Building up the intestinal flora in a child: Here’s how
Our intestines not only take care of our digestion, but also have to cope with environmental influences and stress every day. This is no different with children: especially between the ages of two and eight years, the intestinal flora is exposed to a high level of stress. It is not yet fully developed, so its composition is constantly changing. Also, still unknown pathogens attack time and again. However, the development of the intestinal flora in children can be specifically supported.
Why a healthy intestinal flora is so important in children
The children's intestines are bustling with activity: even the youngest children have billions of bacteria on the mucous membranes of the intestines. The different bacterial strains each fulfil very specific tasks. Among other things they function as:
Partner of the immune system
The intestinal bacteria of children keep pathogens at bay. How? A large proportion of the immune cells in the human body are located in the intestinal mucosa. The good bacteria that grow there help the immune system to get rid of pathogens – for example, harmful bacteria such as diarrhoea pathogens or disease-causing fungi.
Digestive aids
Even in children, some intestinal bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids that serve as energy suppliers for the cells of the colon. Approximately 40 percent of the energy requirement is covered by these fatty acids. At the same time, the fatty acids stimulate intestinal movements, which prevent constipation and flatulence.
Vitamin suppliers
Some types of intestinal bacteria even produce vitamins – bifidobacteria and Escherichia coli for example.
With INTEST.pro to the personalized recommendations
Nutrition plays a central role in the development of the intestinal flora in children. However, general recommendations for the consumption of healthy food are often not sufficient: Ideally, a child's diet is optimally adapted to the composition of its intestinal flora and promotes a balance between the different types of intestinal bacteria. With INTEST.pro from BIOMES you can have your child's intestinal flora analysed by scientists and have a personalized recommendations drawn up. All it takes is a stool sample, which you take at home with the INTEST.pro test kit and send to the laboratory. You will then be given an overview of the composition of your child's microbiome and can have experts give you suitable nutritional recommendations.
Analyze your intestinal flora.
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