Protein and Energy Intake during Weaning |
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Authors: | I AXELSSON S BORULF K ABILDSKOV W HEIRD N RÄIHÄ |
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Institution: | Departments of Paediatrics, University of Lund, Malmö, Sweden;Columbia University College of Physicians &Surgeons, New York, USA |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT. Preprandial plasma amino acid concentrations were measured at 5 and 6 months of age in 30 healthy term infants who were either breast-fed ad libitum or fed one of two different formulas (1.9 g of protein per 100 ml with a whey: casein ratio of 50:50; 2.9 g of protein per 100 ml with a whey: casein ratio of 20:80) ad libitum, plus the same supplementary food regimen. The mean plasma concentrations of total amino acids and especially total essential amino acids were higher in the formula-fed infants. Those fed formula also had plasma concentrations of methionine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, leucine, valine, threonine, aspartate, proline, lysine, tyrosine, histidine that exceeded plasma concentrations of breast-fed infants by 2 or more standard deviations. Concentrations of arginine, glutamic acid, glutamine, ornithine, serine, cystine did not differ and taurine was higher in the breast-fed infants. The data indicate that formulas in common use today during weaning (4–6 months) provide excessive protein intakes when compared to the breast-fed control infants. A lowering of protein concentration and a further manipulation of the whey: casein ratio is necessary if plasma amino acid patterns similar to those found in breast-fed infants is to be achieved with artificial feeding. |
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Keywords: | weaning human milk formulas plasma amino acids |
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