Indications

Children's ProBio SAP helps reduce the risk of infectious and antibiotic associated diarrhea
Children's ProBio SAP assists in enhancing and supporting the immune system
Children's ProBio SAP can be used to regulate digestion, including concerns such as
constipation, diarrhea, IBS and IBD
Children's ProBio SAP may help reduce the risk of developing eczema in childhood

Ingredients

Each 2 scoops (250 mg) contain 10 billion CFU:
Bifidobacterium InfantisR0033 ... 1 .345 billion CFU
Lactobacillus acidophilus R0148 ... 0.491 billion CFU
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus R9001 ... 0.045 billion CFU
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012 ... 0.357 billion CFU
Bifidobacterium breve R0070 ... 0.268 billion CFU
Bifidobacterium longum R0175... 0.268 billion CFU
Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 ... 0.446 billion CFU
Lactobacillus casei R0215 ... 0.357 billion CFU
Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus R0083 ... 0.178 billion CFU
Lactobacillus rhamnosus R1039 ... 2.677 billion CFU
Lactobacillus rhamnosus R1011 ... 3.569 billion CFU
..
...
Non-medicinal ingredients: Maltodextrin, ascorbic acid, inulin, arabinogalactan and vegetable magnesium stearate.

Contains no: Preservatives, artificial flavour or colour, wheat, gluten, salt, egg, corn, sugar or starch. This product has come into contact with milk and soy .

Description

Probiotics are beneficial microbial mixtures that affect the host by improving intestinal microbial balance. Although large numbers of microbes normally inhabit the human intestine, certain strains of bacteria have been shown to assist with various conditions. Certain strains have demonstrated the ability to alleviate acute diarrhea, inflammatory bowel diseases, and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as being able to increase the body's natural resistance to infectious diseases of the intestinal tract and upper respiratory tract. Probiotics can also be used to help prevent atopic dermatitis in children.

Probiotics are living microorganisms which, when taken in adequate amounts, have beneficial effects on host health by improving intestinal microbial balance, as well as by modulating mucosal and systemic immunity. The most commonly used and studied probiotics are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus, which belong to the lactic acid bacteria group. Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria are normal inhabitants of the human colonic flora, thus giving the rationale for their use as a component of functional foods and supplements.(1)

WHAT ARE PREBIOTICS?
A prebiotic is a nondigestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or more bacterial species in the colon, and thus improves host health.(2) Specifically, prebiotics (i.e. fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and arabinooligosaccharides (AOS)) promote growth of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, decrease intestinal pH, produce short- chain fatty acids, and improve mineral absorption.(2, 3) The term “synbiotic” (not to be confused with “symbiotic”) describes a product that blends probiotics and prebiotics to synergistically enhance host health.(4)

PROBIOTICS—DOSE AND DURATION
Numerous studies that use probiotics on physiological effects, such as lactose intolerance, diarrhea, and colon cancer biomarkers, recommend ingesting a daily dose of 109–1010 live bacteria. Most ingested probiotics are transient, pass through the intestinal tract in 3–30 days, and do not permanently adhere to the intestinal wall. These probiotics exert their effects as they proliferate and metabolize while in the small intestine and colon.
Probiotics must be supplemented regularly to maintain their effectiveness. Different strains of probiotic bacteria exert different effects on human health. Thus, proven effects of one strain or species cannot be transferred to others.(4) As a result, it is best to supplement with a high-dose, multistrain probiotic to provide an optimal range of health benefits as well as suit the needs of different individuals.

ACUTE DIARRHEA
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers used a combination of Streptoccoccus thermophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium infantis and fructooligosaccharides for the treatment of acute diarrhea on children.(5) Researchers looked at the duration of diarrhea as well as the number of children that had a normalized stool consistency. Researchers found that mean duration of diarrhea was 3 days in the treatment group versus 4 days in the placebo group.(5) They also found that stool consistency was improved in 50% of children in the treatment group on days 2 and 3 versus 24% in the placebo group. The treatment group also required less additional medications such as antipyretics, antiemetics and antibiotics versus the placebo group.(5)
In another study, researchers looked at the effect of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) and its effectiveness against rotavirus.(6) Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide. It was demonstrated that B. infantis was indeed able to inhibit rotavirus infections. Moreover, B. infantis has the properties necessary for it to be deemed an effective probiotic, including adhesion to the gastrointestinal mucosa, as well as being resistant to gastrointestinal juices, biliary salts and low pH.(6)

ATOPIC DERMATITIS (ECZEMA)
An increased rate of allergic disease has been seen in children in industrialized countries. Initial results from clinical studies have shown that endogenous intestinal flora can stimulate the immune system of infants.(7) Infants who were at risk for developing atopy that received a probiotic for the first 6 months of life had 50% less atopic dermatitis than the control group of infants who did not receive any probiotics.(7) This demonstrates that probiotics may be a tool used to help prevent atopic dermatitis in children.

