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Biotics and Children's and Adolescents' Health: A Narrative Review

Evangelia Xenopoulou1, Ioanna Kontele1, Theodoros N Sergentanis1

  • 1Laboratory of Epidemiology, Health Determinants and Well-Being, Department of Public Health Policy, University of West Attica, 115 21 Athens, Greece.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 28, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Biotics show promise for various childhood conditions, including digestive issues and infections. Further research is needed to confirm benefits and address limitations in children and adolescents.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Growing interest in the gut microbiota-health connection.
  • Children and adolescents have unique physiological characteristics impacting health.
  • Biotics are being explored for their potential health benefits in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role and limitations of biotics in pediatric conditions.
  • To synthesize evidence on biotics for common childhood health issues.

Main Methods:

  • A narrative review of studies published on PubMed up to October 2023.
  • Focused on the administration of biotics in children and adolescents.

Main Results:

  • Biotics demonstrated potential benefits in treating and preventing infectious diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and necrotizing enterocolitis.
  • Positive outcomes were observed in functional gastrointestinal diseases (infant colic, functional abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome), H. pylori eradication, ulcerative colitis, pouchitis, and atopic dermatitis prevention.
  • Identified limitations associated with the use of probiotics in this age group.

Conclusions:

  • Biotics may offer beneficial effects for several health conditions in children and adolescents.
  • Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are necessary, especially for adolescents and young adults.

Keywords:
adolescentschildrenhealth conditionsinfantsmetabioticsparabioticspediatric nutritionpostbioticsprebioticsprobioticssynbiotics

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