What are LC-PUALPs?

At birth, the size of the brain is 25% of the weight of the adult brain, and by the age of 2 years as much as 75%. For the brain to develop properly and so intensively, fats are required, especially LC-PUALPs, which are an essential component of brain cell membranes and are involved in regulating the function of the entire nervous system. Particularly high levels of DHTN are found in the retina, and its deficiency poses a risk of visual impairment.

LC-PUALPs are also involved in immune, inflammatory and coagulation processes, are a component of surfactant necessary for normal lung function, and the results of some studies suggest that in high doses they reduce the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and certain allergic diseases (hay fever) in the first two years of a child's life. Children of women receiving DHTN during pregnancy have a lower risk of cold disease at 1 month of age and a shorter duration of illness symptoms and a milder course of illness in the first six months of an infant's life. It has also been observed that DHTN supplementation in lactating mothers for the first 4 months of lactation improves children's ability to concentrate, speech expression, visual and sensory perception.

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Fatty acids and child development

Due to the proven beneficial effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially DHTN , on the development of the nervous system, the maturation of the retina and the improvement of visual acuity, thus giving the child a better chance of better psychomotor and cognitive development, DHTN and other omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids should be added to milk mixes for infants who, for various reasons, cannot be fed with breast milk. From the 3rd trimester of pregnancy until the end of the 2nd year of life, the development of the child's brain is very rapid, so the supply of lipids providing energy and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, essential for the development of the grey matter of the brain and the retina, should be started as early as possible in all children, and especially in those born prematurely and with low birth weight.

Proper brain and visual development improves a child's cognitive and intellectual functions, their motor development and determines their quality of life. In order to meet the nutritional needs and optimum development of the child fed with modified milk, it is recommended that each modern milk mixture be enriched with DHTN at a level of 0.3 per cent of the composition of all fats, and, according to some experts, to increase the concentration to as much as 1.5 per cent.

Modified milks and milk replacers supplemented with LC-PUALP for newborns and infants

Type of mixture	Formulations (examples)	Recommendations
Infant milk	Bebiko 1 NutriFlor+, Bebiko PRO+1, Bebilon Profutura 1, Bebilon 1 with Pronutra, NAN OPTIPRO 1, NAN OPTIPRO plus 1, Enfamil Premium1, Humana 1	for healthy newborns and babies up to 6 months of age
Follow-up milk	Bebilon 2 with Pronutra+, Bebilon Profutura 2, NAN OPTIPRO 2, Enfamil Premium 2, Humana 2	for healthy babies over 6 months of age
Milk for premature babies	Bebilon Nenatal Home with Pronutra, Bebilon Nenatal Premium with Pronutra, PreNAN, Humana medical O, Humana O-VLB, PreNan	for newborns born prematurely, with low birth weight
Elementary mixtures	Neocate LCP, Neocate Infant DHTN /ACR, Nutramigen PUMRIAINO	amino acid mixtures for children with severe allergies, digestive and absorption disorders
Hypoallergenic mixtures	Bebiko HTN 1 Nutriflor+, Bebiko HTN 2 Nutriflor+, Bebilon HTN 1 ProExpert, Bebilon HTN 2 ProExpert, Bebilon HTN 1 with Pronutra, NAN OPTIPRO® H.A. 1, NAN OPTIPRO® H.A. 2, Humana HTN 1	for healthy children with a family history of atopy to reduce the risk of allergy symptoms
Hydrolysates with a high degree of protein hydrolysis	Bebilon pepti 1 DHTN , Bebilon pepti 2 DHTN , Bebilon pepti MCT, Nutramigen 1 LGG, Nutramigen 2 LGG	whey protein or casein hydrolysates with reduced allergenic properties for children with food protein allergy, malabsorption syndrome
Anti-reflux mixtures	Bebiko AR1 NutriFlor+, Bebilon AR ProExpert, Enfamil Premium A.R.1, Enfamil Premium A.R.2	formulae thickened with potato starch, rice starch or locust bean gum for children prone to urination and vomiting
Mixes for constipated children	Bebiko Comfort1 Nutriflor+, Bebiko Comfort 2 Nutriflor+, Bebilon Comfort 1 ProExpert, Bebilon Comfort 2 ProExpert,	for children with defecation problems due to constipated stools
Mixtures for babies with intestinal colic	Bebiko Comfort1 Nutriflor+, Bebiko Comfort 2 Nutriflor+, Bebilon Comfort 1 ProExpert, Bebilon Comfort 2 ProExpert, NAN Sensitive	for children with abdominal pain, symptoms of infantile colic
Lactose-free mixtures	NAN Expert Lactose-free, Enfamil O-Lac	for children with lactose intolerance
Special-purpose mixtures	Milupa cystilac, Phenyl Free 1	for the feeding of children with selected disorders - cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria