Don’t cry: Colicky infants taking Chr. Hansen’s BB-12 probiotic get more sleep, finds new study

18 Oct 2021 --- Chr. Hansen’s Bifidobacterium, BB-12 may help soothe infants with colic that “excessively” cry or fuss. A new study found that these babies taking the strain for 21 days slept about one hour more than the placebo group. 

“The study suggests that BB-12 supports a reduction in excessive crying. In fact, the outcome of our study showed that nearly three times as many infants in the BB-12 group saw a reduction after 21 days, compared to placebo,” says Dr. Cathrine Melsaether, senior clinical development scientist, Chr. Hansen.

Moreover, parents of the infants in the BB-12 group reported a significant improvement in their physical, emotional and social functioning, she says. In addition, BB-12 supported regular stool movements and consistency over the 21-day study period.

Adding to knowledge
The latest study builds on a larger body of research, with Chr. Hansen naming BB-12, “the world’s most documented Bifidobacterium.”

The new study supports and expands on the findings of a study published in 2019, which concluded that BB-12 supported a reduction in daily crying duration and a decrease in the number of daily crying episodes.

This new study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study that included 192 breastfed Chinese infants who were 12 weeks of age or less. 

For 21 days, the infants were given a placebo or 1 billion CFU per day of BB-12, administered via oil drops provided by Chr. Hansen. 

Studies in China and Italy verify that the probiotic strain helps support the reduction of crying and fussing across different demographics.The study found that infants with colic who received BB-12 cried for an hour and 20 minutes less per day and had, on average, five less crying episodes per day.

Excessive crying is defined as crying for more than three hours per day on more than three days per week. It is one of the most common reasons parents consult a health care professional during the first three months of their infants’ life, states the company. 

A healthier world
The company also highlights that the strain is beneficial across different demographics and genetic backgrounds – an important finding as the benefit of probiotic strains in diverse population groups and microbiota has often been discussed.

“With results from both China and Italy, we have shown our probiotic strain’s ability to support the reduction of crying and fussing across different demographics and genetics. Now more infants and parents can benefit from our findings in their everyday life,” concludes Mehdi Sadaghian, scientific advisor, Chr. Hansen.

With studies in both China and Italy, the strain is positioned to support the reduction of crying and fussing around the world. In addition, with Plus Zone IVb stability for hot, humid and tropical environments, BB-12, has the potential to make a global impact.

While 25% of healthy infants worldwide experience excessive crying and fussing, the exact cause is unknown. However, often the infants in question have lower counts of good bacteria and increased concentrations of undesirable bacteria in their digestive tracts.

Last month, AB-Biotics’ AB-Kolicare probiotic blend was also found to reduce the crying or fussing time and episodes of babies with colic. It argued that its offering has a much higher proportion of infants with a treatment success rate at day seven than BB12.

Edited by Missy Green