In recent years probiotics have become the new superfood as we are paying more attention to the importance of gut health and research is looking into the benefits of probiotics as a prevention or cure for everything from eczema to allergies.

What are probiotics and what do they do?

You have probably heard from multiple marketing campaigns about how probiotics are “good” or “friendly” bacteria. Probiotics are in fact live bacteria and yeast that naturally occur in our guts. It’s believed that ingesting them counters the bad, inflammatory bacteria in our systems leading to multiple health benefits.

A baby is actually born with a sterile gut which gradually collects bacteria from their mother’s breast milk or formula and eventually food when they start eating solids.

By adulthood, our stomach and intestines are home to more than 400 species of bacteria, good and bad. These bacteria help us digest food and extract nutrients. They also play an important role in our immune system. Periods of sickness, poor diet or taking antibiotics are all things that affect the balance of bacteria in our guts.

What are the different types of probiotics?

There are many different strains of probiotics. The four most common are:

• Lactobacillus
• Bifidobacterium
• Streptococcus
• Saccharomyces boulardii

Each strain is like a separate species and critically has strain-specific effects on the body, but research is still in early stages to understand exactly what each strain can do for us.

What are the benefits of probiotics?

There are many claims about the benefits of taking probiotics including everything from avoiding illness to curing colic, and positive results have been seen in the following studies:

• Taking lactobacillus alongside antibiotics prevents antibiotic related diarrhoea in infants
• Taking probiotics reduces an episode of infectious diarrhoea by about a day
• A 2013 study showed that the probiotic lactobacillus reuteri reduced the crying time of breastfed babies with colic
• Some studies suggest that giving probiotics to babies can reduce the risk of them developing eczema

Are there any safety concerns around giving probiotics to babies?

Whilst research on the benefits of probiotics for babies is still limited, there is evidence that shows that certain strains of probiotics can help infants with diarrhoea (and prevent diarrhoea when taking antibiotics). They may also help with colic and eczema prevention without any side effects on otherwise healthy babies. 

You should always consult your child and family health nurse or GP before adding probiotics to your baby’s diet.

https://newbornbaby.com.au/newborn-overview/baby-health/probiotics-for-babies-everything-you-need-to-know/