Colicky Babies May Have Trouble Digesting Juice
Mon May 6,10:25 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Fussy and seemingly inconsolable babies may be at risk for digestive problems from certain types of juice, researchers report.

Their study found that these so-called "colicky" infants were more likely to suffer from gas and sleep problems after drinking apple juice, which contains high concentrations of the sugars sorbitol and fructose. What's more, infants with these digestive difficulties were more likely to have tried fruit juice at an earlier age than other babies who had no digestive problems, according to the report in the May issue of Pediatrics.

The results of the study, which support the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation to avoid giving babies fruit juice until at least 6 months of age, may help the millions of parents who suffer through months of their child's high-pitched crying and unpredictable sleep patterns. Roughly 10% to 25% of infants have colic, which can last up to 4 months.

"Parents should be advised to avoid early introduction to their infants of fruit juices...especially if they have symptoms of infant colic," Dr. Debora Duro and colleagues from the Miami Children's Hospital in Florida report.

Previous studies have shown that certain fruit juices produce excess gas, a common symptom of infant colic. However, the relationship between infant colic and a baby's ability to digest these juices is not clear.

To investigate, the researchers gave 30 infants 120 milliliters (ml) of white grape juice or apple juice and then determined their activity level, crying and sleep patterns for up to 3 hours before and after the babies drank the juice. The investigators also measured levels of hydrogen in their breath to determine whether the sugars in juice had been digested properly.

Babies with colic had higher levels of breath hydrogen after drinking apple juice, cried more often and for longer periods, and slept less than babies without colic. As a result of their discomfort, colicky babies were more physically active and burned more calories, Duro and colleagues found.

There were no differences in crying and sleeping patterns associated with white grape juice, which does not contain sorbitol and has less fructose--the type of sugar found in fruit. Sorbitol is a nonabsorbable sugar that is often used in artificial sweeteners.

"This study demonstrated that infant colic might play a significant role in carbohydrate malabsorption from certain fruit juices," Duro's team concludes.

SOURCE: Pediatrics 2002;109:797-805.


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