Probiotics with a Feeding Tube
Gut health is extremely important for everyone. Now if you or your child also has a feeding tube, maintaining a healthy gut can make a huge impact on your daily life!
Some of the signs of poor gut health in someone with a feeding tube can be bloating/gas, constipation, diarrhea, sleep problems, and bad breath.
An easy way to improve gut health is to add a probiotic to your diet!
Can you put probiotics in a feeding tube?
Yes! Most over the counter probiotics come in a liquid or powder form. Liquid probiotics can be administered similar to other medications by using a syringe to push the dose into the feeding tube using an extension and followed by a flush of water. Powder form can be mixed with water and run through a feeding bag with a pump. I like to do this at the beginning of a feed or at the end of the feed. Mixing probiotics with a formula can overly dilute them, so it’s best to give a probiotic supplement by itself.
What does a probiotic do?
The simplest way to explain probiotics, is that it is good bacteria that helps regulate your digestive system. Bacteria is not always a bad thing, and good bacteria aid in digestion. When you have too much bad bacteria in your digestive system, this will cause symptoms related to poor gut health (diarrhea, constipation, gas/bloating, sleep problems, etc).
When you add probiotics to your diet, you introduce lots and lots of good bacteria which lessens the effects of the bad bacteria on your system. Basically all the good guys take up too much space and kick the bad guys to the curb!
Can you eat probiotics?
Yes! Probiotics are naturally occurring in lots of foods that we eat every day. Foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, pickles, buttermilk, and some cheeses (mozzarella, gouda, and others. It is best to double check food labeling to see if it contains “live cultures of probiotics.”
So if you or child is able to eat by mouth, you may want to introduce some of these foods regularly into the diet.
If your not able to consume anything by mouth, you can still benefit from these natural food sources of probiotics!
Kefir is a fermented milk drink that has a tangy taste to it. You can take 2 oz of plain flavored kefir and mix it with 2 oz of water, then run it into a G or GJ tube. I like to keep this mixture separate from formula just so that it doesn’t cause any clumping. (easiest to give at the beginning or the end of a tube feeding)
As we were introducing food by mouth to my daughter, I made lots and lots of smoothies with either yogurt or kefir. These are not only awesome sources of probiotics, they also add needed protein too.
You can also incorporate yogurt, kefir, buttermilk or tempeh into a blenderized diet!
Tempeh is a fermented soybean product that is known world wide as a high protein meat substitute, so this is perfect if you are following a vegetarian diet!
Does formula have probiotics in it?
Most infant formulas do contain probiotics. Some non-soy and non-milk based infant formulas though do not contain probiotics. If there is any confusion about whether you need to add a probiotic to your infant’s diet, first check the packaging on the formula. Then check with your medical staff about adding a probiotic supplement. Most probiotic supplements do contain a trace amount of dairy, so if your little one has a milk allergy you may need to get a very specific brand and type to avoid any dairy products.
Most formulas for enteral feedings that are not specifically made for infants do not contain probiotics. So it will need to be supplemented.
Antibiotics and Probiotics
If you have every taken antibiotics, you have probably been told to take probiotics with them to keep from having diarrhea or other upset stomach symptoms. Antibiotics tend to wipe all bacteria within the digestive system, and this can allow bad bacteria to take over. So adding probiotics, help keep your gut health at a normal level and avoid unwanted tummy troubles.
Don’t forget to space out your antibiotics and your probiotics. You always want to give yourself at least 2 hours between taking. So if you take an antibiotic first thing when you wake up, you will want to wait 2 hours before eating or ingesting probiotics. Same thing with if you eat or ingest probiotics, just wait at least 2 hours before taking your antibiotics.
If you take them at the same time, the antibiotics will kill off all the live good bacteria in the probiotics before it reaches your digestive system, so it makes them useless.
When to not take Probiotics?
Generally speaking, probiotics are not harmful to most children and adults. That being said, some people with severe illness or compromised immune systems should avoid probiotics unless directed by their medical team. In really rare cases, ingesting or eating probiotics have led to bacterial or fungal infections.
As with any medication or supplement that you take, always inform your medical care team of your use of probiotics. Even if you are adding foods with live cultured probiotics like buttermilk, yogurt, or kefir into a blenderized diet, your medical team needs to know about it.
