Biogaia BioProtectis with Vitamin D3 Drops for Babies

by Carly Neubert, BA, NC on September 25, 2019

BioGaia offers an innovative way to bolster your baby’s immune health. Healthy levels of gut bacteria are essential for the health and development of an infant’s immune function. Vitamin D is equally as important. BioGaia created BioGaia Protectis and Protectis with vitamin D to address both concerns. The dosage for infants is substantially less than the dose for adults. The baby drops are a convenient method for giving your baby the correct infant dose.

The only difference between BioProTectis and BioProTectis with Vitamin D3 is simply the addition of Vitamin D3. The ingredients, storage, and dosing remain the same between the two products. BioGaia Protectis contains L. reuteri (DSM 17938) while Protectis with D has 10 micrograms of vitamin D3 and L. reuteri probiotics.

What is the recommended dosage of BioProtectis plus Vitamin D3?

BioGaia ProTectis with Vitamin D3 is a digestive health probiotic supplement. For babies, the recommended dosage is 5 drops daily and should not be exceeded without testing your baby's Vitamin D levels. The baby drops are the easiest way to give your baby a dose of Vitamin D3.

What is the Recommended Dosage for infants and Vitamin D3??

Here's a quick reference chart, which includes information for all ages and their recommended Vitamin D3 dosages:

Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
0–12 months*	400 IU (10 mcg)	400 IU (10 mcg)
1–13 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
14–18 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
19–50 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
51–70 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
>70 years	800 IU (20 mcg)	800 IU (20 mcg)

How do you administer the BioGaia Protectis drops?

To use the BioGaia Protectis with vitamin D drops, it is important to shake the bottle very well for at least 10 seconds before each use to ensure the bacteria culture is mixed with the oil. To dispense, press gently on the tube while counting each drop. The appropriate dosage for infants is no more than 5 drops. The best way to administer this supplement is by spoon. Adding it to other foods or beverages is not advised because that may cause damage to the live bacteria.

How should you store your BioGaia Protectis drops?

BioGaia Protectis should be kept in a cool, dry place. It is recommended that all drops be stored in the fridge. The bottle should be closed at all times when not in use and kept away from children. It is important to avoid mixing it with other fluids such as water. The best storage period is three months once opened.

Why is it important to have “good” bacteria”?

Probiotics are a hot topic and have been gaining popularity in the last decade. The forefront of medical trends surrounds genetics and your microbiome (the bacteria inside your body). Good bacteria restore balance in your body, so they are essential to your optimal health. Probiotics support your immune function and influence your genetic expression. While we usually think of taking probiotics for digestive health, we now know that these bacteria can affect diabetes, cancer, and mental health as well.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are a combination of live bacteria and helpful yeasts that aid your digestive and overall health status. They balance and protect you against pathogenic (bad) bacterial overgrowth. Too much bad bacteria causes many symptoms and diseases. A yeast infection is an example of an overgrowth of pathogenic yeast.

Probiotics are often offered in supplements as capsules, powders, or sometimes as a liquid. There are many different strains of good bacteria and each strain has different effects on the body. Different strains affect different functions and symptoms.

What is Lactobacillus Reuteri?

The most common type of probiotic is Lactobacillus. There are many sub-strains or species of Lactobacillus that are helpful for human health. This is the type of bacteria that can be found in yogurt or most fermented foods. It is commonly used in treating and preventing diarrhea. Lactobacillus is also used to treat many other kinds of digestive problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Crohn's disease.

Lactobacillus Reuteri is one of the few bacteria that has evolved alongside humans. It is the first bacteria to colonize and grow within a healthy newborn’s digestive tract. It is essential to have adequate exposure to Lactobacillus Reuteri. This bacteria is transient, which means your baby needs an ongoing source to continue colonization. Clinical studies prove that 100 million CFU per day is a safe dose and ensures healthy levels of Lactobacillus Reuteri in the digestive tract.

Why do babies need additional Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is crucial to your baby’s health, whether in utero, breast feeding, or other stages of development. Vitamin D promotes strong and healthy bones for both mother and child and can prevent future issues such as complications during pregnancy.

If you are overweight, spend a lot of time indoors, or have darker skin, there is a good chance that you may be deficient in vitamin D. In 2009, a landmark study reported that over 75% of the population is likely vitamin D deficient. Because of that study, in 2010 the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin D was increased from 600 iu to 800 iu for adults.

Recent studies have shown that women who take at least 4,000 IU every day during pregnancy had a lower number of complications during birth compared to those who didn’t.

Once your baby is born and breastfeeding, it is still important to ensure your baby gets enough daily vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends 400iu per day for babies that are breastfed. It is assumed that their mothers are not taking Vitamin D supplements and are likely Vitamin D deficient themselves. 600 iu is recommended for children 1 year of age and older. The best way to add additional vitamin D in your baby's diet is through liquid drops. The maximum dosage for infants is 5 drops of the BioGaia Protectis with D3 baby drops.

Babies can receive Vitamin D through breast milk. Studies show that if mothers ingest 6,400 IU every day, then approximately 800 IU of vitamin D will be given to the baby per 1 liter of breast milk.

Even though Vitamin D is important, it is also possible to give your baby too much of it. This is because vitamin D is fat-soluble. It takes longer to leave your baby’s body than water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C. The maximum recommended amount for babies is 2,000 IU, and for the mother, the max is set at about 10,000 IU. It may be best to check with your health care provider to get a better estimate for you and your baby based on weight, diet, and blood tests.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is important to immune health, bone health, and overall health. This vitamin ensures that your important organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain can fight infections. The most common way to get vitamin D is through sun exposure or additional supplements. While some foods are rich in many vitamins, vitamin D is rarely one of them.

Originally, vitamin D was discovered when doctors learned that it helped prevent a bone condition in children called rickets. Now with modern studies, we know that Vitamin D is important for everyone's health. Although vitamin D is called a vitamin, it functions as a hormone in your body. This hormone is sometimes called calcitriol. Once turned into a hormone, vitamin D works to absorb additional minerals in your body and form and fortify your basic bone structure.

Low Vitamin D levels are associated with serious conditions such as cancer, asthma, high blood pressure, depression, and autoimmune diseases.

BioGaia BioProtectis with vitamin D is available here, and you can usually find it at Target or Walmart. The reviews on the baby drops are always positive. Users report that they are easy to administer and improve symptoms quickly.

The effects and importance of vitamin D and probiotics cannot be underestimated for babies and adults. For more information about adults and their needs for vitamin D, see my blog post about S.A.D. and Vitamin D.

As always, if you have additional questions regarding this product or your health needs, schedule a free product consultation here. For more weekly tips and tricks on how to live your healthiest life, visit my personal coaching page, Clean Coach Carly.

Here is to a healthy, happy future, for you and your little ones.

Sincerely,

Carly Neubert BA, NC

For additional recipes, biohacking tips and lifestyle hacks -- check out my other blog on my coaching site www.cleancoachcarly.com! I post weekly about nutrition and lifestyle topics, all backed by science. Happy Reading!