The use of prebiotics and probiotics in infant formula

Gastrointestinal flora influences health, but the composition of flora can be changed with prebiotics or probiotics. The addition of probiotics to powdered infant formula has not been demonstrated to be harmful to healthy term infants. However, evidence of clinical efficacy regarding their addition is insufficient to recommend the routine use of such formula. The administration of probiotic (single or in combination) supplementation in infant or follow-on formula, and given beyond early infancy, may be associated with some clinical benefits, such as a reduction in the risk of nonspecific gastrointestinal infections, a reduced risk of antibiotic use and a lower frequency of colic and irritability. Confirmatory well-designed clinical research studies are necessary.