Probiotics May Help Ease Colic Symptoms in Infants

In a recent study found in Pediatrics, it was discovered that a probiotic called Lactobacillus reuteri may help to ease the symptoms of colic in infants. The study had ninety breastfed infants of the same gestational age participate. Eighty three of these infants completed the study according to the requirements (ie their parents kept a diary, infants were not on antibiotics during the study, etc). In order to develop a control for the study, all the babies were exclusively breastfed. The mother of the infant was to keep a food diary to prove that she had avoided dairy during the course of the study. The infants were of similar age, similar birth weights, and had symptoms of colic, crying at least 3 hours a day for at least 3 days a week. These infants had all shown the first signs of colic 5-7 days before the study started. The study was conceived when another researcher found that colicky infants consistently had a lower amount of beneficial probiotic intestinal flora. An experiment was performed to see if supplementing with probiotics would ease the symptoms of colic.