The Unknown of probiotics: The role of good bacteria in infant health

Abstract

Probiotics are live strains of bacteria that are beneficial to health, especially the digestive system. Intestinal microflora plays an essential role in creating a barrier against colonization of pathogens, facilitating important metabolic functions, stimulating the development of the immune system, and maintaining intestinal motility. Probiotics can be prescribed to supplement intestinal flora and help with digestion, prevention of infectious diseases and even weight maintenance. Some studies showed probiotics help children with digestive problems such as constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and infectious diarrhea. However, other studies show that probiotics do not have such an effect. Because every child has its own individual microbiome. Each person's microbiome is unique, like a fingerprint. Most probiotics contain strains of Lactobacillus, but other types may also be present in the gut. Probiotics can only help a child's health if they contain the right bacteria strains for the child's gut. Otherwise, they may have no effect. Probiotics may help relieve acute constipation, colic, and reflux in healthy infants and children. They may also help prevent secondary infections and diarrhea in children taking antibiotics and help prevent eczema and allergies in some children. Currently, despite the extensive studies on children, there is little information about the effects of probiotics on the physiology of infants or their effectiveness in the face of infant diseases. In addition, there is insufficient safety information about probiotics for infants and this area requires additional studies to clarify the unknowns. Considering these issues, the main objective of this study is to introduce the importance and necessity of conducting additional research regarding the role of probiotics and their related products in the health of infants.