
Enzyme Boost for Preemies?By Judy
McBride December 10, 1996Premature infants who receive small
amounts of breast milk or formula within days of birth--in addition to
intravenous feedings--may get a much needed boost in intestinal development.
This may enable the infants to more quickly tolerate regular feedings, a
prerequisite for release from the hospital. Preliminary findings of a study at the Agricultural Research Service, based on the
progress of 70 premature infants weighing less than 2.5 pounds at birth,
indicate that early feedings stimulate production of lactase. Lactase is the enzyme that digests the major milk sugar, lactose. For years, very low birth weight infants have received intravenous (IV)
feedings exclusively for the first two weeks. Because these infants didnt
produce the lactase enzyme, doctors thought the undigested sugar from breast
milk or formula would increase the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis--a serious
complication that destroys the intestinal lining. But this ongoing study
strongly suggests that the advantages of early feedings outweigh the
disadvantages. Half the infants were introduced to less than one-quarter cup of breast milk
or formula each day beginning only four days after birth. The other half
received only IV feedings for two weeks. A test administered three times during
their first month showed that the early feeding group had significantly higher
lactase activity for the first three weeks. Scientific contact: Robert Shulman, ARS
Childrens Nutrition Research
Center, Houston, Texas, phone (713) 798-7145. U.S. Department of Agriculture | |