In treating babies, parents have to deal with different groups of drugs. One of them is probiotics, which are very popular now and are prescribed both for changes in the composition of the intestinal microflora in diseases, and for the prevention of digestive problems. Let's take a closer look at this group of drugs and find out which probiotics are best for children.
Probiotics are drugs with biological activity that contain live bacteria that are members of the normal intestinal flora.
Indications for use
The scope of application of probiotics is associated mainly with various disorders of the digestive function. Such drugs are indicated for:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
- Inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Infectious diarrhea.
- Diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics.
- Acute infectious diseases.
- Allergic skin lesions.
- Hepatic encephalopathy.
- Constipation.
- Necrotizing enterocolitis.
Contraindications
Probiotics should not be prescribed for pathologies affecting the functioning of the immune system, for example, with HIV, leukemia, after radiation therapy, organ transplants, and in some other conditions.
Difference from prebiotics
The names of these two groups of drugs are very similar, so they are often confused. It should be noted that the effect of both prebiotics and probiotics is similar, because each of the groups of these agents normalizes the intestinal microflora. That is why both groups are used in combination to treat digestive problems, including dysbiosis. As for the differences, to avoid confusion, you need to remember that:
- Probiotics are live microorganisms that belong to the normal intestinal microflora.
- Prebiotics are organic chemicals that have the ability to create excellent conditions for the reproduction of normal intestinal microflora.
What probiotics are, why are they needed and how they differ from prebiotics, see the video of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia.
History of creation
The first probiotic that humanity studied and began to use for the production of lactic acid products was called the Bulgarian lactobacillus. This microorganism was isolated in Bulgaria from plant materials. Probiotics got their modern name in the 20th century in the 80s. It is based on the phrase "for life", which fully corresponds to the purpose of such drugs. The first preparations were single-component and included one type of bacteria. Later, they began to produce mixtures of microorganisms, as well as their complexes with prebiotic substances.
Probiotic requirements
The probiotics should contain strains of those microorganisms, the effect of which has been clinically proven. It is also important that the preparations are suitable for age, since the intestinal microbiocenosis differs at different ages. Safety, antibiotic resistance and acid resistance are equally important requirements for probiotic drugs.
Should they be used by breastfed babies?
In babies fed with breast milk, dysbiosis occurs much less often than in artificial children, since breast milk gives the baby a sufficient amount of beneficial microorganisms.
However, probiotics can also benefit babies who are breastfed because:
- Dysbacteriosis in infants can be caused by prolonged use of antibiotics or an intestinal infection.
- Probiotics help eliminate acute infectious diarrhea.
- Such medicines improve the condition of infants with allergic skin diseases.
- Taking probiotics can help improve digestion in children with constipation.
- Due to their ability to increase immunity, probiotics can be beneficial for influenza and acute respiratory infections, and are also used to prevent them.
- The undoubted benefits of probiotics are noted for infants with lactase deficiency and hepatic encephalopathy.
Beneficial features
Probiotics are capable of:
- Synthesize proteases, organic acids and other substances that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestine.
- To displace the pathological flora by competing for the receptors with which microorganisms remain in the intestine.
- Stimulate the immune response of the child's body by increasing the production of cytokines, mucin, immunoglobulins, T cells and other factors.
- Reduce the permeability of the intestinal mucosa.
- Destroy toxic substances that are secreted by pathological flora in the intestines.
- Participate in the synthesis of B vitamins and vitamin K.
- Assist in the assimilation of protein and carbohydrate foods, as well as other nutrients.
Read about taking probiotics after antibiotics and during antibiotic therapy in another article.
The principle of action on the body
Once in the child's body, bacteria pass through his digestive tract and stay in the colon, attaching to its mucous membrane. Each bacterium forms a colony, as a result of which the number of useful flora increases significantly.
For newborns
A child normally first encounters bacteria during the neonatal period. Even in the process of childbirth, while moving through the mother's birth canal, the baby meets with microorganisms that settle on his mucous membranes and skin, and also enter the intestines. The first attachments to the mother's breast, which give valuable droplets of colostrum, contribute to the colonization of the baby's digestive tract with the necessary microflora.
The main prebiotic during this period of the baby's life is mother's milk. It contains all the valuable microorganisms that become a source of colonies in the infant intestine. If the baby is deprived of breast milk, the risk of changes in the composition of the microflora increases, so the doctor will recommend mixtures containing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
For older children
Most often, the appointment of probiotics in children over a year old is associated with antibiotic therapy. Antibacterial drugs do not have a selective effect, therefore they are equally active in destroying both harmful bacteria and beneficial microorganisms. And often, with prolonged use of antibacterial agents, the number of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the intestine decreases so much that this leads to dysbiosis.
In this case, probiotics are prescribed both as a prophylactic agent if the child is forced to take antibiotics for a long time, and as a medicinal product that helps restore the state of the intestinal flora after antibacterial treatment.
Modern research confirming the effectiveness
A 2005 six-month study examined the effects of a mixture of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and propionobacteria on children with irritable bowel syndrome. The results obtained confirmed the effectiveness of using such a probiotic mixture in the treatment of this pathology.
