Babies frequently experience a number of gastrointestinal issues, ranging from a brief stomach ache to constipation and diarrhea. Several treatments are available to help with these issues, but probiotics for babies stand out among them. Probiotics are “good” microorganisms that help repair a malfunctioning digestive tract. Adults love probiotics, but are they safe to use for babies? Read this post to get answers to this query and other details on probiotics for infants.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria similar to those naturally found in our gut, previously known as “intestinal flora” but more recently referred to as microbiota (1). Unlike infectious bacteria, probiotic bacteria are the “good” or “friendly” bacteria that restore the population of existing bacteria in the gut. Two genera of bacteria are categorized as probiotics, as they come from the genus Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. There are multiple species of bacteria in each genus, each with various strains. These probiotic bacteria can be found naturally in several foods and are also present in commercially sold probiotic products.
What Are The Sources Of Probiotics For Babies?
Here are the best sources of probiotics for your baby (2):
Yogurt
Probiotic infant cereal Probiotic infant formula Soy milk Cottage cheese Probiotic drops and powder for babies Fermented soy, milk, and vegetable products
When Can Babies Have Probiotics?
The source of the probiotic determines when your baby can have it. Here is the average age to introduce probiotics to the baby, depending on the different food sources:
Yogurt: 12 months. You can try introducing it around the age of nine months (3) (4).
Soy milk: 12 months
Cottage cheese: 12 months
Probiotic drops, infant formula, and infant cereal: Probiotic drops and infant formula may be available for babies as young as three months old. However, it is best to consult the doctor before giving probiotics to infants below the age of six months. Infants older than six months can safely have probiotic infant cereal, formula, and drops.
Fermented soy, milk, and vegetable products: Several traditionally fermented products contain strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Examples of milk-based fermented products are kefir and some types of cheese. Miso and tempeh are fermented soy delicacies that are a dairy-free source of probiotic. Kimchi and Sauerkraut are preparations made by fermenting vegetables with bacteria.
Most cheeses and other fermented milk preparations can be safely introduced to babies at the age of 12 months. Fermented soy and vegetable preparations can also be given at 12 months, but since they contain high quantities of sodium, consult a pediatrician before trying them.
How Do Probiotics Work?
Here is how probiotics usually work in infants (5):
What Are The Benefits Of Probiotics For Babies?
Different strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria offer distinct benefits.
Do Probiotics Have Side Effects In Babies?
Probiotics are considered safe for infants and are unlikely to have any dangerous side effects (6). There is little research on the potential side effects of long-term consumption of probiotics. However, probiotics are known to trigger a mild allergy with the following symptoms:
Diarrhea Passing of gas (flatulence)
Bloating Mild stomach ache
Side effects of probiotics are mostly seen with higher than recommended doses, yet are mild and do not impact the baby’s health. Also, the symptoms mostly appear the first few times a baby has probiotics and disappear after a few days, with regular probiotic consumption.
Can Babies With Lactose Intolerance And Milk Allergy Have Probiotics?
Babies can have probiotic drops or powder safely following recommendations from the manufacturer. However, lactose intolerance and milk allergy become a problem when the primary source of probiotics for the baby is yogurt. The ability to eat probiotic-rich yogurt varies as per the condition (7): Lactose intolerance: Lactose intolerant babies may tolerate yogurt, especially if they can breastfeed. You must start with a minimal quantity of yogurt and look for symptoms like stomachache, bloating, and gas. If you sense the baby is tolerating yogurt well, then you can slowly increase the quantity. Give yogurt mixed with food items like cereal or fruits during meal times. Milk allergy: A baby with a milk allergy is unable to digest only cow’s milk, but can have breast milk. Therefore, babies with a milk allergy should avoid all milk products including yogurt. Next, we address a few commonly asked questions about probiotics for babies.
Antibiotics can pass into the baby’s body and affect the baby’s gut microflora. Nevertheless, C-section babies develop probiotic bacteria on their own, more effectively when they are breastfed (11). A breastfeeding mother may also have to consume adequate probiotics to ensure that she passes good bacteria to the baby through breast milk. You can consider using probiotics if the baby has eczema, but do not entirely rely on them to cure or ease the symptoms (13) (14).
