Choosing your Child’s Probiotics
You may often hear that probiotics are good for your child, but I get that it can be really overwhelming to figure out what to actually give them. As many of you have reached out to me with various questions about probiotics, I’ve created my favorite type of info-sheet for you, including the “down and dirty” details you need.
The Strains
Probiotic supplements differ in the variety of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacter species that are included. Each strain has its own unique actions on the body, and you want to maximize the benefits your child gets from the probiotic supplement they are taking.
*TIP: Choose a probiotic with as many different strains as possible.
Babies and Kids
Babies benefit from probiotics, especially those born by cesarean section, are formula fed, or have reflux, constipation or thrush. An infant’’s gut microbiome is predominantly made up of Bifidobacter species. After 2 years of age, the gut microbiome is predominantly Lactobacillus species, mostly the same as an adult. *TIP: Use an infant probiotic for babies/kids < 2 years Kids > 2 years can use the same probiotic as an adult.
The Numbers
While dosage varies depending on a child’s health and any specific concerns, numbers should be in the BILLIONS of CFUs (colony forming units). The chewables with only 1 million CFU per chew are not likely doing a whole lot. *TIP: Infants should get 5-10 billion CFU/day. Children over 2 years should get 10-25 billion CFU/day, and possibly more if they have a chronic health condition.
A Few of my Favourites
Infant probiotics:
Klaire Therbiotics for Infants
Jarrow Baby’s Jarro-dophilus
Children’s probiotics:
Klaire Ther-biotic Complete and Children’s Chewables
Metagenics Metakids Chewables and UltraFlora Spectrum
Food for Thought
Ultimately, the best way to support your child’s gut is with food! -Focus on clean, unprocessed, nutrient-dense whole foods – Prebiotics to feed the probiotics (garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, leeks, flax seeds, oats, barley, apples, bananas, wheat bran, jicama root, seaweed) – FERMENTED FOODS! (yogurt, kefir, kombucha, miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, natto, “real” pickled vegetables)