![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/asian-mother-holding-newborn-baby-853468083-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGUT loving probiotics could be 'extremely risky' for babies, experts have warned.<\/p>\n
The health alert\u00a0from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)\u00a0comes after one baby developed sepsis and later died after ingesting the supplement. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Probiotics, which contain healthy bacteria, are often used as dietary supplements to improve gut health. <\/p>\n
But the trendy products can also cause \u201cinvasive" and "potentially fatal\u201d infections, the FDA said.<\/p>\n
The baby who died was given Evivo with MCT Oil, a probiotic made by Infinant Health of Norwalk, Connecticut, while in hospital.<\/p>\n
Probiotic supplements can be used to prevent necrotising enterocolitis, a dangerous infection affecting premature infants that inflames and kills intestinal tissue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The condition affects up to 9,000 infants a year and kills around 50 per cent of those infected.<\/p>\n But if probiotic bacteria gets into the bloodstream, it can trigger sepsis, a serious condition in which the body overreacts to an infection.<\/p>\n More than two dozen additional reports of injuries since 2018 may be linked to\u00a0probiotics, the FDA said in a statement.<\/p>\n The agency said it is also investigating additional reports of injuries and deaths.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In the US, no probiotic products have been approved as a drug or treatment.<\/p>\n This is because they are considered to be supplements, not drugs, and the FDA doesn't review them for their safety or effectiveness.<\/p>\n In the UK, over 40 per cent of all hospitals routinely give probiotics to preterm babies, a recent\u00a0study\u00a0found.<\/p>\n But similar to the US, they are not considered medicines, so do not go through the rigorous testing medicines do.<\/p>\n This means no probiotics are approved as a medicine by the Medicines Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).<\/p>\n After a letter\u00a0sent Tuesday, the Illinois firm agreed to halt sales of its Similac Probiotic Tri-Blend product and work with the FDA on additional corrective actions, the agency said.<\/p>\n In a statement seen by Associated Press (AP), Abbott officials said fewer than 200 hospitals used the products and are not related to Similac powdered infant formulas sold in stores.<\/p>\n Infinant Health officials said in the statement the firm voluntarily recalled and discontinued the product.\u00a0<\/p>\n It was sold only for use in hospital settings and is not related to products available in retail stores.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/newspress-collage-22787316-1687520546650.jpg\")
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