10 Best Probiotics for Toddlers’ Immune Systems

Did you know that you can keep your kids from getting sick with probiotics? Find out about the best probiotics for toddlers’ immune systems from our health and fitness expert!

What is about kids and getting sick?  I mean seriously, every second day they seem to come down with some new disease, illness, or ailment.  

They come home from daycare with a runny nose, a chesty cough, or even the full-blown flu.  And don’t even get me started on the oh-so-common stomach bug.

Yuck.

But does it really have to be this way?  What if this wasn’t the norm, but rather a rarity? What if I told you that you could improve the health and function of your toddler’s immune system and stave off illness in the process?

You would jump at it.

Which is exactly where probiotics enter the discussion.

What Causes a Child to have a Low Immune System?

Your toddler’s immune system is an incredibly complex thing.  Its ability to fight off disease and infection is affected heavily by the external environment, as well as the state of your child’s health in general.

With this in mind, a low immune system could be caused by a number of different things, including:

• A poor diet: not eating enough nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can impair immune system function.
• Lack of sleep: inadequate sleep can reduce the effectiveness of the immune system.
• Stress and anxiety: too much stress and anxiety can impair the immune system in a really big way.

Importantly, gut health can also play a very important role in maintaining the health of your toddler’s immune system.

Which leads us to our next point quite nicely…

How Do Probiotics Boost Toddlers’ Immune Systems?

Did you know that your kid’s whole body (as in both inside and out) is covered from head to toe in tiny little microorganisms?  Yep, literally covered in an amazing collection of bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Now, as disgusting as this may sound, it is not a bad thing.

In fact, it is a very good thing.

You see, these little guys are a very important part of your child’s immune system.  That’s right, they are meant to be there.  

This collection of bugs is collectively known as your child’s microbiota and they help her body function every single day.  These microorganisms have all kinds of amazing health benefits — in which they can keep your kid’s body and mind healthy, help them digest food, and even boost their immune system (which is what we are talking about today).

To be honest, these bugs are amazing.

But, I should note that this isn’t all there is to this story.

See, your child’s body can also host what we would consider bad bacteria.  These are any sort of microorganism that works against the health of your child.  If the balance between your kid’s good and bad bacteria gets out of whack, then their immune system can worsen.

But this isn’t a death sentence — and it all comes down to probiotics.

Related: The Best Probiotics for Kids: An Expert’s Guide for Moms

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are a specific type of supplement (that can come in the form of pills, powders, or food) that contain a potent dose of the good microorganisms found living within your kid’s microbiota.  

Some probiotics might contain a single species of bacteria, while others may contain several different species — but they all work in the same way.

Probiotics boost the number of healthy microorganisms in your kid’s body, which improves the balance between good and bad bacteria in their gut.  Once they are in your kid’s body, these guys go to work.  As a result, they improve health.

What are the Best Sources of Probiotics for Kids?

In my mind, there are two very good sources of probiotics for kids.  You can look for natural sources (which pretty much cover any foods that have probiotics in them) and supplements.

Probiotic Foods for Toddlers’ Immune Systems

As I already mentioned, there are certain foods with probiotics in them.  In general, probiotic-rich foods are fermented foods.

To keep it simple, fermented foods are foods that have undergone a process of fermentation.  During fermentation, probiotic bacteria are added to foods to change their flavor and texture.  But the bacteria stay in the food, even when it’s served and eaten, so they also offer a really good way of getting in some probiotics!

Some of my favorite fermented foods include:

• yogurt
• kefir
• sauerkraut
• kimchi
• miso
• pickles

Now, eating fermented foods with probiotics in them does offer your kids a couple of benefits that cannot be obtained from supplements.  

Because they are whole foods, they provide your kids with a number of important vitamins and minerals, not just probiotics.  Importantly, (in my opinion, anyway) they also taste fantastic!

However, they also come with a couple of downsides.

Firstly, it is quite hard to work out how much of a specific probiotic is in fermented foods. Despite being sold in the supermarket, they rarely list the types of probiotics that were added, let alone how many bacteria the product contains at the end of the fermentation process.  

