Should You Feed Your Kid Probiotics?
Read our interview with article coauthor, Jack Gilbert, director of the Microbiome Institute.
Probiotics have been around for centuries. They form part of our ancestral and contemporary diets and have long been associated with positive health benefits. The World Health Organization defines probiotics as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” They are found in many foods, including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and other fermented products. They are also found in breast milk.
On the other hand, most commercially available probiotics make torrents of health claims that simply have not been supported by research. A pill with “40 billion live organisms” is not going to help your child lose weight or “boost” their immune system. It won’t stop your baby from crying on an airplane, protect your toddler’s teeth from decay, lessen the duration of a cold or flu, or cure acid reflux. It’s a billion-dollar industry with virtually no medical oversight.
There’s no credible evidence that the regular consumption of a probiotic yogurt (whether dairy or non-dairy) will make your child or you any healthier. But this doesn’t stop marketers from suggesting that it’s a delicious panacea. Yogurt with live active cultures is a probiotic in that it can have health benefits, but only very specific health benefits. Yogurt contains living bacteria, such as and . It may also contain other strains of and . Food manufacturers may not like to admit it, but it is difficult to control the types of organisms that grow
