We all want to keep our children healthy, and the health benefits of probiotics are undeniable. It's easy to understand why one would want to research before choosing the best probiotic for their kids, and you have come to the right place to do that.
Choosing the best probiotics for kids is an excellent step to ensure your children’s digestive health. In addition to including probiotic-rich food in kids’ diets, probiotic supplements help prevent diarrhea, respiratory infection, and even tooth decay in children.
However, it’s important to remember that probiotics must not be given to seriously ill or immunocompromised kids. As always, it is best to talk to your doctor before you start your child on any supplement.
Here, we will look at five of the best probiotics for kids today that can help improve their gut health. Three of the products reviewed are chewable, perfect for kids with trouble swallowing capsules.
Don't have time to read the entire best probiotics for kids review?
If you're busy and don't have time to read this entire review, don’t worry—we've simplified everything. Here is a table that gives you a quick rating of our favorite probiotics for kids.
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Best Choice: NOW Foods BerryDophilus Chewables | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Great for both adults and kids: Number One Nutrition Advanced Probiotic | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Best for lactose digestion: Rainbow Light Probiolicious Probiotics GummiesE | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Best natural flavor: Digestive Advantage Kids Daily Probiotic Gummies | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
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Sugar and Gluten-free: Renew Life Ultimate Flora Kids Probiotic | CLICK HERE FOR PRICE |
Looking for the best probiotic products for men and women? Check out our reviews:
Information on Probiotics for Kids: Things to Consider When Choosing a Probiotic
Probiotic Foods, or Capsules and Powders?
Foods like pickles, yogurt, and kimchi naturally contain probiotics and are great if you can get your kids to eat them. But sometimes, the levels of healthy bacteria are too low to provide your child with a distinct clinical benefit.
Also, depending on the food's environment, it may not contain enough bacteria to make a noticeable difference. While it is great to include a variety of fermented foods in your child's diet, it is likely not enough to benefit their health significantly as a probiotic supplement will.
Probiotics for kids are available in liquid or powder form, chewable tablets, and regular capsules. All of these options are fine, as long as you pick one that contains the strain of bacteria you are looking for in the correct amount.
Formulation and Packaging
Some probiotics are available in gummy or chewable forms, which is great for kids. Flavors are sometimes added to make the probiotics sweet to encourage children to take them regularly.
Try to look for a product that does not need to be refrigerated. When products that are not shelf-stable come to room temperature, the microorganisms inside them die. Also, it is impossible to be sure that an adequate temperature has been maintained during handling time if you purchase a probiotic supplement online.
Look for the Specific Strain of Probiotic and the Expiration Date
It is incredibly important to read labels when shopping for medicine or prepackaged food, and it is equally important to do so when shopping for probiotics. A critical part of choosing a probiotic is finding out which strain of bacteria is included in the supplement.
Probiotic supplements all include their combination of organisms. If you see a product that does not clearly label which strains are included in their probiotic, avoid purchasing it.
Two of the most common forms of pediatric probiotics you will find are Bifidum and Lactobacillus. Awareness of the strains is an essential part of the buying process because different strains work differently for specific ailments and health conditions.
Finally, make sure to locate the expiration date. Because probiotics are living organisms, they are perishable. Once a probiotic is past its expiration date, the bacteria are no longer viable and will not be effective.
Identify CFUs
Once you find the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) in each serving, you can determine the probiotic’s potency. The dosage for your child will change depending on which strain of bacteria he or she is taking. This is another reason to make sure to check with your doctor before buying a probiotic supplement for your child.
Common Questions About Probiotics for Kids
Does my child really need a probiotic?
Ideally, our children's natural gut flora would be balanced and healthy. But that is not usually the case. There are many reasons that a child's gut bacteria could become imbalanced, including environmental factors, a high-sugar or low-fiber diet, or certain health conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
If your child gets sick and has to take antibiotics, this could almost completely wipe out the flora in their gut.
When this happens, it can cause an additional illness. But probiotic supplements can help get your child's gut back to normal. With a mixture of strains of live bacteria, probiotics will take up residence in your child's gastrointestinal system, just like its natural inhabitants.
Will my child have any side effects?
Your child may experience mild side effects when starting probiotics, including bloating, flatulence, constipation, or diarrhea. This will only continue for the first few days of probiotic therapy.
These symptoms may occur as the digestive system rebalances to favor the good bacteria in the supplements. After a few days, the symptoms will fade. If they are bothersome, reduce your child's dosage and gradually increase it.
Do all probiotic supplements contain milk?
