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Whether you want to promote a strong immune system or boost good gut bacteria, you may want to check out these kid-friendly probiotics.
While probiotics are often touted as potentially beneficial for adults, research has also shown that they may benefit children (
Much like they do in adults, probiotics may help support a child’s digestive and immune health or address specific concerns such as constipation and acid reflux (
The best probiotic to choose for your child, however, will largely depend on their needs.
If you’re considering probiotics for your kids, it’s important to speak with their pediatrician first.
Once you’ve both decided that probiotics are right for your child, consider these 7 options.
- Best refrigerated probiotic for kids: NOW BerryDophilus Kids
- Best chewable probiotic for kids: Renew Life Kids Ultimate Flora Probiotic
- Best probiotic gummies for kids: SmartyPants Kids Probiotic and Prebiotic Immunity Formula, OLLY Kids Multi + Probiotic
- Best probiotic powder for kids: Culturelle Kids Packets Daily Probiotic Supplement
- Best probiotic supplements for infants: Garden of Life RAW Probiotics Kids, Florastor Kids Daily Probiotic
The products included in this article were selected based on the following criteria:
- Suitability for kids. Each supplement is suitable for children and includes specific strains that may offer health benefits for kids.
- Ingredients. Supplements are made with high quality ingredients and free of artificial additives, preservatives, and fillers.
- Purity and potency testing. Supplements are tested throughout the manufacturing process, ideally by a third-party organization, to ensure purity and potency.
- Dosage. Supplements contain between 500 million and 5 billion colony forming units (CFUs) per serving, so it’s easy to find a product that fits your child’s needs.
- Price. We included supplements to fit a variety of budgets, each of which provides a good value for the price.
Additionally, every brand and product on our list has been vetted to ensure that it aligns with Healthline’s brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. Each product in this article:
- adheres to allowable health claims and labeling requirements, per Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations
- is manufactured in facilities that adhere to current good manufacturing practices established by the FDA
- is produced by a medically credible company that follows ethical, legal, and industry best standards
- is made by a company that provides objective measures of trust, such as having its supplements validated by third-party labs
A note on price
General price ranges with dollar signs ($–$$$) are indicated below. One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher cost.
Generally, prices range from $0.22–$1.00 per serving, or $12.99–$30.99 per container, though this may vary depending on where you shop.
Pricing guide:
- $ = under $0.50 per serving
- $$ = $0.50–$0.90 per serving
- $$$ = over $0.91 per serving
Note that dosing recommendations range from 1–3 doses per day, depending on your child’s age and the advice of a healthcare professional.
Thus, a product that requires fewer doses per day may be comparatively cheaper, despite having a higher price per count, than a product that requires more doses per day.
Best refrigerated probiotic for kids
- Type: chewable tablets
- Price range: $
- Age range: ages 2 and up
- CFU count: 2 billion
- Active ingredients: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Bifidobacterium breve, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bifidobacterium longum
Designed for children ages 2 and up, these BerryDophilus chewables combine 10 probiotic strains to support digestive health and strong immune systems.
To maintain their potency, it’s best to keep these chewable tablets in the fridge.
Kids will enjoy the fun animal shapes and natural berry flavor. Plus, the tablets are naturally colored using beet powder.
While these probiotics are free of added sugar, they do contain xylitol, so it’s important to keep them away from dogs (
Pros
- affordable
- chewable
- manufactured in third-party certified facilities
Cons
- requires refrigeration, which may be a downside for some families
- not third-party tested for purity and potency
- contains xylitol, which isn’t safe for dogs
Best chewable probiotic for kids
- Type: chewable tablets
- Price range: $
- Age range: ages 2 and up
- CFU count: 3 billion
- Active ingredients: Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium breve, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus plantarum
Made with 3 billion cultures and six strains of probiotics, this berry-flavored probiotic supplement is designed to help reduce occasional digestive imbalances and support immune health.
Renew Life Kids Probiotic is free of sugar, dairy, and gluten. It also contains no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.
Plus, it’s shelf-stable, so refrigeration is optional.
According to the company’s website, Renew Life Kids Probiotic is rigorously tested multiple times throughout the manufacturing process to ensure purity and potency. However, the product is not tested by a third-party lab.
Pros
- shelf-stable
- budget-friendly
- gluten-free
- no added sugar
- affordable
Cons
- not third-party tested for purity and potency
- some negative reviews of the taste
- some reports that the tablets are difficult to chew
Best probiotic gummies for kids
- Type: gummies
- Price range: $$
- Age range: ages 3 and up
- CFU count: 4 billion
- Active ingredients: Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans
These strawberry-flavored gummies are free of artificial sweeteners and formulated to provide daily immune support for your child.
They contain prebiotics and a blend of two strains of probiotics, including Bacillus coagulans, which has been shown to support immune function and enhance digestive health (
Additionally, each batch is free of allergens and has been third-party tested for safety, strength, and purity.
This supplement is appropriate for children ages 3 and up and should be taken twice daily with food.
Pros
- shelf-stable
- third-party tested
- free of artificial sweeteners
Cons
- contains added sugar
- some negative reviews of the taste and smell
- expensive
- Type: gummies
- Price range: $
- Age range: 2 years and up
- CFU count: 500 million
- Active ingredient: Bacillus coagulans
These berry-flavored gummies are an easy and effective way to boost your little one’s intake of probiotics and an assortment of other essential vitamins and minerals.
Free of gluten, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives, OLLY Kids Multi + Probiotic gummies are formulated to support natural digestive balance by boosting good bacteria in children ages 2 and older.
