TY - JOUR
T1 - Determination of the optimal ratio of linoleic acid to α-linolenic acid in infant formulas
AU - Clark, Kristin J.
AU - Makrides, Maria
AU - Neumann, Mark A.
AU - Gibson, Robert A.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1992/4
Y1 - 1992/4
N2 - The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte total lipids taken from a group of term infants 10 weeks after being fed a commercial infant formula with a high ratio of linoleic acid (18:2n-6) (LA) to α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) (ALA) (19:1; LA, 14%; ALA, 0.7%; group A, n=10) was compared with the fatty acid composition of erythrocytes from infants fed formulas that contained LA/ALA ratios reduced by either increasing ALA (4:1; LA, 13%; ALA, 3.3%; group B, n=11) or decreasing LA (3:1; LA, 3.5%; ALA, 1.1%; group C, n=8). Results were compared with those in an age-controlled group (n=9) of breast-fed infants. Decreasing the LA/ALA ratio increased n-3 C20 and C22 fatty acid incorporation (formula B=8.98%±0.65%; formula C=9.30%±0.95%) relative to formula A (5.97%±0.76%; p<0.05). Although docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) (DHA) incorporation was highest in infants fed formulas B and C (4.78%±0.45% and 4.48%±0.49%, respectively) relative to formula A (3.47%±0.46%; p<0.05), it did not reach levels found in breast-fed infants (6.55%±1.23%; p<0.05). In addition, levels of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) (AA) were lower in all formula-fed groups (p<0.05) relative to those in breast-fed infants. Based on some equations, it is predicted that AA levels in tissues of infants fed lower LA/ALA ratios would be reduced even further. Because both AA and DHA are probably essential for normal neural development of the infant, formulas with LA/ALA ratios below 4:1 are likely to result in fatty acid profiles notably different from those of breast-fed infants.
AB - The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte total lipids taken from a group of term infants 10 weeks after being fed a commercial infant formula with a high ratio of linoleic acid (18:2n-6) (LA) to α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) (ALA) (19:1; LA, 14%; ALA, 0.7%; group A, n=10) was compared with the fatty acid composition of erythrocytes from infants fed formulas that contained LA/ALA ratios reduced by either increasing ALA (4:1; LA, 13%; ALA, 3.3%; group B, n=11) or decreasing LA (3:1; LA, 3.5%; ALA, 1.1%; group C, n=8). Results were compared with those in an age-controlled group (n=9) of breast-fed infants. Decreasing the LA/ALA ratio increased n-3 C20 and C22 fatty acid incorporation (formula B=8.98%±0.65%; formula C=9.30%±0.95%) relative to formula A (5.97%±0.76%; p<0.05). Although docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) (DHA) incorporation was highest in infants fed formulas B and C (4.78%±0.45% and 4.48%±0.49%, respectively) relative to formula A (3.47%±0.46%; p<0.05), it did not reach levels found in breast-fed infants (6.55%±1.23%; p<0.05). In addition, levels of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) (AA) were lower in all formula-fed groups (p<0.05) relative to those in breast-fed infants. Based on some equations, it is predicted that AA levels in tissues of infants fed lower LA/ALA ratios would be reduced even further. Because both AA and DHA are probably essential for normal neural development of the infant, formulas with LA/ALA ratios below 4:1 are likely to result in fatty acid profiles notably different from those of breast-fed infants.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026534481&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0022-3476(05)81250-8
DO - 10.1016/S0022-3476(05)81250-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 1348533
AN - SCOPUS:0026534481
SN - 0022-3476
VL - 120
SP - S151-S158
JO - The Journal of Pediatrics
JF - The Journal of Pediatrics
IS - 4 PART 2
ER -