Probiotic supplements may offer health benefits for some children, such as easing constipation or diarrhea. However, not all children will respond positively to probiotics. Some may experience side effects. Full disclosure: Some of these kids probiotics, including the ones from Lovebug and SmartyPants, were sent to us as free test samples by the manufacturer. Here are the Best Kids Probiotics of 2023! 1. Hyperbiotics PRO-Kids Probiotics.

Children’s probiotics may benefit if taken consistently and at a high enough dose (1 billion CFU or higher). Many kids’ probiotic gummies are easy for children to take and have a high dosage of CFU. When stored properly. Store in a cool, dry, place away from direct sunlight. Keep Culturelle ® products at room temperature or below. The friendly bacteria from probiotics, compete with bad bacteria in the gut and help remove it, resulting in a healthier digestive system. However, if you did want to trial probiotics for your little one, there are two probiotics which may help with constipation [4]. These are; Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. One or both strains are found in: Culturelle Kids daily chewable tablets are suitable for 3-12 years and may help both constipation and diarrhoea.The probiotic barrier/benefits will diminish within one – two weeks after stopping daily consumption of the product or regular daily consumption is recommended to maintain ongoing benefits Both have a place in keeping tummy’s happier and healthier. Where possible, it’s always good to get what we need from food but when this isn’t always practical, a probiotic supplement is another way to get the beneficial live cultures. Form. Probiotics are usually found as gummies, powders, or chewable tablets. Some kids may prefer gummies, while powders may be more suitable for infants and younger children. Keep in mind that gummy supplements should be kept out of reach of children. Probiotics are a popular natural remedy for kids. According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, probiotics are the 3rd natural product most used by children. Children may also experience persistent diarrhoea for other reasons. You should always seek advice from your GP for persistent diarrhoea in children. There is little evidence that probiotics may be able to help with diarrhoea not caused by a tummy bug [9]. Should my child take probiotics after antibiotics?

From all the research into probiotics for children, no serious side effects have been found from taking a daily probiotic supplement [2]. However, probiotics are not suitable for all children, especially those with medical conditions which may cause weakened immune systems. This is definitely the best powdered probiotic option on the market. It has the most CFUs of active probiotics on this list, coming in at 15 billion active cultures! If you're keeping score, that's about 5 times as many CFUs than the LoveBug pearls (below). That's a lot of probiotic! The truth of the matter is that with a powder or gummy, much of the probiotic content is broken down by stomach acids before it gets a chance to be absorbed by the gut. So this high CFU content will compensate for some of that loss. It has 8 different strains of probiotics in it, including B. Lactis, B. Infantis, B. Longum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Lactobacillus reuteri. So that's a ton of great strains, many of which have been demonstrated to be beneficial for gastrointestinal comfort, regularity, immune function, skin health, and even mental health and well-being. To complement that 8-strain probiotic punch, it also contains the prebiotic fructooligosaccharides to help absorption. The only other ingredient is silica, which helps keep the powder from caking together into clumps. Some studies have shown that babies taking a probiotic with this strain, may have fewer episodes of reflux and regurgitation [13]. The supplement containing this strain is: Additionally, every brand and product on our list has been vetted to ensure that it aligns with Healthline’s brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. Each product in this article: If a pediatrician suggests taking probiotics, they may recommend a specific product that contains one or more specific strains.Culturelle ® brand voted Most Trusted Probiotic brand by American shoppers based on the 2022 BrandSpark American Trust Study. Non-medicinal ingredients: Mannitol, inulin, sucrose, maltodextrin, sodium ascorbate, and silicon dioxide. Probiotics are measured in colony-forming units (CFU). The CFU shows how many viable bacteria are in each dose.

There is just one recommended probiotic strain called Lactobacillus Reuteri, which has evidence in relation to helping babies and young children suffering from colic [10] [11]. This probiotic is found in the supplement: Since long-term probiotic effects on kids are unknown, children shouldn’t use probiotic supplements as a preventive remedy, unless recommended by a doctor. Moré, M., et al. (2018). Saccharomyces boulardiiCNCM I-745 improves intestinal enzyme function: A trophic effects review.A person should speak with a pediatrician before giving a child probiotic supplements. Do kids’ probiotic gummies work? Tablets: Probiotic tablets may be difficult for some children to swallow but may suit people concerned about consistent dosage. As parents, we can deal with our kids pooping more than once every couple of days, and we've never actually noted any increased frequency of bowel movements with probiotic consumption (but that's just our experience).

Although this is in capsule form, the manufacturers state that the capsule can be opened and the contents can be mixed with cold food or drink. Probiotics may help relieve acute constipation, colic, and acid reflux in healthy infants and children. They may also help prevent secondary infections and diarrhea in kids using antibiotics. Probiotics may even help prevent eczema and allergies in some children. Prebiotic and Probiotic Supplements.There are several excellent supplements available online, in several different forms. There are the traditional capsules (pills) that kids can swallow if they have an older or really brave kiddo. Even better for toddlers are the tiny pearls made by LoveBug Little Ones and Hyperbiotics in their PRO-Kids supplement, or the gummies made by Rainbow Light in their Probiolicious supplement. These pearls use the patented BIO-Tract technology (patent held by Nutraceutics) to protect probiotics from gastric acid during digestion. Rather than allowing the acids in your stomach to harm the probiotic's effectiveness, it provides a protective control layer to slowly time the release and maximize the number of live organisms reaching the stomach. Fortunately, there are other more convenient options that offer excellent probiotic content. Outside of simply eating yogurt, there are two primary ways to get probiotics into your kid's diet: supplements and yogurt drinks (scroll down to see the yogurt drinks section).A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that giving infants probiotics in the first three months of life may help prevent colic, constipation, and acid reflux. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-human-microbiome-project-defines-normal-bacterial-makeup-body Probiotics can cause side effects, including nausea, rashes, constipation or bloating. These are usually mild and temporary but will vary for each child. Some fermented foods such as kefir (a fermented milk drink), kombucha (a fermented tea drink) and sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) also contain beneficial bacteria. Should children be eating more of these foods?