Are you using the right probiotic preparations for your baby, which are “must-haves at home”?

Speaking of probiotics, I believe all parents are very familiar with it. It is a common item in the home - if the baby has indigestion, give some probiotics; if the baby is constipated, give some probiotics; if the baby has diarrhea, give some probiotics...

What are probiotics? Are you giving them to your baby correctly?

A "little helper" for microecological balance

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) define probiotics as live microorganisms that are administered in a certain amount and that have a beneficial effect on the health of the host. Under normal circumstances, these microorganisms and their metabolites can serve as biological barriers for the human body, participate in the maturation of the immune system and the regulation of immune responses, and play an important role in a variety of physiological metabolisms in the human body. Probiotics are also the most widely used microecological preparations in clinical practice.

There are more than 1,000 kinds of bacteria living in the human intestine, including both beneficial bacteria and harmful bacteria. These bacteria exist in a certain proportion to form a balanced micro-ecological system. Factors such as age, environment, diet, medication, and disease status can affect the intestinal microbiome of the human body, causing an imbalance in the microecology, resulting in a decrease in beneficial bacteria and an increase in harmful bacteria. Therefore, supplementing with probiotics can regulate the intestinal microecology and improve the gastrointestinal health of the human body.

A wide variety of combinations

According to the source of the strain and the mechanism of action, probiotic preparations can be divided into:

1. Native bacteria preparations: The strains are derived from the native flora of the human intestine and can directly supplement the native bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus faecalis.

2. Symbiotic bacteria preparations: The strains originate from outside the human intestine and have a symbiotic effect with the native bacteria of the human body. After taking them, they can promote the growth and reproduction of native bacteria or directly play a role, such as Bacillus, Bacillus subtilis, etc.

3. Fungal preparations: have their own unique mechanism of action, such as Saccharomyces boulardii.

There are many types of probiotic preparations on the market, some of which are compound bacterial preparations. Therefore, some medicine boxes will be marked with "two-in-one", "three-in-one" or "quadruple-in-one" according to the types of bacteria contained, such as Bacillus subtilis two-in-one live bacteria granules, Bifidobacterium quadruple-in-one live bacteria tablets, etc.

Comparison of commonly used probiotic preparations

How to use it

Probiotic preparations seem simple to use, but they are actually very delicate and require careful attention to usage. So, what should you pay attention to when using probiotics?

1. Storage conditions

Different probiotic preparations have different storage conditions. Some need to be stored at room temperature (25°C), while others need to be refrigerated (2°C to 8°C). Parents should be careful when storing probiotic preparations and should strictly follow the instructions to avoid affecting the therapeutic effect. It should also be noted that most preparations use relatively effective sealed packaging to ensure the stability of live bacteria. Once opened for use, the preparation loses the relatively stable environment under the sealed environment, which will affect the vitality of the probiotics, so it should be used as soon as possible.

2. Directions

If the probiotic preparation is in the form of tablets or capsules, it can be swallowed directly. If the baby is young or has difficulty swallowing, try to choose granules and powders. It should be emphasized that probiotics are generally "afraid of heat" and the water temperature should not exceed 40°C when dissolving to avoid heat inactivation of probiotics, which may reduce or eliminate the efficacy.

3. Time of use

It is best to take it after a meal, because the concentration of gastric acid decreases after a meal, which is conducive to the live bacteria reaching the intestines smoothly to play a role. The concentration of gastric acid is higher when the stomach is empty, and the probiotics are easily inactivated.

4. Avoid taking it with antibiotics

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria, while antibiotics kill all bacteria, whether they are beneficial or harmful. Therefore, in order to avoid the ineffectiveness of probiotics, it is recommended not to take them at the same time as antibiotics. If you really need to take antibiotics at the same time, it is recommended to stagger the time of taking the medicine, preferably 2 to 3 hours apart.

Medicine Baby Q&A

When the baby has diarrhea, many parents will use montmorillonite powder and probiotics. If it is bacterial diarrhea, antibiotics may also be used. How should the medicine be used at this time?

Montmorillonite powder is a kind of intestinal mucosal protective agent. After entering the human body, it will adhere to the intestine to form a protective film, affecting the role of probiotics in the intestine. Therefore, when used together with probiotics, it is best to leave an interval of 1 to 2 hours.

If probiotics, antibacterial drugs, and montmorillonite powder are used together, the baby is usually given antibacterial drugs first to kill the pathogenic bacteria in the intestines; then the baby is given montmorillonite powder, a mucosal protective agent, to absorb the killed bacteria; and finally the baby is given probiotic preparations to restore the balance of intestinal flora, thereby achieving the best treatment effect. Note that the interval between the use of these three types of drugs should be at least 1 hour.

Probiotics are medicines. Whether they need to be supplemented should be based on the baby's own basic level and disease conditions. Consult a doctor or pharmacist. It is not the case that more is better. It is not recommended for parents to give their babies probiotics without authorization or take them for a long time!

Author: Li Mengxue, pharmacist of Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University

Review expert: Zhang Xueli, deputy chief pharmacist of Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University

Shao Hua, Chief Pharmacist of Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University