As I am sure you can imagine, this can make things a little bit difficult for making sure you’re really increasing the health of your child’s microbiota.

Secondly, some pickier kids might not really like the taste of fermented foods — which would pretty much render them useless!

Probiotics Supplements for Toddlers’ Immune Systems

Given that foods with probiotics can pose a couple of unique challenges, probiotic supplements are a fantastic alternative.

“Probiotic supplements” are any powder, capsule, or even gummy, that contains probiotic compounds that can improve immune system function.  

Probiotic supplements are a great alternative to fermented foods as a source of probiotics because they provide a scientifically supported dosage of powerful probiotics straight into your child’s gut.  More importantly, you can easily see how much and what types of probiotics your child is getting.

And that is pretty important.

Some of the most effective probiotic strains for immune system health are:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus
• Bacillus coagulans
• Bifidobacterium lactis
• Bifidobacterium longum

So, if you are not sure where to start when looking for a probiotic supplement, trying to find one with at least one of these strains is a good place to start.

You also want to make sure that they provide a potent enough dose.

Probiotics are measured in what is known as colony-forming units (or CFUs for short).  A common recommendation is that kids should take around 5 to 10 billion CFUs per day.

Last but not least, try and find a probiotic that your toddler actually enjoys taking.  I have already mentioned that probiotics come in all sorts of shapes and sizes (some of which taste much better than others) — so, experiment to find one that your kid likes.

Are Probiotic Supplements Safe for Toddlers?

Let’s answer arguably the most important questions when it comes to giving your toddler any type of supplement.

Are probiotic supplements safe and do they have any side effects?

Are Probiotics Safe?

So, firstly, probiotics are very well-tolerated by humans.  In fact, there aren’t really any cases of them causing any real issues under normal circumstances.  

Although I should note that they can cause some gas and bloating, which appears to clear up on its own after a few weeks.  While not ultra-terrible, it can result in some discomfort.

However, I want you to realize that above I said that probiotics are safe under normal circumstances.  This is because, in some very specific people, probiotics can pose a little bit of a risk.  This is the case:

• In people with a weakened immune system, for whom there is a risk that probiotics can cause an infection.
• For people with a current autoimmune attack going on in their gut, for whom there is a risk of developing an infection.
• In people who have kidney disease, for whom there is a risk that probiotics may cause changes in the ability of their kidneys to filter urine, leading to increased levels of kidney-damaging chemicals (like uric acid) in the blood.

So, if your kid has one of these conditions, seek medical advice before using probiotics.  If they do not have any of these conditions, though, they should be good to go!

Can Kids Overdose on Probiotics?

This is quite an interesting question and one I wanted to address before we dive into our top 10 probiotic supplements for toddlers’ immune systems.

So, the first thing I want to point out is the microbiota is thought to consist of more than 100 trillion different microorganisms.  This means that a probiotic supplement really only brings a very small amount into the whole system.

As a result, it is very unlikely that you can overdose on probiotics.  (They are just a drop in your child’s microbial ocean.)

Nevertheless, taking more than the recommended dose may increase the risk of experiencing gastrointestinal side effects considerably. So, to stay on the safe side, make sure you keep your kid on the recommended dosage!

What Are The Best Probiotics for Toddlers’ Immune Systems?

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Taking all of the above into consideration, I scoured the web to find the top 10 best probiotics for toddlers’ immune systems.  So, without further ado!

10. Dr. Mercola Complete Probiotics Powder

Coming in at number 10 is this top-quality probiotic supplement by Dr. Mercola.  This option comes in sachet form. You simply mix it with water to create a delicious raspberry-flavored drink — trust me when I say your kids will love it.

This supplement contains an extremely potent 10 billion CFU dose of a probiotic blend per serving, which contains the key strains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Bifidobacterium longum.

Now, it is important for me to note that at the time of writing, this supplement only has 6 reviews.  However, given that each of those has been a full five stars, and the brand is very well regarded, I think it really deserves a spot on this list.

