Nutritional Therapist Sarah Brereton on how to protect your child’s gut health.
Our digestive system is one of the most important systems in the body. It starts at the mouth and finishes at the colon and is about 30ft long in adults. Over 400 different species and more than 100 trillion bacteria live in our digestive system. For every one cell in our body there are three bacterial cells. These bacteria form a delicate and constantly changing balance as they compete with each other. Collectively, they are known as your gut microbiota.
Each person has his or her own microbiota, just like a fingerprint, with hundreds of different bacterial strains. These strains include lactobacilli or bifidobacteria. Lactobacilli are located throughout the digestive tract and are especially abundant in the small intestine. While bifidobacteria are especially abundant in the large intestine. Each bacterial strain is important to the overall microbiota. Look for both high strength and multiple strain friendly bacteria when choosing a supplement for your family.
When babies are born naturally, they pick up these bacteria from their mothers through the birth canal. Studies have shown that babies born by caesarean section have much less ‘friendly’ bacteria in their gut, which may have immune and general health implications.*
Udo’s Choice Infant's Blend Microbiotic is specially formulated for little ones. It contains six high quality live bacterial strains specific for babies and toddlers including bifidobacterial infantis, bifidobacteria bifidum and bifidobacteria breve. This easy-to-use, tasteless powder can be added to breast milk and formula (once cooled) or applied to the nipple area before a feed for those breastfeeding. What's more, Udo’s Choice Infant Blend Microbiotic has been trusted by Irish parents for over 20 years.
Once children get a little older Udo’s Choice Super 5 Microbiotic Lozenges, which contains 2 billion 'friendly' bacteria per lozenge and five high quality strains of lacto and bifido bacteria including lactobacillus salivarius is an excellent choice. Super 5’s raspberry flavoured lozenges contain xylitol to sweeten so they taste great too!
Suitable from five years of age and upward, they are ideal for all the family. Each delicious, natural raspberry flavoured lozenge should be slowly dissolved in the mouth after meals. Adults should fully dissolve 1-2 lozenges gently in the mouth after a meal. Children – 1 lozenge per day is recommended. Refrigerating these microbiotics ensures maximum potency and stability for the live bacteria they contain. However, they can be left unrefrigerated for short periods of time, making them convenient for travel.
Udo’s Choice offer age specific blends designed to support your family at each life stage. They are 100% sugar free and free from nasty additives, artificial colourings and flavourings and have been supporting digestive health with Irish families for over two decades.
*Shao, Y. et al. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1560-1 (2019). Stunted microbiota and opportunistic pathogen colonization in caesarean section birth.