Quick Answer
It depends on which type of gas drops you are using and what is causing the gas. The two most common types are simethicone drops (sold under brands like Infacol, Mylicon, and others) and lactase enzyme drops (used for lactose sensitivity). The evidence for each is different, and neither works universally. Simethicone is safe but has limited clinical evidence of effectiveness beyond placebo in most studies. Lactase drops have more targeted evidence but are only relevant when lactose overload or intolerance is the actual cause of the gas. Understanding the distinction helps avoid spending significant time and money on a product that is not addressing the actual cause of the baby's discomfort.
Simethicone Drops: What the Evidence Shows
Simethicone works by breaking surface tension in gas bubbles in the digestive tract, causing small bubbles to coalesce into larger ones that are easier to pass. In theory, this should reduce the discomfort of trapped gas. In practice, the clinical evidence is more complicated.
Multiple randomised controlled trials comparing simethicone to placebo for infant colic and gas discomfort have found no statistically significant difference in crying time, fussiness, or apparent gas discomfort between infants receiving simethicone and those receiving a placebo. A Cochrane review of the available evidence concluded that simethicone was not significantly more effective than placebo for reducing colic symptoms. However, individual parent experience is often different from trial results, and some parents report consistent improvement in their baby's comfort with simethicone use. The gap between trial results and individual experience may reflect the heterogeneous causes of infant crying (not all crying attributed to gas is caused by gas), the placebo effect in parents (who are the raters of infant discomfort), or genuine individual variation in response.
Simethicone is considered safe for infants at recommended doses: it is not absorbed into the bloodstream and passes through the digestive tract without systemic effect. The absence of strong efficacy evidence does not mean it cannot be tried, but it does mean that if it is tried and does not produce improvement within a week, there is no strong evidence-based reason to continue.
Lactase Drops: More Targeted Evidence
Lactase enzyme drops (such as Colief) work differently: they break down lactose in breastmilk or formula before the feed, reducing the lactose load that reaches the large intestine where it would otherwise ferment and produce gas. Lactase drops are relevant specifically when lactose overload or lactose sensitivity is the cause of the gas, which is more common in some babies than others.
The evidence for lactase drops in reducing colic symptoms attributed to lactose sensitivity is more positive than the evidence for simethicone, with several trials showing meaningful reductions in crying time in affected infants. However, they are not universally effective because not all infant gas and colic is caused by lactose overload. A breastfed baby whose gas is related to other factors (maternal diet, feeding pattern, swallowed air) will not benefit from lactase drops because the cause is not lactose.
Lactase drops are more logistically demanding than simethicone: for breastfed babies, expressed milk must be treated with the drops and then fed to the baby rather than the baby feeding directly at the breast; for formula-fed babies, the prepared formula must sit with the drops for a period before feeding. The logistical complexity is worth tolerating if the drops are working; if there is no improvement after a consistent trial of one to two weeks, lactose overload is probably not the primary cause.
What Gas Drops Do Not Address
Neither type of gas drop addresses the most common causes of infant gas discomfort, which include swallowed air during feeds (addressed by paced bottle feeding, correct latch in breastfeeding, and thorough burping), immature digestive motility (which resolves with age rather than supplementation), and feeding pattern issues such as oversupply-driven lactose overload in breastfed babies (which is better addressed by adjusting the feeding pattern than by supplementing with lactase).
A baby whose gas discomfort is primarily caused by swallowed air from a fast-flow bottle nipple will not benefit meaningfully from gas drops of either type. Addressing the root cause directly is more effective than supplementing around it.
Practical Guidance
- If you want to try simethicone: use it consistently for one week at the recommended dose and assess whether there is a meaningful change in the baby's apparent comfort. If there is no change, the evidence does not support continuing indefinitely
- If you suspect lactose sensitivity: look for additional signs beyond gas, including frothy or green stools, significant bloating, and crying that is worse in the hours after feeds. A pediatrician or lactation consultant can help assess whether lactose sensitivity is a plausible cause before committing to the logistical demands of lactase drops
- Address feeding mechanics first: paced bottle feeding, appropriate nipple flow rate, correct latch, and thorough burping address the most common cause of infant gas more directly than any supplement
- Do not combine multiple gas remedies simultaneously: trying simethicone, lactase drops, and a dietary change at the same time makes it impossible to identify what, if anything, is actually helping
Key Takeaway
Simethicone drops are safe but have limited clinical evidence of effectiveness beyond placebo in most trials. Lactase drops have more targeted evidence but are only relevant when lactose overload is the actual cause of gas. Neither type addresses the most common causes of infant gas discomfort, which are swallowed air and immature digestive motility. Addressing feeding mechanics (paced feeding, appropriate flow rate, thorough burping) is more consistently effective than supplementing with gas drops of either type. If gas drops are tried, a one-to-two-week consistent trial with a clear assessment at the end is more informative than open-ended use.
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This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have concerns about your baby's gas, digestive comfort, or feeding, consult your pediatrician before starting any supplement.