A healthy gut flora plays a crucial role in health – including in children. But are probiotics really beneficial for children? And if so, from what age? In this article, you will learn everything important about the effects, application, and safety of probiotics in children.
Why is gut flora so important in children?
The gut is not only responsible for nutrient absorption but also a central organ of the immune system. Approximately 70–80% of all immune cells are located in the gut. A healthy gut flora therefore not only supports digestion and nutrient utilization but also the immune system, general well-being, and even brain development.
Especially in children, the gut flora is still developing and is particularly sensitive to external influences such as antibiotics, infections, or malnutrition.
Should children be given probiotics?
Whether probiotics are beneficial for children is currently being intensively researched – initial studies already show possible positive effects:
- Studies show that certain probiotic strains can support the development of a healthy gut flora.
- Studies also suggest that taking probiotics can reduce the use of cortisone during neurodermatitis flare-ups, even in children.
- Experts see further benefits of probiotics in preventing diarrhea after antibiotic use.
Further information on the use of probiotics in children with neurodermatitis can be found in the blog post Probiotics for Neurodermatitis.
From what age can children take probiotics?
There is a variety of age-appropriate probiotics – special preparations are available even for infants. However, it is important to always observe the package insert and product information before use. In principle, parents should carefully consider the use in babies and always discuss it with their pediatrician beforehand. The intake can be particularly useful after a abdominal birth/C-section or other antibiotics administered during and after birth. Here, the supportive effect of specially tailored intestinal bacteria can help the child's microbiome to build up and thus restore its balance. Our med gut base drops are gentle in application, age-appropriately dosed, and with four selected intestinal bacterial strains tailored to the early childhood microbiome of newborns and babies.
Which probiotics are suitable for children?
Our med gut base range is perfect for the whole family. Powders and capsules are identical in composition, but due to the dosage form, the powder is much better suited for children from 2-3 years than the capsules. The gut base drops, on the other hand, contain fewer and different bacterial strains and were specially developed for the needs of infants and babies. Due to this careful composition and the conscious renunciation of additives and sugar, they are suitable from 0 years of age and can be given to breastfed children simply before a meal with a spoon. When giving pre-formula, it should be noted that this already contains probiotic strains and its recipe is tailored to the ideal composition, so that in our opinion no further probiotics should be given in addition. For children from 2-3 years, we recommend our med gut base powder or alternatively removing the capsule before use. Adults can choose between capsules and powder depending on their preference.
Further blog posts on this topic
- Probiotics after C-section: Useful for mom & baby?
- Help! My baby has digestive problems - what helps now
- Probiotics for neurodermatitis - support from the gut!
O U R E X P E R T
Dr. med Michaela Hagemann I boep founder, doctor & mother of 3
Sources:
Guo, Q. et al: Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea, Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 04/2019, 4(4):CD004827. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004827.pub5. PMID: 31039287; PMCID: PMC6490796
Depoorter, L. et al: Probiotics for Children—A Review and Practical Guide, Nutrients, 06/2021, 13(7):2176. doi: 10.3390/nu13072176. PMID: 34202742; PMCID: PMC8308463
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP): Probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, racgp.org.au, n.d. Available at: https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/handi/handi-interventions/nutrition/probiotics-for-the-prevention-of-antibiotic
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Navarro-López, V. et al: Effect of Oral Administration of a Mixture of Probiotic Strains on SCORAD Index and Use of Topical Steroids in Young Patients With Moderate Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA Dermatol, 01/2018, 154(1):37–43. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.3647
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