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 .
Colon Microflora in Infants Fed Formula with Galacto- and Fructo-Oligosaccharides: More Like Breast-Fed Infants
Objectives : The intestinal flora of breast-fed infants is generally dominated by Bifidobacteria . We aim ed to investigate whether an infant formula supplemented with galacto-oligosaccharides and fructo-oligosaccharides ( GOS/FOS ) is able to establish a bifido-dominant microflora , not only in numbers but also with respect to the metabolic activity in the colon . Methods : Two groups of infants fed infant formula with 0.8 g/100 ml GOS/FOS in a ratio of 9:1 ( OSF group ) , or control formula ( SF group ) were evaluated in a r and omised , double blind , placebo controlled intervention study . A breast-fed group was studied in parallel . At study onset and after 4 and 6 weeks , faecal sample s were examined for the number of bifidobacteria , pH , short chain fatty acids and lactate . Results : After 6 weeks , the mean proportion of bifidobacteria was significantly higher in the OSF group ( 59.6 % versus 49.5 % in the SF group ; P < 0.05 ) . Compared with controls , infants in the OSF group had a lower stool mean pH and an increased proportion of acetate and a decreased proportion of propionate . The mean pH in the OSF and SF groups were 5.7 and 6.3 , respectively ( P < 0.001 ) . Conclusions : The addition of the prebiotic GOS/FOS mixture to an infant formula has a stimulating effect on the growth of bifidobacteria and on the metabolic activity of the total intestinal flora . The changes in short chain fatty acids , lactate and pH in the prebiotic group represent a fermentation profile that is closer to that observed in breast-fed infants compared to infants fed control formula
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 .