Your Grandkids on Gut Meds? What Went Wrong

We’ve always been fans of probiotics here at e-Alert.

When they’re used thoughtfully—for the right condition, in the right person—they can help restore balance in the gut and support immunity.

But now we’re hearing that pediatricians across Europe are recommending probiotics to children—even infants—for everything from colic to diarrhea.

And we have to ask…

What on earth is going on with kids’ gut health in the first place?

Let’s take a look.

According to new guidance from the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), certain strains—like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii—have been shown to ease short-term digestive issues in children.

That’s great.

But we’re missing the forest for the trees here.

Because the real problem isn’t that children are “missing” a probiotic.

It’s that their guts are under constant attack—from birth—by the modern food supply.

From ultra-processed snacks and sugar-loaded drinks…

To gut-disrupting antibiotics, plastic packaging, and hormone-laced dairy…

Even the infant formula being studied now for “prebiotic” and “synbiotic” benefits isn’t showing much clinical effect.

And sure, you could give your grandchild a probiotic.

But that’s like handing them a Band-Aid while they’re walking barefoot through a field of broken glass.

If you really want to protect their health—and their future—start by helping them avoid the stuff that’s wrecking their microbiome in the first place:

• Cut the sugar and junk food (yes, even the “kid-friendly” options).
• Choose whole, organic foods when possible.
• Limit plastic containers, especially for warm foods or drinks.
• Support their natural immunity so antibiotics are a last resort—not the first line of defense.

Of course, there’s a time and place for targeted probiotic use—especially during or after antibiotics, which we’ve covered before.

But until we clean up the mess we’ve created with modern food and medicine, probiotics are just putting out fires… not preventing them.

Health may start in the gut—but fixing it starts in the kitchen,

Rachel Mace
Managing Editorial Director, e-Alert
with contributions from the research team

P.S. Could a psychedelic mushroom soothe your gut? Learn more here.

Sources:

Raffier, N. (2025, August). Which Probiotics Are Doctors Prescribing for Kids? Medscape. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/which-probiotics-are-doctors-prescribing-kids-2025a1000kid