Probiotics

Happy Mommy Monday! I thought I'd start your week of talking about probiotics. I feel like they're one of those hot topics that you hear about... but not everyone is really sure what they are and what they do. Let me enlighten you. 

Probiotics are a dietary supplement (sometimes food) containing live bacteria or yeast that supplements normal gastrointestinal flora. Basically what that sentence means is they're "good" bacteria that live in your gut. Quick science lesson: there's bacteria everywhere. Some is good and beneficial, others are bad and cause us to get sick. When everything is balance that is when we are the healthiest. Probiotics are used to help keep your good bacteria supply up... especially for times when you're on things like antibiotics. Antibiotics kill all bacteria, even the good kind. That's why sometimes when you're on antibiotics you might get diarrhea or even a yeast infection, the good bacteria that is usually there helping to keep you healthy has been killed. You don't need probiotics for your body to go back to normal, but it could help speed up the process or help you to not even get sick in the first place. 

Side note: I want to take a second to talk about PREbiotics. Confused? PREbiotics are foods that stimulate good bacteria growth. PRObiotics are basically just the bacteria that you put into your gut through supplementation or eating fermented foods. Examples of PREbiotics are oats, bananas, onions and even some honeys. 

Okay, back to probiotics. There are two main types of probiotics: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. There's other types, but these are the most studied and found to be the most beneficial. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that probiotics, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Here's the thing... we still don't know a ton about these things, but we do know that there is evidence that supplementing with probiotics can help your gut health. Diarrhea, constipation, and IBS all have strong evidence showing that the use of probiotics is beneficial to these conditions. 

There is no FIRM evidence for the rest of the claims with probiotics, BUT..... there are studies showing promise in children with colic, reflux, respritory infections, UTI's, allergies, asthma, eczema, colitis, and even Crohn's disease.  What does that mean for you as a parent? If you have a child that (or even you yourself) struggles with one or more of these conditions, probiotics may be beneficial for you. It also means if you or your child struggles with constipation or diarrhea, these definitely could benefit you. So here's your next step... talk to your pediatrician and see if they feel supplementation for your child is the right thing to do. I can tell you personally that my son struggled in the beginning with his gut health. My pediatrician was very helpful and told me to start supplementing with the probiotics and to follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. Make sure if you have an infant you're using the infant probiotics and if you have an older kid you're using the children probiotics, specifically for the dosage information. It made a world of difference for us.  It is important to note that the FDA does not regulate probiotics, so do your research, talk to your doctor, and buy a reputable brand. 

If you don't feel comfortable giving your infant probiotics and you're a breastfeeding mom, I have good news. You can take the supplement yourself and your baby will reap some of the benefits through your breastmilk. You can also up your intake of yogurt, sauerkraut, cottage cheese, and kombucha however, the amounts of probiotics aren't as strong as taking a supplement. And, just in case you were wondering what the Academy of Pediatrics has to say about probiotics... in 2010 they stated that they are generally safe, but they are unsure of what the long term effects or their effectiveness are. I have a feeling as more and more studies are done we will be pleased with the evidence that we get concerning these little bacteria. 

In closing... I'm not saying probiotics are a cure all... but it wouldn't hurt to talk to your pediatrician and see if supplementing could be beneficial for you, your kids and your guts. 

-Leslie