What are probiotics and which ones are better?

In the treatment of babies, parents have to deal with different groups of drugs. One of them is probiotics, which are very popular now and are prescribed for changes in the composition of the intestinal microflora in diseases and for the prevention of digestive problems. Let's look at this group of drugs in more detail and find out which of the probiotics are best given to children.

The scope of use of probiotics is mainly associated with various disorders of the digestive function. Such drugs are indicated for:

• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract.
• Infectious diarrhea.
• Diarrheacaused by taking antibiotics.
• Acute infectious diseases.
• Allergic skin lesions.
• Hepatic encephalopathy.
• Constipation.
• Necrotizing enterocolitis.

Probiotics should not be prescribed for pathologies affecting the work of the immune system, for example, for HIV, leukemia, after radiation therapy, organ transplantation and in some other conditions.

The name 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 the complex for the treatment of digestive problems, including dysbiosis. As for differences, to avoid confusion, you need to remember that:

• Probiotics are living 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 are probiotics, why they are needed and how they differ from prebiotics, see the video of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia.

The first probiotic, which studied and began to use humanity for the purpose of producing lactic acid products, was called Bulgarian lactobacillus. This microorganism was isolated in Bulgaria from vegetable raw materials. Probiotics got its modern name in the 20th century in the 80s. It is based on the phrase "for life", which is fully consistent with the purpose of such drugs. The first drugs were single component and included one type of bacteria. Later began to produce mixtures of microorganisms, as well as their complexes with prebiotic substances.

The composition of probiotics should be the strains of those microorganisms, the effect of which is clinically proven. It is also important that the drugs are suitable for age, since the intestinal microbiocenosis differs at different ages. No less important requirements for probiotic preparations are safety, antibiotic resistance and acid resistance.

However, babies breastfed Probiotics can also be beneficial because:

• Dysbacteriosis in infants can be caused by long-term antibiotics or an intestinal infection.
• Probiotics help eliminate acute diarrhea of ​​infectious nature.
• Such medicines improve the condition of infants with allergic skin diseases.
• Receiving probiotics helps to improve digestion in children with constipation.
• Due to their ability to increase immunity, probiotics can benefit from influenza and acute respiratory infections, and are also used for their prevention.
• The undoubted benefits of probiotics are noted for babies with lactase deficiency and hepatic encephalopathy.

Probiotics are capable of:

• Synthesize proteases, organic acids and other substances that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines.
• To force out the pathological flora by competing for the receptors by 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 abnormal flora in the intestine.
• Participate in the synthesis of vitamins B and vitamin K.
• Assist in the absorption of protein and carbohydrate foods, as well as other nutrients.

Once in the body of the child, the bacteria pass through its digestive tract and linger in the large intestine, attaching to its mucosa. Each bacterium forms a colony, with the result that the number of useful flora increases significantly.

The baby is normal for the first time faced with bacteria in the neonatal period. Even in the process of childbirth during the advance along her mother's birth canal, the baby is found with microorganisms that settle on its mucous membranes and skin, and also enter the intestine. The first applications to mother's breast, giving valuable droplets of colostrum, contribute to the colonization of the infant's digestive tract with the necessary microflora.

The most common purpose of probiotics in children older than one year is associated with antibiotic therapy. Antibacterial drugs do not have a selective effect, so they equally actively destroy both harmful bacteria and beneficial microorganisms. And often with long-term use of antibacterial agents, the number of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the intestine is so reduced that it leads to dysbacteriosis.

In this case, probiotics are prescribed as a prophylactic agent if the child has to take antibiotics for a long time, and as a therapeutic drug that helps to restore the intestinal flora after antibacterial treatment.

Also in 2005, controlled studies were conducted in Israeli pediatric clinics. In 14 medical centers tested long-term use of a mixture of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli for children with respiratory disorders. The study showed that probiotics helped to reduce the duration of fever, reduced the duration of diarrhea episodes and reduced the list of indications for prescribing antibiotics. Also during the study, it was determined that the role of lactobacilli in this case was greater than that of bifidobacteria.

At the University of Turin, the effect of lactobacilli on intestinal colic in newborns was investigated. It was found that in infants suffering from colic, the intestinal flora contains less lactobacilli and more gram-negative anaerobic bacteria.

The babies were prescribed 7 days of live lactobacillus at a dose of 100 million and noted that 95% of babies had colic symptoms, while in the control group whose babies were given simethicone, this indicator was only 7%.

A study in Finland in which the expectant mother was prescribed probiotics before birth and continued to give drugs to babies after birth showed that this tactic had a positive effect on the maturation of the intestinal immunity in children. At one-year-old age, the babies had their immunoglobulins set and found that this level was higher in babies receiving breast milk and probiotic.

A study of babies in Taiwan who were born underweight has shown the effectiveness of prophylactic use of probiotics to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis. The babies were given preparations with live bacteria twice a day and noted that the incidence of enterocolitis and the severity of the disease decreased. A similar study was also conducted in Israel. It confirmed the effectiveness of the use of a probiotic mixture to reduce the severity of enterocolitis.

Depending on the state of aggregation, all probiotic preparations are divided into dry as well as liquid. Each of these types has its own advantages of use.

The advantage of this type of probiotics is the preservation of the viability of bacteria, so the tool is active immediately after entering the intestine. In addition, 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.

The first probiotics were presented exactly in the dry form. Bacteria for such preparations were dried using lyophilization (freezing followed by drying in a vacuum chamber). Such processing puts bacteria into a state of anabiosis, when their vital activity is suspended until it gets into favorable conditions.

The main advantage of any dry probiotic is the possibility of long-term storage. Dried bacteria are placed in capsules, vials or ampoules for up to two years. However, due to lyophilization, this type of probiotic is less active. Bacteria require several hours (from 8) to exit from anabiosis, attachment to the intestine and start vigorous activity. During this time, part of the drug is eliminated from the body.

The composition of probiotics includes lactobacilli, gram-positive cocci, bifidobacteria, yeast, lactic acid streptococcus, non-pathogenic E. coli and other microorganisms.

All probiotic medicines are divided into:

1. Single component. They contain only one type of bacteria.
2. Multicomponent. The composition of such probiotics includes several types of bacteria.
3. Combined. In addition to bacteria, they contain prebiotics.
4. Sorbed. In such tools, bacteria are fixed on the sorbent (activated carbon).

When choosing a probiotic, use these tips:

• Carefully read the label of the drug to make sure that you get the strains of microorganisms necessary for treatment, and the expiration dates of the probiotic are not violated.
• It is better not to order such funds on the Internet, since you risk getting a fake or expired drug.
• Choose a product from a trusted manufacturer that has proven itself. For companies that work with probiotics for a long time, it is important that their products are of high quality and their reputation does not suffer.

Both capsule and liquid forms of probiotics should be drunk after meals about an hour or 20-60 minutes before meals. To reduce the difficulty of taking the right dose of the drug, the medicine can be stirred in a small amount of water.

Probiotics should not be included in the daily diet of the crumbs.For more on this, see the transfer of Dr. Komarovsky.

The opinion of moms about probiotics is rather contradictory, since there are quite a few women who do not consult with their doctor about their admission, but select both the drug itself and the duration of the course and the dose of the medicine on their own. For this reason, reviews of mommies about probiotics cannot be considered 100% reliable. In addition, the children may have a different clinical picture and many other factors affecting the effectiveness of treatment.

However, there are drugs that are positive in most cases. These include Bifiform Baby and Biogai. Moms also attributed the good probiotics to Laktomun and Primadofilus. 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.

On the history of probiotics, their effectiveness and the benefits of prebiotics, see the following video.