The Colief^® Story

Mary Buckley was desperate. Her newborn, Rebecca, was constantly crying. So naturally, she turned to her doctor for help. But she wouldn't accept "It's just colic" as an answer—she wanted a solution.

Mary and her doctor determined that the cause of Rebecca's problems could be digestive and linked to a lactase enzyme deficiency. The doctor remembered seeing a product containing lactase enzyme being sold to adults in the United States. When added to milk, it allowed people with lactase deficiency (or lactose intolerance) to consume milk or dairy products without unpleasant side effects.

It occurred to Mary that this lactase enzyme product could be specially formulated for babies with this temporary deficiency that is clinically referred to as transient lactase deficiency. The result: Colief^® Infant Drops.

An initial hospital trial in Ireland showed that the product had a pronounced effect on babies with colic. The trial was small, but the results were significant and were published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics in September 1998. The results showed a significant reduction in crying time when lactase enzyme was added to the baby's milk hours before feeding. These results were confirmed by a subsequent, larger trial at a hospital in London, which was published in October 2001.

So what started as one mother's determined search for a solution to her infant daughter's suffering has resulted in the development of a product that has the potential to improve the quality of life for many babies, their parents, and their families.

Colief^® has been available in the UK and Ireland for more than 15 years and is now available in the US.