Recently, Sylvie, the daughter of our Patient Care Coordinator Lauren, had one of those days when she just wasn’t feeling like her normal spunky self. Luckily, Lauren jumped in right away with probiotics for sick season!
If you’re a parent, you know that look. The extra cuddles, the low energy, the quiet afternoon on the couch.
Of course, you can’t stop every cold or bug that comes home from school or daycare. But you can be ready to help your child’s body bounce back quickly.
That’s why probiotics for sick season are one of the first things I recommend families keep on hand. In this post, I’ll walk you through why gut health matters so much for immune health, what’s inside HKHM Biome Protect 20B, and how it can support your child when they start to feel run down.
Why Gut Health Matters During Sick Season
When most parents think about colds and the flu, they think about noses, throats, and lungs. But a big part of the immune system actually lives in the gut.
Your child’s digestive tract is home to trillions of microorganisms, often called the gut microbiome. These bacteria and yeasts help digest food, produce important compounds, and communicate with the immune system every day. [1]
When the microbiome is balanced, it helps keep harmful microbes in check and supports a healthy, well-regulated immune response. When it’s out of balance, from things like antibiotics, stress, or a highly processed diet, the immune system may not respond as smoothly.
This is why, in my integrative approach, supporting the gut is one of the most practical ways to support your child’s whole-body health, especially during the busy fall and winter months.
Probiotics for Sick Season: What Is in HKHM Biome Protect 20B?
HKHM Biome Protect 20B is a broad-spectrum probiotic that contains Lactobacillus plantarum, the star strain also found in our Plantadophilus, along with five additional bacterial strains and Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast.
Each capsule provides a 20 billion CFU (colony-forming units) proprietary blend of:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-14)
- Bifidobacterium bifidum (Bb-06)
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus (GG)
- Lactobacillus paracasei (UALpc-04)
- Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl-04)
- Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp-115)
It also includes 200 mg of Saccharomyces boulardii (3 billion CFU).
HKHM Biome Protect 20B is clinician-approved. It’s also third-party tested and free of gluten, dairy, soy, and nuts, which matters for the many children I work with who have food sensitivities.
How Biome Protect 20B Supports Your Child’s Gut and Immune Health
Each strain in this formula plays a slightly different role. Here’s how they work together.
Supports the Gut During Antibiotic Use
Antibiotics are sometimes necessary, and when they are, I want children to get them. The challenge is that antibiotics can’t tell the difference between harmful bacteria and the beneficial bacteria that keep the gut healthy.
Taking a probiotic during antibiotic use helps support the gut through that disruption, so the good bacteria have a better chance to hold their ground. [2]
Crowds Out Harmful Bacteria and Strengthens Immune Balance
Beneficial microbes compete with harmful ones for space and nutrients along the gut lining. The more good bacteria are present, the harder it is for unwanted microbes to take over.
These strains also help with immune balance and immune signaling, which is how the gut and immune system “talk” to each other. In an animal study, L. plantarum showed anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating effects in piglets exposed to a harmful strain of E. coli. [3]
In another animal study, S. boulardii increased secretory IgA (sIgA) in the gut of mice. [4] sIgA is an antibody that acts as one of the gut’s first lines of defense, helping to neutralize microbes before they can cause trouble. These are animal studies, so they show us how these organisms may work rather than proving the same results in humans.
Helps Produce Short-Chain Fatty Acids for a Healthy Gut Barrier
When beneficial bacteria break down fiber, they produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. These compounds help nourish the cells that line the intestines and are critical for a healthy intestinal barrier. [1]
When that barrier becomes too permeable, often called “leaky gut,” particles that should stay in the intestines can pass through and trigger a pro-inflammatory response in the body. Supporting short-chain fatty acid production is one way to help keep that barrier strong.
Promotes Balanced Immunity in Children Sensitive to Environmental Allergens
The B. lactis strain in Biome Protect 20B is especially helpful for children who are sensitive to environmental allergens like pollen.
In a small randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 20 adults with grass pollen allergies, a specific strain of B. lactis taken for eight weeks during pollen season was linked to fewer nasal symptoms and lower levels of certain allergy-related immune markers compared with placebo. [5] Research in young piglets has also found that B. lactis supplementation from weaning influenced how the developing immune system made antibodies. [6]
If seasonal allergies are part of your child’s fall, you may also find my post on fall allergies in kids helpful.
Probiotics for Sick Season: When to Reach for Biome Protect 20B
I like families to have HKHM Biome Protect 20B in the cabinet before cold and flu season is in full swing, so it’s ready at the first sign of illness rather than after a trip to the store.
You may want to keep it on hand for times like these:
- When your child is starting to seem run down or “off”
- When illness is going around their classroom or daycare
- When your child needs a course of antibiotics
Every child is different, so talk with your child’s healthcare provider about whether HKHM Biome Protect 20B is a good fit and how to use it for your family.
Getting Ready for a Healthier Sick Season
You can’t keep every bug out of your home, but you can give your child’s body the support it needs to bounce back. Starting with the gut is one of the simplest places to begin.
If you’d like more guidance on next steps, whether that’s becoming a patient at Infinite Health, health coaching, or supplement questions, you can schedule a 15-minute informational call with our team.
References
- Barko PC, McMichael MA, Swanson KS, Williams DA. The Gastrointestinal Microbiome: A Review. J Vet Intern Med. 2018;32(1):9-25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29171095/
- Lipski E. Digestive Wellness. New Canaan (CT): Keats Publishing; 1996. p. 60-61.
- Chytilová M, Mudroňová D, Nemcová R, Gancarčíková S, Buleca V, Koščová J, Tkáčiková L. Anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects of flax-seed oil and Lactobacillus plantarum – Biocenol™ LP96 in gnotobiotic pigs challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Res Vet Sci. 2013;95(1):103-9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23465779/
- Rodrigues AC, Cara DC, Fretez SH, Cunha FQ, Vieira EC, Nicoli JR, Vieira LQ. Saccharomyces boulardii stimulates sIgA production and the phagocytic system of gnotobiotic mice. J Appl Microbiol. 2000;89(3):404-14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11021572/
- Singh A, Hacini-Rachinel F, Gosoniu ML, Bourdeau T, Holvoet S, Doucet-Ladeveze R, Beaumont M, Mercenier A, Nutten S. Immune-modulatory effect of probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818 in individuals suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis to grass pollen: an exploratory, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013;67(2):161-7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23299716/
- Lewis MC, Patel DV, Fowler J, Duncker S, Zuercher AW, Mercenier A, Bailey M. Dietary supplementation with Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818 from weaning reduces local immunoglobulin production in lymphoid-associated tissues but increases systemic antibodies in healthy neonates. Br J Nutr. 2013;110(7):1243-52. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114513000251
