How Probiotics Fuel Back-to-School Success - Probiotics

How Probiotics Fuel Back-to-School Success

As the back-to-school season gets underway, many parents are looking for ways to support their student’s overall health and academic success. One often overlooked but incredibly important factor that plays a role in both of these fronts is the gut microbiome. Probiotics—those beneficial bugs that play a vital role in gut health—can also have a positive impact on both immunity and cognition, making them a valuable addition to any back-to-school routine.

Increasingly, science is discovering that the health of the gut, or more specifically the state of the microbiome, is connected to other systems in the body. For instance, the microbiome influences how the brain works via communication through something called the gut-brain axis.1 The gut also plays a key role in how well the immune system functions. In fact, as much as 80 percent of the body’s immune system is found in the gut.2 Let’s take a deeper dive into how supporting your child’s gut can help them stay focused and healthy all year long.

Getting To the Head of the Class

The ability to retain information and understand complex concepts is essential for academic success. And that ability starts with a healthy gut. Research shows that supplementing with a daily dose of probiotics can improve cognitive function in both children and adults. This is because the gut microbiota plays a crucial role in producing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which are important for regulating mood and cognitive function.

One 2023 study analysis in Frontiers in Public Health found that children who supplemented with multi-strain probiotics for at least six months showed an improvement in their cognitive abilities and neurocognitive development.3 A earlier study reported that supplementing with a probiotic for 12 weeks improved mental flexibility—the ability to change thoughts and behaviors in response to new information—while also helping to reduce mental stress.4  That’s a vital for learning new information, both in and out of the classroom.

Probiotics can also influence mood. That matters since a healthy mood improves motivation, focus, and engagement in learning—all crucial elements for academic success. According to one double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal Microorganisms, students who took supplemental probiotics showed a significant reduction in depression and anxiety scores, as well as lower serum cortisol levels, compared with students taking a placebo.5 Studies also suggest that probiotics improve sleep quality, which can further benefit students’ mood and cognitive capabilities.6

Maximizing Immunity

In addition to supporting cognition, probiotics play a crucial role in supporting the immune system. As noted above, the gut is home to a large portion of the body’s immune cells, making it a key player in overall immune function. Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, which can strengthen the immune response and help protect against common infections and illnesses that often circulate in the classroom.

Taken routinely, probiotics modulate the body’s immune response by influencing the production of cytokines—signaling molecules that regulate the way the immune system responds to threats. Cytokines can also stimulate the adaptive immune response, fostering long-term immunity.7  Plus, probiotics interact with immune cells like natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DCs), potentially enhancing their activity and function.8

Choosing the Right Probiotic for Your Child

There are several ways kids can incorporate probiotics into a healthy back-to-school routine. Probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi can be added to meals and snacks. The problem is, kids can be notoriously picky when it comes to the foods they eat. What’s more, not all of these foods are commercially produced to provide “live” bacteria. Fortunately, you can ensure that your student gets a consistent dose of viable bacteria by taking a comprehensive probiotic supplement on a daily basis. Younger students can benefit from a chewable probiotic while most kids in high school or college can opt for probiotic capsules.

No matter which format is right for your child, it’s smart to check the Supplement Facts label to ensure the probiotic you are considering contains clinically-studied Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species and strains. Examples include L. gasseri KS-13, B. bifidum G9-1, and B. longum MM-2.9,10 It’s also important to look for a probiotic that is guaranteed to be viable through the expiration date—not just at the time the probiotic was manufactured. Without this type of assurance, it’s hard to know exactly how many bacteria cells, if any, are alive when your child swallows their probiotic.

Some probiotic supplements require refrigeration. However, many now are shelf stable and can be stored at room temperature. To maintain potency, store shelf-stable probiotics in a cool, dry cabinet away from sunlight. And periodically check the expiration date to make sure it’s still viable.

Probiotics are a valuable tool for supporting both cognition and immunity, making them an excellent addition to any back-to-school routine. By promoting a healthy gut microbiome, probiotics can help students thrive academically and stay healthy throughout the school year and beyond.

References

  1. Carabotti M, Scirocco A, Maselli MA, et al. The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of Gastroenterology. 2015;28(2):203-9.
  2. Wiertsema SP, van Bergenhenegouwen J, Garssen J, et al. The Interplay between the gut microbiome and the immune system in the context of infectious diseases throughout life and the role of nutrition in optimizing treatment strategies. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):886.
  3. Lin FL, Chen CM, Sun CK, et al. Effects of probiotics on neurocognitive outcomes in infants and young children: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health. 2023;11:1323511.
  4. Kim CS, Cha L, Sim M, et al. Probiotic supplementation improves cognitive function and mood with changes in gut microbiota in community-dwelling older adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. 2021;76(1):32-40.
  5. Merkouris E, Mavroudi T, Miliotas D, et al. Probiotics’ effects in the treatment of anxiety and depression: A comprehensive review of 2014-2023 clinical trials. Microorganisms. 2024;12(2):411.
  6. Lin Z, Jiang T, Chen M, et al. Gut microbiota and sleep: Interaction mechanisms and therapeutic prospects. Open Life Sciences. 2024;19(1):20220910.
  7. Galdeano CM,Cazorla SI, José María Lemme Dumit JMD, et al. Beneficial effects of probiotic consumption on the immune system. Annals of Nutrition and Metab 2019; 74 (2): 115–24.
  8. Aziz N, Bonavida B. Activation of natural killer cells by probiotics. For Immunopathology Dis Therap. 2016;7(1-2):41-55.
  9. Dennis-Wall JC, Culpepper T, Nieves C Jr, et al. Probiotics (Lactobacillus gasseriKS-13, Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1, and Bifidobacterium longum MM-2) improve rhinoconjunctivitis-specific quality of life in individuals with seasonal allergies: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2017;105(3):758-767.
  10. Spaiser SJ, Culpepper T, Nieves C Jr, et al. Lactobacillus gasseri KS-13, Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1, and Bifidobacterium longum MM-2 ingestion induces a less inflammatory cytokine profile and a potentially beneficial shift in gut microbiota in older adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2015;34(6):459-69.

This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.