PLASMA VITAMIN-E CONCENTRATIONS OF OLDER INFANTS FED COWS MILK OR INFANT FORMULA

Nutrition of older infants, though important for optimal brain development, is inadequately studied. The beverage choice markedly influences nutrient intake, but tittle is known regarding nutrition status of older infants, particularly for vitamin E. This study assessed vitamin E intakes and plasma tocopherol concentrations in two groups of healthy infants, 8 to 13 months of age, who had consumed either cow's milk (n = 45) or milk-based formula (n = 55) for a minimum of the 3 preceding months. Mean (+/-SEM) vitamin E intake was significantly lower (p less-than-or-equal-to 0.001) by the infants who had consumed cow's milk (CMF) than by infants who had consumed formula (FF); 4.1 +/- 0.25 mg/day and 10.9 +/- 0.57 mg/day, respectively. Mean (+/-SEM) intake of linoleic plus linolenic acids was significantly lower (p less-than-or-equal-to 0.005) by CMF infants (3.4 +/- 0.2 g) than by FF infants (9.9 +/- 1.0 g), although mean (+/-SEM) dietary vitamin E to polyunsaturated fat ratio (E/PUFA ratio) was the same in both FF and CMF infants (1.3 +/- 0.1). Plasma alpha-tocopherol concentration (mean +/- SD) was significantly lower (p less-than-or-equal-to 0.005) in CMF than in FF infants (0.86 +/- 0.28 mg/dl vs. 1.14 +/- 0.42 mg/dl, respectively). Dietary vitamin E intakes were positively correlated (p less-than-or-equal-to 0.05) with plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations. No correlations were found between plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations and total fat intake, dietary E/PUFA ratios, erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acids greater-than-or-equal-to C18:2, or number of hours postprandial that blood was drawn. The difference in the mean plasma alpha-tocopherol concentration (0.28 mg/dl) between CMF and FF infants may be of importance to infants who have a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids.