The administration of currently evaluated prebiotic-supplemented formulae to healthy infants does not raise safety concerns with regard to growth and adverse effects .
Some favourable clinical effects are possible , primarily stool softening , which may be beneficial in some infants .
Currently , there is no existing robust evidence to recommend the routine use of prebiotic-supplemented formulae .
In 2011 , the Committee on Nutrition of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology , Hepatology and Nutrition systematic ally review ed published evidence related to the safety and health effects of the administration of formulae supplemented with pro- and /or prebiotics compared with unsupplemented formulae .
Physiological and Bifidogenic Effects of Prebiotic Supplements in Infant Formulae
Objectives : This r and omized controlled trial involving 110 healthy neonates studied physiological and bifidogenic effects of galactooligosaccharides ( GOS ) , oligofructose , and long-chain inulin ( fructooligosaccharides , FOS ) in formula . Methods : Subjects were r and omized to Orafti Synergy1 ( 50 oligofructose:50 FOS ) 0.4 g/dL or 0.8 g/dL , GOS : FOS ( 90:10 ) 0.8 g/dL , or a st and ard formula according to Good Clinical Practice guidelines . A breast-fed group was included for comparison . Outcome parameters were weight , length , intake , stool characteristics , crying , regurgitation , vomiting , adverse events , and fecal bacterial population counts . Statistical analyses used nonparametric tests . Results : During the first month of life , weight , length , intake , and crying increased significantly in all of the groups . Regurgitation and vomiting scores were low and similar . Stool frequency decreased significantly and similarly in all of the formula groups but was lower than in the breast-fed group . All of the prebiotic groups maintained soft stools , only slightly harder than those of breast-fed infants . The st and ard group had significantly harder stools at weeks 2 and 4 compared with 1 ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.0279 ) . The total number of fecal bacteria increased in all of the prebiotic groups ( 9.82 , 9.73 , and 9.91 to 10.34 , 10.38 , and 10.37 , respectively , log10 cells/g feces , P = 0.2298 ) and more closely resembled the breast-fed pattern . Numbers of lactic acid bacteria , bacteroides , and clostridia were comparable . In the SYN1 0.8 g/dL and GOS : FOS groups , Bifidobacterium counts were significantly higher at D14 and 28 compared with D3 and were comparable with the breast-fed group . Tolerance and growth were normal . Conclusions : Stool consistency and bacterial composition of infants taking SYN1 0.8 g/dL or GOS : FOS – supplemented formula were closer to the breast-fed pattern . There was no risk of dehydration
The administration of currently evaluated prebiotic-supplemented formulae to healthy infants does not raise safety concerns with regard to growth and adverse effects .
Some favourable clinical effects are possible , primarily stool softening , which may be beneficial in some infants .
Currently , there is no existing robust evidence to recommend the routine use of prebiotic-supplemented formulae .
In 2011 , the Committee on Nutrition of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology , Hepatology and Nutrition systematic ally review ed published evidence related to the safety and health effects of the administration of formulae supplemented with pro- and /or prebiotics compared with unsupplemented formulae .