Human Milk Lacto‐Engineering: Growth Nitrogen Metabolism, and Energy Balance in Preterm Infants

Abstract

Fourteen 3-day metabolic balance studies were carried out in 8 healthy male preterm infants (birthweight 1270 .+-. 170 g, gestational age 30 .+-. 2 wk) fed 183 .+-. 7 ml/kg per day of a human milk formula made of incompletely skimmed human milk enriched with lyophilized whole human milk, minerals, medium chain triglycerides and linoleate. Daily intakes per kilo bodyweight were for protein 3.5 .+-. 0.3 g, fat 7.0 .+-. 2.1 g and energy 573 .+-. 88 kJ (137 kcal). Weight gain was 29 .+-. 5 g per day and nitrogen retention was 317 .+-. 52 mg/kg per day. Fat absorption was 76 .+-. 12%. Renal acid and solute loads were low and there was no metabolic acidosis, hyperazotemia or hyperaminoacidemia, except for tyrosine. Preterm infants fed a human milk formula have similar growth rates and nitrogen retentions as fetuses in utero or preterm infants fed their own mother''s milk.