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 .
Dosage-Related Bifidogenic Effects of Galacto- and Fructooligosaccharides in Formula-Fed Term Infants
Background Human milk oligosaccharides have been shown to stimulate selectively the growth of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in the intestine . In this study , the bifidogenic effect of an experimental prebiotic oligosaccharide mixture consisting of low-molecular-weight galactooligosaccharides and high-molecular-weight fructooligosaccharides was analyzed in 90 term infants . Methods Two test formulas were supplemented with either 0.4 g/dL or with 0.8 g/dL oligosaccharides . In the control formula , maltodextrin was used as placebo . At study day 1 and study day 28 , the fecal species , colony forming units ( cfu ) and pH were measured and stool characteristics , growth , and side effects were recorded . Results At study day 1 , the median number of Bifidobacteria did not differ among the groups ( 0.4 g/dL group , mean [ interquartile range ] 8.5 [ 1.9 ] cfu/g ; 0.8 g/dL group , 7.7 [ 6.1 ] cfu/g ; and the placebo group , 8.8 [ 6.1 ] cfu/g ) ( figures in square brackets are interquartile range ) . At the end of the 28-day feeding period , the number of Bifidobacteria was significantly increased for both groups receiving supplemented formulas ( the 0.4 g/dL group , 9.3 [ 4.9 ] cfu/g ; the 0.8 g/dL group , 9.7 [ 0.8 ] cfu/g ) versus the placebo group ( 7.2 [ 4.9 ] cfu/g , P < 0.001 ) . This effect was dose dependent ( 0.4 g/dL versus 0.8 g/dL , P < 0.01 ) . The number of Lactobacilli also increased significantly in both groups fed the supplemented formulas ( versus placebo , P < 0.001 ) , but there was no statistically significant difference between the group fed formula with 0.4 g/dL oligosaccharides and the group fed formula with 0.8 g/dL oligosaccharides . The dosage of supplement significantly influenced the change in fecal pH ( P < 0.05 ) ( placebo , pH 5.5–6.1 ; 0.4 g/dL formula , pH 5.48–5.44 ; 0.8 g/dL formula , pH 5.54–5.19 ) . Slight changes in the stool frequency result ed in a significant difference between the placebo group and the group fed the 0.8 g/dL formula at day 28 ( P < 0.01 ) . Supplementation had a significant dose-dependent influence on stool consistency ( 0.8 g/dL versus placebo , P < 0.0001 ; 0.8 g/dL versus 0.4 g/dL , P < 0.01 ) . Supplementation had no influence on the incidence of side effects ( crying , regurgitation , vomiting ) or growth . Conclusions These data indicate that supplementation of a term infant 's formula with a mixture of galacto- and fructooligosaccharides has a dose-dependent stimulating effect on the growth of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in the intestine and results in softer stool with increasing dosage of supplementation
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 .