In recent years, it has become fashionable to support the immune system of our body through the influence of probiotics. We also try to provide our children with everything that is best for their health. What are popular probiotics, how can they help us and are their effects really as effective as we think?
The name probiotics comes from the Greek word for health. The World Health Organization defines probiotics as microorganisms that, when dosed in the right amount, have a positive effect on our health. Probiotics are lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and probiotic yeast. According to proponents of using additional probiotics, they help strengthen immunity and support many processes in the body. Skeptics, on the other hand, consider their salutary role too inflated. How is it really. The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. Hundreds of different bacteria live in our intestines, and they constantly compete with each other – some help fight disease, others want to cause it. If the level of all these bacteria is balanced, we are healthy and do not need to worry. If this balance is disturbed…
A small person is born with intestines devoid of bacterial flora. Only a baby fed with mother’s milk has probiotics delivered to its little body. Mother’s milk stimulates the development of probiotic bacteria in the child’s intestine through the action of specific carbohydrates, i.e. prebiotics, contained in its composition. They are food for good bacteria. There should be as many of them in the baby’s tummy as possible. Studies have shown that naturally born babies have more probiotics, as do breastfed babies. for several years, probiotics have been added to formula milk in order to compensate for the deficiencies resulting from the artificial way of feeding.
Useful bacteria colonizing in the intestines of our child, cover them with a protective layer, preventing the penetration of bacteria into the blood. The high level of probiotics in the child’s body limits the development of negative microbes. Probiotics inhibit the formation of diarrhoea>diarrhea, constipation or flatulence. However, it has been proven that they are not effective in the fight against diarrhea caused by antibiotics. The method of administering probiotics to a toddler and their dose should depend on his age. There are many types of preparations for children on the market. For the smallest ones, these are sachets with powder that can be mixed with milk or dissolved in juice. For the elderly, these are capsules or tablets. Probiotics quite effectively reduce the symptoms associated with infant colic and reduce bloating and gases. However, a positive effect on pain caused by irritable bowel has not been proven.
Doctors confirm that although there is no evidence of the advertised effectiveness of prebiotics, their use does not cause side effects. So it is worth reaching for them, because their positive effect can help in many ailments. They stimulate the immune system to work harder, reduce the risk of allergies and facilitate the absorption of vitamins. The best source of probiotics for a toddler is still his mother’s milk, but they can also be found in dairy products after the acidification process, such as: yoghurts, buttermilk, milk. Probiotics cannot be overdosed, if the body has them in excess, they will be naturally excreted from it. Therefore, you can reach for various products enriched with probiotics. It is only important to properly store and prepare them. Good bacteria do not like high temperatures. The optimal temperature for them is the temperature of the human body, i.e. 37 degrees Celsius.