Infant Colic: Why It’s Important to Break Down Milk, Not Just Fight Gas

When a baby cries after feeding, the first word parents hear is “colic.” Almost immediately, another one follows — “gas.” It may seem that everything comes down to air in the tummy. But a closer look shows that colic often begins well before gas appears.

The cause may lie in nutrition itself — more precisely, in how the baby’s body handles milk or formula.

Infant colic may be linked not to the presence of gas, but to lactose that has not been broken down and begins to ferment in the intestines.

Removing gas means dealing with the consequence.
Breaking down lactose means addressing the cause.

What Is Lactose and Why Is It Important?

Lactose is the main carbohydrate in breast milk and most infant formulas. It cannot be absorbed in its original form — it requires the enzyme lactase.

When lactase works properly, lactose is broken down into:

• glucose — the main source of energy for an infant;
• galactose — an essential component for the development of the nervous system and vision.

In the first months of life, the digestive system is still adapting. Enzymatic processes may be unstable — and this is normal. That is why lactose breakdown becomes especially important during this period.

How Colic Is Related to Undigested Lactose

If lactose is not fully broken down, it reaches the intestines unchanged. There, fermentation processes begin.

The result is familiar to many parents:

• a tense abdomen;
• gas formation;
• restlessness after feeding;
• crying without an obvious reason.

In this case, gas is not the root cause, but a signal that unnecessary processes are occurring in an immature digestive system.

Why Simply Reducing Gas Is Not Enough

Reducing gas may provide temporary relief. But if the cause of fermentation remains, the situation will repeat.

Breaking down lactose changes the approach:

• nutrition reaches the body in a prepared form;
• the intestinal load is reduced;
• digestion becomes more natural for the baby.

This is not a quick “here and now” solution, but a logical step that takes into account the physiology of the first months of life.

How the Lactase Enzyme Works

The lactase enzyme is added to breast milk or formula before feeding. Its task is to break down lactose before it enters the baby’s digestive system.

In this form, the nutrition already contains glucose and galactose — components the infant’s body can use without additional fermentation.

How Mamalac Helps

Mamalac is a lactase enzyme added to breast milk or formula before feeding. Its role is to break down lactose into glucose and galactose before the milk reaches the baby’s digestive system.

As a result:

• milk or formula is consumed in a prepared form;
• the likelihood of fermentation is reduced;
• the digestive system experiences less stress during adaptation.

This approach considers the physiological characteristics of the first months of life, rather than focusing only on external symptoms.

What This Means for the Baby

• Glucose provides energy for growth and activity.
• Galactose supports the development of the nervous system and retina.
• Reduced risk of intestinal fermentation after feeding.
• A more stable microbiota — a key element of early development.
• Steady weight gain according to the baby’s individual pace.
  

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Is colic always related to gas?
No. Gas is often the result of fermentation, not its cause.

Why does colic appear after feeding?
Because this is when the digestive system begins working with lactose, which may not be fully broken down.

Why break down lactose in milk or formula?
So that nutrition is absorbed in a form suitable for the infant’s body, without unnecessary strain on the intestines.

This approach is not about fighting symptoms. It’s about understanding how infant nutrition works from the inside. Sometimes, that understanding is what makes daily life quieter, calmer, and more predictable.

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