Thanks to Christina Mason for bringing this article to my attention on the gut microbiota of babies with colic.

In a nutshell, gas-producing Lactobacillus (called heterolactic fermenters) were found in the guts of infants with colic. Healthy infants didn’t have these gas-producing strains but did have other non-gas-producing Lactobacillus strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus.

This work is fascinating, but not unexpected.

As you know, if you’ve read my Fast Tract Digestion book(s), I discuss the importance of avoiding heterolactic fermenters (gas making) and encouraging or supplementing with homolactic fermenters (gut friendly non-gas producing) strains for acid reflux.

These findings make good sense in these terms and support using Fast Tract Diet concepts for colic.

Interestingly enough, I have been reading the text book of Lactic Acid Bacteria this week. There is a good table on page 80 listing homofermentative Lactobacillus strains including: L acidophilus, L. delbrueckii, l. helveticas and L. salivarius as well as facultative or obligate heterofermenters: L. casei, L. curvatus, L. plantarum, L sakei, L brevis, L. bunchneria, L. fermentum, L. reuteri (tested for colic in several studies with inconclusive results), and L. pontis.

I hope to complete this list for Lactobacillus lactis and a few others.