Synbiotics failed to significantly increase growth in boys and girls .
Use of synbiotics increased stool frequency , had no impact on stool consistency , colic , spitting up / regurgitation , crying , restlessness or vomiting .
Probiotics in formula also failed to have any significant effect on growth , stool frequency or consistency .
Probiotics did not lower the incidence of diarrhoea , colic , spitting up / regurgitation , crying , restlessness or vomiting .
Prebiotics in formula did increase weight gain but had no impact on length or head circumference gain .
Prebiotics increased stool frequency but had no impact on stool consistency , the incidence of colic , spitting up / regurgitation , crying , restlessness or vomiting .
There was no impact of prebiotics on the volume of formula tolerated , infections and gastrointestinal microflora .
Authors ’ conclusions There is not enough evidence to state that supplementation of term infant formula with synbiotics , probiotics or prebiotics does result in improved growth or clinical outcomes in term infants .
There is no data available to establish if synbiotics are superior to probiotics or prebiotics
Background Synbiotics , probiotics or prebiotics are being added to infant formula to promote growth and development in infants .
Previous review s ( 2007 to 2011 ) on term infants given probiotics or prebiotics focused on prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity .
This review focused on growth and clinical outcomes in term infants fed only infant formula containing synbiotics , probiotics or prebiotics .
Tolerance and safety of Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei in combination with Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis in a prebiotic-containing infant formula: a randomised controlled trial.
The addition of probiotics to infant formula has been shown to be an efficient way to increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestine in order to promote a gut flora resembling that of breast-fed infants . The objective of the present study was to evaluate the safety and tolerance of a combination of two probiotic strains in early infancy . A group of 126 newborns were r and omised to receive a prebiotic-containing starter formula supplemented with Lactobacillus paracasei ssp . paracasei and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp . lactis or the same formula without probiotics for the first 3 months of life . A total of eighty infants continued the study until they were aged 6 months .  Growth measurements were taken monthly at healthy baby clinics . Diaries were used to monitor behaviour , infections , use of antibiotics , as well as stool characteristics . Normal growth occurred in all infants and no statistically significant differences were detected between the probiotics group and the control group for gain in weight , length and head circumference . Infants in the probiotics group produced softer and more frequent stools during the first 3 months of life . No differences were found in crying and sleeping hours , number of parent-diagnosed infections , antibiotic use , visits to the general practitioner and number of adverse events . The use of a prebiotic-containing starter formula supplemented with L. paracasei ssp . paracasei and B. animalis ssp . lactis in early infancy is safe , well tolerated and has no adverse effects on growth and infant behaviour
Synbiotics failed to significantly increase growth in boys and girls .
Use of synbiotics increased stool frequency , had no impact on stool consistency , colic , spitting up / regurgitation , crying , restlessness or vomiting .
Probiotics in formula also failed to have any significant effect on growth , stool frequency or consistency .
Probiotics did not lower the incidence of diarrhoea , colic , spitting up / regurgitation , crying , restlessness or vomiting .
Prebiotics in formula did increase weight gain but had no impact on length or head circumference gain .
Prebiotics increased stool frequency but had no impact on stool consistency , the incidence of colic , spitting up / regurgitation , crying , restlessness or vomiting .
There was no impact of prebiotics on the volume of formula tolerated , infections and gastrointestinal microflora .
Authors ’ conclusions There is not enough evidence to state that supplementation of term infant formula with synbiotics , probiotics or prebiotics does result in improved growth or clinical outcomes in term infants .
There is no data available to establish if synbiotics are superior to probiotics or prebiotics
Background Synbiotics , probiotics or prebiotics are being added to infant formula to promote growth and development in infants .
Previous review s ( 2007 to 2011 ) on term infants given probiotics or prebiotics focused on prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity .
This review focused on growth and clinical outcomes in term infants fed only infant formula containing synbiotics , probiotics or prebiotics .