The benefits of probiotics are abundant, and when it comes to your baby, they’re absolutely paramount. There’s a lot that science has found about the benefits of probiotics for babies; in this article we’ll summarise them for you so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to give your little one these microbial benefits.
1) Babies’ gut flora is different from adults: Bacteria found in your gut are completely different from those found in adults.
The huge amount of changes that happen to your gut flora during birth and then breastfeeding will change its composition over the next 2 years. According to one study, “Babies born by C-section have decreased Bifidobacteria and increased Clostridia compared with babies born vaginally.” That’s a huge difference, especially considering that the beneficial bacteria make up about 80 percent to 90 percent of our overall microbiome!
2) Babies’ immune systems may be weak.
Biofilms play a role in the colonisation of probiotics. Biofilms are the places where bacteria get to live, and many probiotics are unable to penetrate them.
3) Babies’ immune systems may be overactive.
The immune system is on full alert at birth, and it stays on that high level for the first years of life. Once weaning is complete, studies show that babies’ immune systems drop in activity. If your baby has a formula-fed diet its immune system will stay higher than if it were breastfed (though the opposite has been found with breastmilk).
4) Probiotics may prevent eczema.
A study from the University of Wisconsin found that babies with eczema seemed to benefit from probiotics, and that breastfeeding was protective against eczema. Babies who received probiotics,along with skin-to-skin contact and breastmilk, seemed to improve significantly.
5) Probiotics may boost brain development.
The human microbiome also plays a role in development of the brain; in another study, researchers suggest that early exposure to one’s own microbiota (the time period between birth and 6 months) is important in development of the brain. They also note that one’s microbiota is affected by diet.
6) Probiotics may relieve irritable bowel syndrome.
According to a study, probiotics may be helpful in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. In their study, 37 patients with IBS were given either probiotic milk (Lactobacillus casei-Lp57) or placebo milk over 6 weeks. They found that those who received the probiotic milk reported significant improvement in their symptoms compared to those who received placebo milk. The researchers concluded that these results support the use of probiotics in alleviating symptoms of IBS.
Conclusion
In addition to the benefits above: probiotics [microbes] may also help in the prevention of allergies. A study from Nuffield Department of Medicine also showed that infants that were breastfed were less likely to develop allergies than infants who weren’t breastfed. The researchers concluded that “Breastfeeding appears to exert a protective effect against allergic disease.” Also, baby probiotics and organic formula may prevent gastrointestinal problems. Another study from Nuffield Department of Medicine showed that probiotics could improve an infants’ weight gain, reduce their risk of infection, and improve their gastrointestinal symptoms.