Colic Remedies That Work

According to proponents, probiotic supplements not only help the symptoms of colic, but also will potentially improve your baby’s health and wellness overall, especially that of his or her digestive and immune systems.

Probiotics are bacteria that are similar to, or the same as, those found in the human gut.  They are considered “friendly bacteria” or “good bacteria” because they provide many benefits to your health, including . . . . .

• Improved digestion
• Better absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals
• Protection from harmful bacteria, toxins, and antigens
• Aiding the development and functioning of the immune system
• Protection  from various infections

A healthy digestive tract contains about 400 different kinds of probiotic bacteria, with an ideal ratio of 85% friendly bacteria to 15% unfriendly bacteria.  This proportion will prevent the gut from being overrun by disease-causing bacteria.

In most people, this ratio is off, often even as much as 85/15 in favor of the bad bacteria.  The diseases potentially related to this imbalance include infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, chronic stomach inflammation, tooth decay and periodontal disease, vaginal infections, stomach and respiratory illnesses, and skin infections.

In the early stages of bacterial imbalances, symptoms can include excessive gas, bloating, constipation, intestinal toxicity, and poor nutrient absorption.

Proponents of probiotics believe that supplementation can help restore the healthy 85/15 ratio, resulting in stronger digestive and immune systems.  Probiotic supplements are considered safe, since they contain the same bacterial substances already present in the intestinal tract.  That being said, more research is needed, and it is recommended that you consult your doctor before you or your child begin to take a probiotic supplement.

A study out of Finland in the July 2008 edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that probiotics are safe for infants and, as an added benefit, seem to decrease the risk of respiratory ailments.

There is research showing that the intestinal flora of colicky babies differs from that of non-colicky babies.  This research shows that probiotics can be one of the effective colic remedies.

Further research looked into behavioral changes in babies who were given probiotics: the January 2007 edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics reported on an Italian study testing the effectiveness of the probiotic, lactobacillis reuteri, as an effective colic remedy versus the effectiveness of simethicone.

You might know simethicone by its brand name, Mylicon.  Simethicone is a chemical whose purpose is to relieve gas by reducing the strength of the gas bubbles. It does this by allowing smaller bubbles to combine into larger bubbles.  Simethicone by itself does not get rid of the gas.  The theory is that small gas bubbles form in the intestines so they look almost like foam.  These small gas bubbles are very hard for an adult, much less a newborn, to pass.  By getting the small gas bubbles to combine into one large one, it’s easier for babies to pass the gas, thereby relieving any bloating, pain or colic.  Often when doctors see babies that are experiencing gas problems, they will prescribe some medication with Simethicone in it, hoping that it can relieve some of the gas pain.

In the Italian study, ninety breastfed colicky infants were either given the probiotic simethicone for 28 days, while in both groups, the mother eliminated cow’s milk from her diet. By the end of the study, 95% of the babies in the probiotic group experienced significantly reduced levels of crying (from 159 minutes a day down to 51 minutes a day), whereas only 7% of the babies in the simethicone group experienced less crying–and those reductions were more modest (from 177 minutes a day down to 145 minutes a day).  In other words, not only did many more of the babies who received probiotics respond to the intervention, they responded with vastly decreased crying times in comparison to the simethicone group.  It also shows that, at least for these infants, removing cow’s milk from the diet isn’t always enough.

Since probiotics are relatively unfamiliar to many consumers, there are some potential missteps. Information on probiotic packaging regarding the amount and the specific ingredients, when tested, are not always accurate.  A 2005 Consumer Lab study on probiotics examined 13 OTC probiotic brands to see if the labels accurately listed the amount of live organisms. The testing, which took place between the manufactured and expiration dates, found that only two of the thirteen brands accurately listed the number of cells that were viable at the time of testing. The rest of the brands contained only 7 to 58% of the number of cells claimed on the label.

As you can see from these findings, for probiotic therapy to work, it is essential that you purchase a product from a company that is doing objective testing on their probiotics and certifying that the strains and amount listed are precise.  The consensus of many holistic practitioners is that, due to shipping issues (the live bacteria can die in shipping if they are not refrigerated properly), products sitting on the shelf of stores (where live bacteria also die), and questions about reliability of labeling, the best brands to purchase are unfortunately not sold over the counter.  These brands are sold directly to health care professionals, who then sell to the public.  This way, much more control is exerted over the shipping and storage processes.  Also, any good health care professional has done their work by researching the product line and evaluating it clinically.  Therefore, the brands recommended by these professionals are from companies that have tested their products and stand by their efficacy.

If you would prefer to stay with OTC brands, the two that are most highly recommended are PB8 and Jarrow.  They attempt to maintain more control with shipping and storage conditions, though there is still some unreliability.  You will most likely find these brands in the refrigerated section of health food stores.

Probiotics can take a little while to build up in a baby’s system and, as in the study above, it might take four weeks for differences to be seen in crying patterns.

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