Also in 2005, controlled trials were conducted in Israeli pediatric clinics. Long-term use of a mixture of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli for children with respiratory disorders was tested in 14 medical centers. The study found that probiotics helped in shortening the duration of fever, shortening the duration of episodes of diarrhea, and reducing the list of indications for antibiotics. Also, during the study, it was determined that the role of lactobacilli in this case was greater than that of bifidobacteria.
Against colic
The University of Turin investigated the effect of lactobacilli on intestinal colic in newborns. Infants suffering from colic have been found to have fewer lactobacilli and more gram-negative anaerobic bacteria in their intestinal flora.
The babies were prescribed live lactobacilli for 7 days at a dose of 100 million and noted that 95% of babies had colic symptoms decreased, while in the control group, whose babies were given simethicone, this figure was only 7%.
For the intestines
In Finland, a study in which the expectant mother was prescribed probiotics before giving birth and continued to give drugs to babies after giving birth showed that this tactic had a positive effect on the maturation of intestinal immunity in children. At the age of one, the level of immunoglobulins was established in babies and it was found that this level was higher in babies receiving breast milk and a probiotic.
A study of underweight babies in Taiwan showed the effectiveness of prophylactic use of probiotics to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis. The babies were given drugs with live bacteria twice a day and noticed that the incidence of enterocolitis and the severity of the disease decreased. A similar study was also carried out in Israel. It confirmed the effectiveness of the use of probiotic mixture for reducing the severity of enterocolitis.
Types
Depending on the state of aggregation, all probiotic preparations are divided into dry and liquid ones. Each of these types has its own benefits.
Liquid
The advantage of this type of probiotics is the preservation of the viability of the bacteria, so the agent is active immediately after entering the intestines. In addition, a probiotic in liquid form is easier to dose, and the ability to divide the dose by the number of drops makes this type of medicine preferable for a child of the first year of life. In addition, other substances can be added to the liquid probiotic, for example, one of the prebiotics or vitamin mixtures.
Dry
The first probiotics were presented in dry form. Bacteria for such preparations were dried using lyophilization (freezing followed by drying in a vacuum chamber). This treatment puts the bacteria into a state of suspended animation, when their vital activity is suspended until they enter favorable conditions.
The main advantage of any dry probiotic is the possibility of long-term storage. The dried bacteria are placed in capsules, vials or ampoules for up to two years. However, due to lyophilization, this type of probiotics is less active. It takes bacteria several hours (from 8) to get out of suspended animation, attach to the intestines and start vigorous activity. During this time, part of the drug is excreted from the body.
Groups
The probiotics include lactobacilli, gram-positive cocci, bifidobacteria, yeast fungi, lactic acid streptococcus, non-pathogenic E. coli and other microorganisms.
All probiotic medicines are divided into:
- One-component. They contain only one type of bacteria.
- Multicomponent. These probiotics contain several types of bacteria.
- Combined. In addition to bacteria, they contain prebiotics.
- Sorbed. In such products, bacteria are fixed on the sorbent (activated carbon).
Popular probiotic names and an overview in the table
How to choose the best one?
The study, during which it was determined whether the composition indicated on the package corresponds to the real composition of the probiotic, revealed that the preparations Linex, Biogaya, Lactomun and Bifiform fully correspond to all data. The second stage of the study was to determine the amount of the drug that enters the intestines. This stage found that from 40 to 90% of the bacteria of most drugs do not reach the intestinal lumen. Only Bifiform was able to overcome the hydrochloric acid of the stomach without loss and got into the intestines in the right amount.
When choosing a probiotic, follow these tips:
- Read the label carefully to ensure that you get the correct microbial strains for treatment and that the probiotic's shelf life is correct.
- It is better not to order such products on the Internet, as you risk getting a fake or expired drug.
- Choose a product from a trusted manufacturer that has proven itself. For companies that have been working with probiotics for a long time, it is important that their products are of high quality, and their reputation does not suffer.
How to use?
Both capsule and liquid probiotics should be drunk after meals about an hour or 20-60 minutes before meals. To reduce the difficulty in taking the correct dose of the drug, the medicine can be stirred in a little water.
It is important to comply with the dosage and frequency of probiotic intake recommended by the doctor, as well as monitor the storage conditions of the drug. Most often, the course of taking such a drug is 2-3 weeks. When prescribed to eliminate diarrhea, the probiotic is taken 2-4 days before stool normalization.
Probiotics should not be included in the daily diet of the baby. For more details, see the program of Dr. Komarovsky.
Mom reviews
The opinion of mothers about probiotics is rather contradictory, since there are many women who do not consult a doctor about taking them, but select both the drug itself and the duration of the course and the dose of the drug on their own. For this reason, the reviews of moms about probiotics cannot be considered 100% reliable. In addition, children may have a different clinical picture and many other factors that affect the effectiveness of treatment.
Nevertheless, there are drugs that respond positively in most cases. These include Bifiform Baby and Biogaya. Lactomun and Primadophilus were also classified as good probiotics for mothers. But Linex, Latium and other probiotic agents often cause a negative assessment, although each case of a problem with the intestinal microflora is individual and you should not fully rely on the reviews of other mothers.
For the history of probiotics, their effectiveness and the benefits of prebiotics, see the next video.