It is a great choice of probiotics for toddlers’ immune systems!

9.  NOW BerryDophilis For Kids

Sitting at number nine on this list, we have these delicious berry-flavored probiotic gummies by NOW Foods.  This great option provides 2 billion CFUs of a number of probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Bifidobacterium longum per serving.

And with over 80% of consumers rating it 5 stars (from more than 400 reviews), you can be certain of its effectiveness!

8. Renew Life Kids Probiotic

Up next, we have this great option by Renew Life.  Each delicious berry-flavored chewable tablet contains 3 billion CFUs of a unique probiotic mix that contains both Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Of more than 600 reviews, a whopping 70% have rated this great product 5 stars, with many parents applauding its taste!

7. Hyperbiotics PRO-Kids Probiotic

Number eight is this fantastic option by Hyperbiotics.  Coming in the form of a tiny orange-flavored tablet, this probiotic provides 3 billion CFUs per serving.  Moreover, it contains a unique blend of probiotics that has both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis in it.

I forgot to mention that this great choice is actually one of the most popular on the market at the moment.  In fact, it has more than 1,300 reviews, of which a whopping 67% are a full 5 stars!

6. Naturo Sciences Children’s Chewable Probiotic

Sliding into number seven is another great option that provides a potent dosage of 5 billion CFUs per serving.  This probiotic uses a number of probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium longum.

Different from other probiotic supplements on this list, this amazing choice comes in the form of a chewable gummy that is tangerine-flavored.  And with more than 80% of consumers (from over 300 reviews) giving this option 5 stars, you cannot go wrong.

5. Garden of Life Organic Kids’ Probiotic

Our sixth option contains 5 billion CFUs per serving.  It provides a probiotic blend that contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Bifidobacterium longum.

As a result, this berry-flavored tablet has been very well received, with 68% of people (from more than 600 reviews) rating it a full 5-stars.

If you are after great probiotics for your toddler’s immune system, then look no further.

4. Nature’s Way Primadophilus for Kids

This great option provides a solid dosage of 3 billion CFUs per serving.  It is derived entirely from Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium longum.  And it comes in a delicious cherry-flavored gummy.

As a result, you can be confident your kids will love it!

More than 200 people have reviewed this great product, of which an amazing 78% have given it a full 5 stars.  To put it simply, you can be sure that it works!

3. Culturelle Kids’ Chewable Probiotic

Culturelle Kids have developed a very good reputation for producing great kid-friendly supplements — and this probiotic is no different!  

Coming in the form of berry-flavored tablets, this is a perfect option for picky kids. Most importantly, it provides 5 billion CFUs of Lactobacillus rhamnosus per serving.

With over 70% of all reviews giving this amazing product a full 5 stars, you can be certain that it works.

2. Intelligent Labs Kids’ Probiotic

This fantastic option has everything you could possibly want in a kids’ probiotic.  It contains a 6 billion CFU dose of both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis.  Moreover, it comes in a tasty berry-flavored tablet.

Importantly, it has been incredibly well-received by consumers.  In fact, an absurd 83% of reviews have given this amazing product 5 stars.

It really is one of the best probiotics for toddlers’ immune systems on the market.

1. FloraTummys Probiotic Sprinkles for Kids

To put it simply, I absolutely love this option.  

It is of really high quality and comes in the form of a powder that can be mixed with anything.  As a result, you can sneak it into your kid’s favorite drink, cereal, or even yogurt.

And its versatility doesn’t lower its impact!  It provides a powerful 5 billion CFU dose of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis per serving. 

Moreover, it has been reviewed extremely well.  In fact, an incredible 87% of all reviewers have given this amazing probiotic 5 full stars!

Take Home Message

If you are over your kids getting sick all the time, then probiotics might be the answer you have been looking for.  With the ability to improve the health of your toddler’s microbiota, they can improve immune system function and go a very long way to staving off illness.

So, what are you waiting for?  Give one of our best probiotics for toddlers’ immune systems a go and let us know what you think.

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