ENHANCEMENT OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
Probiotics have been shown to influence some aspects of host immune function by involving one or several components of an immune response, e.g. humoral, cellular or nonspecific immunity. Although specific results have varied, generally probiotics enhance IgA production and antibody response, and nonspecifically influence immune responses by enhancing phagocytosis of pathogens as well as modifying cytokine production, such as tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6.(8, 9)

PROMOTION OF GUT HEALTH
In addition to immune function, there are many ways that probiotics may act to promote gut health. Infectious diarrheas and GI disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, are conditions that lack microbial balance, favouring the development of harmful species. Probiotics return microbial balance through competition with pathogenic microorganisms for nutrients and binding sites on epithelial cells. As well, by producing bacteriocins (antimicrobial substances), organic acids and hydrogen peroxide, probiotics inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria.(1, 9, 10) Probiotics may also aid in the recovery of intestinal permeability, aid in providing nutrition to the colonocytes by forming short-chain fatty acids and some amino acids, stimulating proliferation of colonocytes, and participating in the regulation of intestinal functions.(11)

In a study looking at the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation in children with ulcerative colitis, researchers used a combination of 8 bacteria strain doses based on patients weight. The strains used were B. breve, B. longum, B. infantis, L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. paracasei, L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus or placebo in combination with steroid induction and mesalamine maintenance treatment. (12) Children were then evaluated 4 times at 1 month, 2 months, 6 months and 12 months or at time of relapse using endoscopy and histology. Results found that 92.8% of patients in the probiotic group achieved remission, whereas 36.4% of patients in the placebo group achieved remission. Researchers also found that endoscopic and histological scores where significantly lower in the probiotic group versus the placebo group, and there were no clinical adverse events noted related to the probiotics. This demonstrates that probiotics can play a role in reducing active ulcerative colitis as well as a role in maintenance of remission.(12)

SAFETY OF PROBIOTICS SUPPLEMENTATION
The safety record of probiotics is excellent, with Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria being generally recognized as safe (GRAS).(1) In a study looking specifically at the safety of probiotics in infants, researchers performed a randomized placebo- controlled study where mothers took a combination of 4 strains of probiotics or placebo for the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, and then administered the same strains or placebo to their infants until 6 months of age.(13) Follow-up was performed at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months of age. There were no differences noted in morbidity or serious adverse events, but during the 6-month intervention, antibiotics were prescribed less frequently in the treatment group and over the 24-month follow-up period, the treatment group had less respiratory infections than the placebo group.(13) The conclusion made by researchers was that feeding newborn infants probiotics was safe and increased their resistance to respiratory infections during the first 2 years of life.(13) On these bases, probiotics are considered safe for human consumption.

Quantity

10 g

Dose

Children 1 and older : Take 2 scoops daily (250 mg) in cold food and consume immediately or as directed by your health care practitioner. Take at least 2–3 hours before or after antibiotics. For younger children: Consult a health care practitioner for directions.Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have nausea, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea or severe abdominal pain. Discontinue use and consult a health care practitioner if symptoms of digestive upset (e.g. diarrhoea) occur, worsen, or persist beyond 3 days.

KEEP REFRIGERATED.

Potential side effects/Safety

Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have nausea, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea or severe abdominal pain. Discontinue use and consult a health care practitioner if symptoms of digestive upset (e.g. diarrhoea) occur, worsen, or persist beyond 3 days. KEEP REFRIGERATED.

References

"Show references"

"Hide references"

1. Saarela, M., L. Lahteenmaki, et al. “Gut bacteria and health foods—the European perspective”. International Journal of Food Microbiology 78, Issues 1–2 (2002): 99–117.
2. Gibson, G.R. and M.B. Roberfroid. “Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics”. The Journal of Nutrition 125, No. 6 (1995): 1401– 1412.
3. Robinson, R.R., J. Feirtag, and J.L. Slavin. “Effects of dietary arabinogalactan on gastrointestinal and blood parameters in healthy human subjects”. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 20, No. 4 (2001): 279–285.
4. Schrezenmeir, J. and M. de Vrese. “Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics—approaching a definition”. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 73, No. 2 (2001): 361S–364S.
5. Vandenplas, Y. and S.G. De Hert; PROBIOTICAL-study group. “Randomised clinical trial: the synbiotic food supplement Probiotical vs. placebo for acute gastroenteritis in children”. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 34, No. 8 (2011): 862–867.
6. MuÑoz, J.A., E. Chenoll, et al. “Novel probiotic Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis CECT 7210 strain active against rotavirus infections”. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 77, No. 24 (2011): 8775–8783.
7. Hauer, A. “[Probiotics in allergic diseases of childhood]” (article in German). MMW Fortschritte der Medizin 148, No. 35–36 (2006): 34–36.
8. Isolauri, E., Y. Sutas, et al. “Probiotics: effects on immunity”. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 73, No. 2 (2001): 444S–450S.
9. Mombelli, B. and M.R. Gismondo. “The use of probiotics in medical practice”. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 16, No. 4 (2000): 531–536.
10. de Roos, N.M. and M.B. Katan. “Effects of probiotic bacteria on diarrhea, lipid metabolism, and carcinogenesis: a review of papers published between 1988 and 1998”. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71, No. 2 (2000): 405–411.
11. Fri , P. “Probiotika in der Gastroenterologie“. Zeitschrift fÜr Gastroenterologie 40, No. 3 (2002): 197–201.
12. Miele, E., F. Pascarella, et al. “Effect of a probiotic preparation (VSL#3) on induction and maintenance of remission in children with ulcerative colitis”. The American Journal of Gastroenterology 104, No. 2 (2009): 437–443.
13. Kukkonen, K., E. Savilahti, et al. “Long-term safety and impact on infection rates of postnatal probiotic and prebiotic (synbiotic) treatment: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial”. Pediatrics 122, No. 1 (2008): 8–12.