What Are the Benefits of Bacteria in an Infant's Gut?

Certain types of bacteria are beneficial for your infant. According to pediatrician William Sears, writing at AskDrSears.com, a probiotic is an organism in fermented foods that promotes good health and establishes the correct balance of intestinal bacteria. The word's direct translation is "for life." Gradually introducing your infant to probiotics will promote a healthier immune system health.

  1. Immune System Boost

    • Giving your infant probiotics will benefit her immune system. According to Dr. Stefano Guandalini, professor of pediatrics and gastroenterology at the University of Chicago Medical Center, the immune system must be challenged by pathogenic organisms in order to thrive. Introducing friendly bacteria will challenge the immune system in many helpful ways. Probiotics can also help prevent diarrhea in babies and serve as a source of preventative medicine.

    Brain Development

    • The bacteria in your infant's gut will affect the development of his brain. According to Joseph Mercola, an author and osteopathic physician, a link exists between a baby's brain development and the first flora he ever receives: the flora found in the birth canal during childbirth. Abnormal flora can end up coating your baby's intestines, which can cause gut and psychology syndrome, a disease leading to autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and even schizophrenia. Breast milk, which is full of probiotics, can help protect your baby from this abnormal flora and promote healthy brain development.

    Produce Good Fats

    • Sears explains that probiotics can help produce good fat in your baby's body by fermenting the soluble fiber found in food, and therefore creating beneficial fatty acids that promote healing of an infected intestinal lining. This process also leads to a reduction in the risk of intestinal cancer, and even inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

    Improve Intestinal Function

    • Probiotics help to improve the function of the intestines, according to Guandalini. They help to maintain the integrity of the intestinal lining, which contains billions of bacteria in a healthy gastrointestinal tract, according to AskDrSears.com. He explains the relationship between the body and the right bacteria as a symbiotic one, in which the healthy bacteria reside in the colon's warm environment and in turn, do beneficial things for the body.

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