Nutritional supplements have come a long way. Because there are so many choices, it is easy for consumers to become confused. When used under a health professional's advice, certain supplements can be beneficial for alleviating problems associated with conditions such as antibiotic-induced diarrhea in children. Probiotics are not new to the market, but now there are formulations available for specific issues for children. Some focus on digestive health, while others focus on immune function. Picking the right probiotic for your child's specific needs is essential for optimum results.
Digestive Health
The biggest market for probiotics is in the area of digestive health. Regardless of the issue, whether it is gas and bloating or diarrhea, probiotic formulations geared toward digestive health have come a long way. Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010 is beneficial for general gut health and faster digestion. Marketed as Bifidus Regularis by General Mills, Dannon Activa Yogurt and Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt are both food products that offer an effective dosage of this probiotic. Several probiotic strains have been studied for their benefits in treating/preventing antibiotic-resistant diarrhea. These strains are L. rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii lyo. Three products that contain one or more of these probiotics include the dietary supplement Florastor (a yeast manufactured by France's Laboratoires Biocodex SA), Dannon's DanActive drink and Dannon's Danimals children's drink.
Immune System
A growing number of research studies are showing the health benefits of probiotics for stimulating the immune system in humans. Two probiotic strains of interest are Lactobacillus reuteri 55730 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12. In an article published in 2005 in "Pediatrics," researchers conducted a 3-month study of 201 infants to see if babies fed either of the two probiotic formulas had fewer episodes of fever and diarrhea than those fed a control formula. This research study concluded that babies fed the probiotic formula with L. reuteri had significantly fewer episodes, but both strains were helpful. B. lactis Bb-12 is offered in Dannon's Yo-Plus yogurt and Nestle SA's Good Start Natural Cultures infant formula. The L. reuteri strain is offered in BioGaia's dietary supplements and Nestle's Boost Kid Essentials dairy drink.
Colic
Colic is a condition characterized by frequent crying episodes in infants when there is no apparent or obvious cause. L. reuteri is a probiotic strain that appears to offer some relief and decrease the frequency and duration of crying episodes. The "Journal of Pediatrics" published a study in 2007 that showed the benefits of this strain in alleviating colic. Researchers gave 83 infants five drops daily of this probiotic supplement (commercially available under the brand BioGaia AB). A control group was given a liquid medication used to effectively treat colic (but not viewed as particularly effective). The median crying time in infants treated with BioGaia AB went from 197 minutes to 51 minutes a day. For the control group, median crying time only fell to 145 minutes a day.
References
- Wall Street Journal Online; Bug Crazy: Assessing The Benefits of Probiotics; L Johannes; Jan 2009
- Pediatrics; Effect of a Probiotic Infant Formula on Infections in Child Care Centers: Comparison of Two Probiotic Agents; Z Weizman, G Asli, and A Alsheikh; Jan 2005
- Pediatrics; Lactobacillus Reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) Versus Simethicone in the Treatment of Infantile Colic: a Prospective Randomized Study; F Savino, E Pelle, E Palumeri, R Oggero and R Miniero; Jan 2007
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