Many probiotic supplements contain milk, which is grown on milk-based mediums. Those with Lactobacillus bacteria are most likely to contain milk because this type thrives best in a dairy medium. However, some probiotic supplements are dairy-free.
Keeping all of this in mind, let's look at the top supplements on the market today.
5 Best Probiotics for Kids (Our Review for 2025)
1. NOW Foods BerryDophilus Chewables
If you have a hard time giving your child supplements, this is a great choice for a probiotic. It only requires the consumption of one chewable tablet each day, and it contains 10 probiotic strains and 2.5 billion CFUs. This is a great option for children aged four and over.
This supplement's combination of probiotic bacterial strains is designed to support gastrointestinal health and boost the immune system. It will also help your children increase their absorption of nutrients. This product even includes FOS, which assists in the healthy growth of acidophilus and bifidus organisms.
Even though it is a chewable instead of the more popular gummy option, it has a great sweetened berry flavor that your child will love. It’s sweetened with xylitol rather than sugar, so it won’t hurt your child’s teeth, either.
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2. Number One Nutrition Advanced Probiotic
This probiotic contains seven strains of bacteria and has 11.5 billion CFUs per serving, two veggie caps.
One of its strains, Bacillus subtilis, has existed since the early 1900s, before antibiotics were even on the market. It was used as an immunostimulatory agent to help clear urinary tract infections and treat gastrointestinal diseases.
It also includes Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which has been thoroughly researched and shows a wide range of potential benefits, such as reducing allergic reactions to peanuts, preventing diarrhea, and minimizing the duration of respiratory tract infections, which are often passed around elementary schools.
This product does not directly contain any common allergens and comes in a veggie capsule. However, it is produced in a facility where it may be exposed to allergens such as wheat, soy, milk, and nuts.
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3. Rainbow Light Probiolicious Probiotics Gummies
If your child doesn't like taking pills, these Probiolicious gummies are a great option. Children ages 4-12 need to take only one gummy each day, and children who are 12 and over can take two. This probiotic is gluten- and lactose-free and contains no artificial sweeteners. Two gummies contain one billion CFUs of Bio-Active Probiotic Defense, a multi-function probiotic that guarantees the survival of the bacteria through stomach acid and into the intestinal system.
This product also contains prebiotics from inulin and fructooligosaccharides, which help restore healthy digestion. Prebiotics are a food source for probiotics, which makes the probiotic bacteria grow stronger and faster once it is in the gastrointestinal system. With a great taste and a gluten-free formula, these are a perfect chewable option for kids.
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4. Digestive Advantage Kids Daily Probiotic Gummies
Children and adults can take these naturally flavored, easy-to-take gummies. They add great flavor and live cultures to your and your child’s daily routine. This supplement targets digestive health issues, such as diarrhea, bloating, and minor stomach pains.
The bacteria in this product have a natural protective protein shell surrounding each cell, which allows the bacteria to survive the harsh acids in the stomach and reach the lower gastrointestinal tract alive. This will help your child absorb nutrients better.
This probiotic can provide relief from bloating and abdominal pain within two weeks. The bacteria contained in the gummies can work together to help your child maintain a healthy digestive tract balance.
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5. Renew Life Ultimate Flora Kids Probiotic
This product contains three strains of Lactobacillus bacteria, two strains of Bifidobacterium, and one strain of B. coagulans. The B. coagulans bacteria strain works very similarly to Lactobacillus, but it produces spores that make it easy for the body to absorb, while Lactobacillus does not. Each dose contains a minimum of three billion CFUs.
One of the best things about this probiotic is its ability to relieve constipation while being gentle. Laxatives can make children have loose bowels, but this product allows children to live normally and confidently without having to rush to the potty.
This probiotic's child-friendly formula is great for reducing occasional abdominal pain and digestive issues. It also provides immune support to help prevent your child from getting sick. It is beneficial for those who are prone to catching a cold or the flu because they will get sick less often and can recover faster if they do get sick. The capsules are recommended for children two and older.
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Final Thoughts
The clear winner of this roundup is the NOW Foods BerryDophilus Chewables. Not only do these tablets taste good, but their high level of CFUs guarantees that they are effective. They are also a cost-effective option, affordable for most families to purchase each month.
You know that your children need vitamins, exercise, a well-rounded diet, and a lot of love to grow up to be strong and healthy adults. By adding probiotics to your routine, you are doing even more for them, and the benefits will last long. A lot of one's digestive health is determined during childhood, so now is the time to start caring for it.
With the wide variety of choices for probiotics, there’s an option on this list that will make both you and your child happy. And the truth is, nothing is more important than health and happiness.
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