Indication: Immunity (in infants)

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004;79(2):261-267.

Research: Researchers carried out a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial on 118 healthy infants ranging in age be­tween three and 24 months. The participants were assigned to receive a standard milk-based formula containing equal doses of Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermo­philus, or a formula containing lower doses of each strain of bacteria or an unsupplemented formula. The study lasted 210 days during which none of the infants were breast-fed.

Results: According to researchers, the supplemented formulas were well accepted and were associated with a lower frequency of reported colic or irritability and a lower frequency of antibiotic use than was the unsupplemented formula.