Condition
Infantile Colic
Infant colic is long, hard-to-soothe crying in an otherwise healthy baby, usually starting around 2 to 3 weeks of age and fading by 3 to 4 months, though its cause is not well understood. The probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri has the most research, and reviews of 8 studies found babies cried less, with moderate evidence. Those studies covered only 323 babies in total, so more and larger trials would help firm things up.
Sources: PMID 37962097; PMID 24100440
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 2
- Trials
- 6
- People studied
- 3,597
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant crying Moderate Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 8 studies | 323 people | ||
Studies that measured infant crying
| ||||||
| Constipation Signs and Symptoms Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 468 people | |||
Key findings
- Infant cryingImproves (the measure goes up)
- Constipation Signs and SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
The Infant Colic Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 4 supporting supplements
- Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 1793810^8 CFU (100 million) once daily
- Simethicone20 mg before each feeding (follow product instructions)
Studies cited
30 studies from PubMed
- Evaluation of clinical safety and tolerance of a Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 supplement capsule: a randomized control trial
- Cholesterol-lowering efficacy of a microencapsulated bile salt hydrolase-active Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 yoghurt formulation in hypercholesterolaemic adults
- Cholesterol lowering and inhibition of sterol absorption by Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242: a randomized controlled trial
- Oral supplementation with probiotic L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 increases mean circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial
- Safety and tolerance of Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation to a population infected with the human immunodeficiency virus
- Probiotics for infantile colic: Is there evidence beyond doubt? A meta-analysis and systematic review.
- Probiotics to prevent or treat excessive infant crying: systematic review and meta-analysis
- Treating infant colic with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: double blind, placebo controlled randomised trial
- Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in infantile colic: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Prophylactic use of a probiotic in the prevention of colic, regurgitation, and functional constipation: a randomized clinical trial
- Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) versus simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic: a prospective randomized study
- 454 pyrosequencing analysis on faecal samples from a randomized DBPC trial of colicky infants treated with Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938
- Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 for the management of infantile colic in breastfed infants: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Improvement of digestive health and reduction in proteobacterial populations in the gut microbiota of cystic fibrosis patients using a Lactobacillus reuteri probiotic preparation: a double blind prospective study
- Safety and tolerability of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and effects on biomarkers in healthy adults: results from a randomized masked trial
- Salivary IgA response to probiotic bacteria and mutans streptococci after the use of chewing gum containing Lactobacillus reuteri
- Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC55730 in cystic fibrosis
- A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in hospitalized adults
- No effect of probiotics on respiratory allergies: a seven-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial in infancy
- Lactobacillus reuteri (DSM 17938) in infants with functional chronic constipation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study
- Lactobacillus reuteri compared with placebo as an adjuvant in Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori infection in humans by Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 and effect on eradication therapy: a pilot study
- Non-viable Lactobacillus reuteri DSMZ 17648 (Pylopass™) as a new approach to Helicobacter pylori control in humans
- The efficacy and acceptability of Lactobacillus reuteri for the treatment of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Probiotics for treating acute infectious diarrhoea.
- The influence of probiotics on gastrointestinal tract infections among children attending childcare: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- A systematic review and meta-analysis: the therapeutic and preventive effect of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17,938 addition in children with diarrhea.
- Use of probiotics in the treatment of functional abdominal pain in children-systematic review and meta-analysis
- Limosilactobacillus reuteri consumption significantly reduces the total cholesterol concentration without affecting other cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Adjunctive benefit of probiotic supplementation along with nonsurgical therapy for peri-implant diseases - A systematic review and meta-analysis.