Probiotic Given to Newborns Appears to Help Prevent Colic
Introducing healthy bacteria to the gut of newborns appears to decrease their likelihood of developing colic, according to a study published Monday, the latest showing probiotics' beneficial effect on the condition. The research is thought to be the first to examine whether giving "good" micro-organisms to infants could prevent the development of what is known as functional gastrointestinal disease, which includes colic, regurgitation and constipation.
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A recent study found that as many as 20% of infants suffer from colic in their first three months of life. In the study published Monday, scientists from Aldo Moro University in Bari, Italy, had parents administer five drops of a solution containing Lactobacillus reuteri, a bacterium well-studied for its health effects, or a placebo to 589 healthy infants daily for the first 90 days of life.
At three months, the babies who received the probiotic exhibited significantly reduced crying time—an average of 38 minutes versus 71 minutes of inconsolable crying a day—fewer spit-ups and more bowel movements, which signaled less constipation, according to Flavia Indrio, a pediatrics professor at the university and the lead author on the study. The research was published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics, a journal of the American Medical Association.
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Early intervention in babies' gastrointestinal problems may be important not just for infants' well-being but also health at older ages. Research has found that colic symptoms and development of other gastrointestinal diseases later in life appear to be linked. There have been no reports of adverse events so far in human Lactobacillus reuteri studies.
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http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303819704579318703183361902
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