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 .
Effect of a fermented infant formula containing viable bifidobacteria on the fecal flora composition and pH of healthy full-term infants.
We assessed the growth , tolerance , and acceptability as well as fecal flora composition and stool pH of 20 healthy full-term infants fed with a fermented whey-adapted infant formula containing viable bifidobacteria ( 10(6)/g of powder ) during the first 2 months of life . This fermented infant formula , first biologically acidified by Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus , was compared to a whey-adapted , nonacidified , low-phosphate infant formula in a double-blind , r and omized controlled study . The results were compared to a control group ( n = 14 ) of fully breast-fed infants . The fermented whey-adapted formula containing viable bifidobacteria induced a prevalence of colonization with bifidobacteria at 1 month of age similar to that of breast-fed infants ( 12/20 versus 8/14 ) but significantly higher than in the group fed the st and ard infant formula ( 4/20 ) . The mean bacterial count of bifidobacteria was similar in all colonized infants ; however , fecal pH was significantly lower in the breast-fed infants than in the nonacidified bottle-fed infants . This kind of infant formula was well tolerated and promoted a normal growth during the first 2 months
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 .