PURPOSE: Breastfeeding is the best way to feed all infants, but not all infants can be (exclusively) breastfed. Cow's milk based infant formula is the second choice infant feeding. METHODS: The safety of a new synbiotic infant formula, supplemented with Bifidobacterium lactis and fructo-oligosaccharides, with lactose and a whey/casein 60/40 protein ratio was tested in 280 infants during 3 months. RESULTS: The median age of the infants at inclusion was 0.89 months. Weight evolution was in accordance with the World Health Organization growth charts for exclusive breastfed infants. The evolution of all anthropometric parameters (weight-for-length z score and body mass index-for-age z score) was within the normal range. The incidence of functional constipation (3.2%), daily regurgitation (10.9%), infantile crying and colic (10.5%) were all significantly lower than the reported median prevalence for a similar age according to literature (median value of 7.8% for functional constipation, 26.7% for regurgitation, 17.7% for infantile colic). CONCLUSION: The new synbiotic infant starter formula was safe, resulted in normal growth and was well tolerated. Functional gastro-intestinal manifestations (functional constipation, regurgitation and colic) were significantly lower than reported in literature. Synbiotics (Bifidobacterium lactis and fructo-oligosaccharides) in cow's milk based infant formula bring the second choice infant feeding, formula, closer to the golden standard, exclusive breastfeeding.
Bifidobacterium ; Breast Feeding ; Colic ; Constipation ; Crying ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Growth Charts ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant Formula ; Lactose ; Milk ; Prebiotics ; Prevalence ; Probiotics ; Reference Values ; Synbiotics* ; World Health Organization

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of synbiotic formula with partial whey hydrolysate and high magnesium content in infants presenting with functional constipation. METHODS: Sixty-five infants with functional constipation were included. Forty infants were treated during one month with parental reassurance and the intervention formula and were compared to a control group of 25 infants treated with parental reassurance only. Parents completed a quality of life (QoL) questionnaire at baseline and during the last week of the study. RESULTS: At inclusion, stool characteristics and QoL were similar in both groups. The control group was slightly older than the intervention group (7.5±3.9 vs. 6.2±3.6 weeks). At onset, stool composition was “hard and tight” (Bristol stool scale 1 and 2) in all infants. After one month, stool composition remained unchanged in the control group except in two infants that developed “creamy” stools (Bristol stool scale type 3 and 4). In the intervention group, stools remained “hard and tight” in 27.5%, and became “creamy” in 47.5%, “loose” (Bristol stool scale type 5) in 22.5% and “watery” (Bristol stool type 6 and 7) in 2.5%. The benefit of the intervention formula was estimated to be “very important” in 70%. The median scores for QoL improved significantly in the intervention group for all parameters and for one in the control group. CONCLUSION: The intervention formula significantly improved functional constipation resulting in a better QoL of the parents and infants.
Constipation ; Humans ; Infant Formula ; Infant ; Magnesium ; Parents ; Prebiotics ; Quality of Life ; Synbiotics ; Whey