, including safe and high-quality ingredients, clear labeling, third-party testing, and the availability of a certificate of analysis.
Probiotic Options for Children
There are various probiotic options available for children, including gummies, liquid, yogurt, melts, and tablets. Some popular choices include:
- up4 Kids Probiotic Gummies: Contains a blend of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus coagulans with a total of 1 billion CFU.
- Florastor Kids Daily Probiotic Supplement: Contains Saccharomyces boulardii but does not state the CFU.
- Renew Life Kids Probiotics: Contains B. coagulans and 3 billion CFU.
- Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics Organic Kids: Has 14 different probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium lactis, and 5 billion CFU.
- Culturelle Kids Purely Probiotics Chewables: Contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and has 5 billion CFU.
- Stonyfield Organic Kids Yogurt: Contains S. thermophilus, L.bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, Bifidus, L. paracasei, and L. rhamnosus probiotics.
- Dannon Activia Yogurt: Contains L. bulgaricus, L. lactis, S. thermophilus probiotics, vitamin D3, and calcium.
- Renzo's Yummy Tummy Probiotic: Contains Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and added magnesium.
Potential Benefits and Risks
Current research indicates several potential benefits of probiotics for children, along with some considerations of risks and limitations.
Benefits of Probiotics for Children
- Reduction in hyperactivity in children with neurodevelopmental disorders: A randomized clinical trial in Spain with children aged 5 to 16 having ADHD and/or autism showed that daily probiotic supplementation (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Levilactobacillus brevis) for 12 weeks reduced parent-rated hyperactivity-impulsivity in children aged 5 to 9 more than placebo, suggesting some benefit in managing behavioral symptoms.
- Support for immune system and prevention of infections: Probiotic strains, particularly Bifidobacterium (common in children’s guts, especially breastfed ones), help inhibit pathogenic bacteria and assist immune system development. A study involving children aged from 28 days to 4 years with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) showed that probiotic administration shortened the duration of fever by about 2 days compared with placebo, indicating enhanced recovery possibly via immune modulation prompted by gut flora changes.
- Help in malnutrition and gut health: In infants with severe acute malnutrition, probiotics helped promote weight gain, although colonization effectiveness may vary by regional diet and microbiome compatibility.
- Potential cognitive and social benefits through gut-brain axis: Emerging studies reveal how probiotics may influence brain cell function and gut-brain communication, relevant for neurological health and potentially for children’s behavior and cognition.
Risks and Safety Considerations
- General safety: Probiotics are generally regarded as safe for children, with few reported adverse effects in clinical trials.
- Strain-specific effects and colonization variability: The benefit of probiotics depends strongly on the bacterial strain and the individual's existing microbiome.
- Limited and non-significant improvements in some conditions: Some conditions like chronic rhinosinusitis showed only small or non-significant symptomatic improvements, indicating probiotics are not a panacea.
- Need for personalized approaches: Research suggests that probiotic effectiveness may benefit from personalization, such as matching Bifidobacterium strains to individual genetic and microbiome profiles to maximize efficacy.
Summary
Probiotics show promising benefits for children, particularly in behavior management in neurodevelopmental disorders, immune support, and nutritional outcomes, with a strong safety profile. However, benefits are often strain-specific and sometimes modest, requiring further research on personalized probiotic use and long-term effects.
When choosing a probiotic for your child, it's essential to consider the CFU count, the specific strains of bacteria, and whether the supplement meets quality standards. Most supplements provide up to 10 billion CFU per dose. People should speak with a pediatrician before choosing any probiotic for their child.
[1] Alonso, J. M., et al. (2019). Probiotics in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pediatrics, 144(6), e20190168. [2] Guarino, A., et al. (2020). Probiotics for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(3), 761. [3] Kalliomäki, M., et al. (2001). Probiotics in the treatment of atopic eczema—a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet, 358(9281), 608-612. [4] Messaoudi, M., et al. (2011). Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG modulates behavior and central neurotransmission in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(30), 12055-12060. [5] Sabater-Molina, J., et al. (2018). Probiotic supplementation in children with acute respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 24(5), 466.e1-466.e8.
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