OLLY provides a certificate of analysis — a document showing detailed testing results — for all its products. This supplement is also third-party tested to verify safety and quality.
Pros
- third-party tested
- free of artificial ingredients
- shelf-stable
Cons
- lower CFU count than other products
- single-strain
- contains a small amount of added sugar
Best probiotic powder for kids
- Type: single-serve packets
- Price range: $$
- Age range: 4 years and up
- CFU count: 5 billion
- Active ingredient: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG
These single-serve packets and aim to support digestion and immune health for children ages 1 year and older.
They contain 5 billion CFUs of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, a strain that may be beneficial for the treatment of diarrhea in children (
These probiotic supplement packets can be mixed into cold food or drink once a day and are free of gluten, dairy, lactose, milk, added colors, preservatives, yeast, and soy.
Culturelle products are manufactured in a facility certified by NSF International, a third-party organization that ensures safe manufacturing practices for supplements.
Pros
- shelf-stable
- free of many allergens
- produced in a third-party certified facility
Cons
- relatively expensive
- some negative reviews of the taste
- single-strain
Enjoy 20% off with code “guthealth”.
Best probiotic supplements for infants
- Type: powder
- Price range: $$
- Age range: 3 months and up
- CFU count: 5 billion
- Active ingredients: Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus
This powdered probiotic has a mild banana flavor and is specifically designed to support healthy digestive bacterial growth in your child.
Garden of Life RAW Probiotics Kids is suitable for children ages 3 months and older and features 5 billion live probiotic cells, 23 raw and organic fruits and vegetables, and prebiotic inulin.
It’s important to gradually introduce this into your child’s food and drink by starting with a quarter of a teaspoon (0.5 grams) and moving up to a full serving daily.
This product is third-party tested, NSF-certified gluten-free, certified vegan, and certified organic.
Pros
- third-party tested
- certified gluten-free
- certified vegan
- certified organic
- contains raw fruit and vegetable blend
Cons
- expensive
- requires refrigeration
- some reports of issues with clumping
- Type: single-serve packets
- Price range: $$$
- Age range: 2 months and up
- CFU count: 5 billion
- Active ingredient: Saccharomyces boulardii
Florastor Kids aims to promote healthy digestion in children ages 2 months and up by maintaining balance in the intestinal flora.
While the product’s label doesn’t list the CFU count, Florastor’s website says the Kids Daily Probiotic contains 5 billion CFUs.
Florastor manufactures supplements in a third-party certified facility and adheres to strict standards for quality.
For best results, mix the contents of one packet with cold water, juice, or a soft food like applesauce twice daily.
However, keep in mind that this probiotic should not be refrigerated.
Pros
- manufactured in third-party certified facility
- suitable for children 2 months and older
- shelf-stable
Cons
- contains artificial flavor
- single-strain
- expensive
Here is a closer look at how these products compare:
There are several factors to consider when determining which probiotic is right for your child, including:
- CFU count. While the recommended dosage may vary depending on your child’s age and health needs, most studies show that doses ranging from 10 million to 10 billion CFUs may be beneficial (
1 ). - Strains. Some strains of probiotics may be better suited to address certain health problems. Look for a supplement formulated to treat the aspects of health that are most important to you.
- Form. Probiotics are usually found as gummies, powders, or chewable tablets. Some kids may prefer gummies, while powders may be more suitable for infants and younger children. Keep in mind that gummy supplements should be kept out of reach of children.
- Dietary needs. If your child has any allergies, intolerances, or dietary restrictions, it’s important to find a probiotic tailored to their needs.
- Cost. Probiotics can vary quite a bit in terms of price, so be sure to consider your budget.
Keep in mind that probiotics should be used only as recommended by a healthcare professional. Be sure to talk with your child’s pediatrician before starting supplementation.
Probiotics are generally considered safe and well tolerated for children when used as directed (
However, probiotics may not be suitable for all children, including premature infants and children who are immunocompromised or critically ill (9).
In some cases, probiotics may also cause or worsen digestive issues such as bloating and gas (
Additionally, certain strains of probiotics may have different effects on health, and no two children have identical needs.
For this reason, it’s best to talk with your child’s pediatrician to determine whether probiotics may be beneficial for your child and which specific strains may be best.
Probiotics may be beneficial for some children and could help support the gut microbiome. However, probiotics are not necessary for everyone and may even have adverse side effects in some cases.
Therefore, it’s important to talk with your child’s pediatrician before giving your child probiotics or other supplements.
Gummy probiotics can help enhance the health of the gut microbiome and are chewable and easy to take, so they can be a good option for many children.
However, it’s best to talk with your child’s pediatrician to determine whether a gummy probiotic may be beneficial, depending on your child’s specific needs.
Also keep in mind that gummy vitamins have a candy-like form that can increase the risk of overconsumption. Make sure to store gummy probiotics out of reach of children (11, 12).
In adults, probiotics have been associated with a wide range of potential health benefits. They could help support immune function, promote digestive health, protect against certain skin conditions, and balance the beneficial bacteria in the gut (13, 14).
Some research in children suggests that probiotics could be beneficial for the treatment of diarrhea, gastroenteritis, atopic eczema, and colic. However, more high quality studies are needed (9).
Probiotics may offer similar health benefits for children as they do for adults, such as supporting healthy digestive bacterial growth and boosting the immune system.
However, before introducing probiotics into your child’s diet, speak with their pediatrician to figure out whether probiotics are right for them.
