Updated December 01, 2014.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
With more studies exploring the role of bacteria in affecting our health, from birth and beyond, researchers have now turned to studying how probiotics may benefit a baby's health. My own pediatrician mentioned that he thought a probiotic could be beneficial in helping our newborn who was plagued with colic.
But can probiotics help reduce colic in fussy babies?
Well, the truth is, we still don't know.
According to a study published in The British Medical Journal in April 2014, the answer is no. In their peer-reviewed study, researchers exposed infants to the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 to both formula and breast-fed infants less than three months old to study if the probiotic would reduce their crying and fussiness. While one group of infants showed no difference, another group given the probiotic actually exhibited more periods of crying and fussiness than the placebo group, leading researchers to conclude that probiotics should not be generally recommended for infants with colic.
However, other studies have found conflicting evidence, such as a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics in July 2014, which found that administered the probiotic L reuteri DSM 17938 "significantly improved colic symptoms by reducing crying and fussing times" to breastfed babies in Canada.
The bottom line is that while probiotics may be helpful for treating colic or for supporting your infant's health, scientists and doctors are still studying the effects -- and for right now, administering probiotics isn't an exact science.
There are many different types of probiotics and they vary in concentration and effectiveness. Probiotics are generally considered safe for use in children, but you should speak with your doctor for his or recommendation for the right type and concentration to treat colic symptoms. Because as any parent who has ever experienced caring for an infant with colic, sometimes, the thought that anything will help is worth a shot.
Sources:
Chau, K. et al. (2014). Probiotics for Infantile Colic: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Investigating Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938. The Journal of Pediatrics. Accessed online November 24, 2014: http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(14)00848-8/abstract.
Sung, V. et al. (2014). Treating infant colic with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: double blind, placebo controlled randomized trial. British Medical Journal. Accessed online November 24, 2014: http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2107.
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