The therapeutic efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12<sup>®</sup> in infant colic: A randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Nocerino. Rita R; De Filippis. Francesca F; Cecere. Gaetano G; Marino. Antonio A; Micillo. Maria M; Di Scala. Carmen C; de Caro. Carmen C; Calignano. Antonio A; Bruno. Cristina C; Paparo. Lorella L; Iannicelli. Anna M AM; Cosenza. Linda L; Maddalena. Ylenia Y; Della Gatta. Giusy G; Coppola. Serena S; Carucci. Laura L; Ercolini. Danilo D; Berni Canani. Roberto R
Key Findings
- BB‑12 probiotic reduced daily crying duration by ≥50% in a significant number of infants after two weeks.
- Treatment increased gut Bifidobacterium levels, butyrate production, and immune factors including HBD‑2, LL‑37, and secretory IgA.
- Higher LL‑37 and other immune markers correlated with lower faecal calprotectin, indicating reduced gut inflammation.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers interested in gut‑immune modulation, the study suggests that specific probiotic strains can raise LL‑37 levels and improve gut health, though the evidence is limited to infants with colic. While not directly translatable to adult longevity protocols, it supports exploring targeted probiotics to influence antimicrobial peptides and inflammation.
Summary
A study in breastfed babies with colic found that giving the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB‑12 for 28 days cut crying time by at least half in many infants. The probiotic also boosted beneficial gut bacteria, short‑chain fatty acids, and immune proteins like the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, while lowering gut inflammation markers.
Abstract
The pathogenesis of infant colic is poorly defined. Gut microbiota seems to be involved, supporting the potential therapeutic role of probiotics. To assess the rate of infants with a reduction of ≥50% of mean daily crying duration after 28 days of intervention with the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12<sup>®</sup> (BB-12). Secondary outcomes were daily number of crying episodes, sleeping time, number of bowel movements and stool consistency. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) on otherwise healthy exclusively breastfed infants with infant colic randomly allocated to receive BB-12 (1 × 10<sup>9</sup>  CFU/day) or placebo for 28 days. Gut microbiota structure and butyrate, beta-defensin-2 (HBD-2), cathelicidin (LL-37), secretory IgA (sIgA) and faecal calprotectin levels were assessed. Eighty infants were randomised, 40/group. The rate of infants with reduction of ≥50% of mean daily crying duration was higher in infants treated with BB-12, starting from the end of 2nd week. No infant relapsed when treatment was stopped. The mean number of crying episodes decreased in both groups, but with a higher effect in BB-12 group (-4.7 ± 3.4 vs -2.3 ± 2.2, P < 0.05). Mean daily stool frequency decreased in both groups but the effect was significantly higher in the BB-12 group; stool consistency was similar between the two groups. An increase in Bifidobacterium abundance (with significant correlation with crying time reduction), butyrate and HBD-2, LL-37, sIgA levels associated with a decrease in faecal calprotectin level were observed in the BB-12 group. Supplementation with BB-12 is effective in managing infant colic. The effect could derive from immune and non-immune mechanisms associated with a modulation of gut microbiota structure and function.
Study Information
pubmed
2019
2019-12-03T00:00:00.000Z
10.1111/apt.15561
75
50