Why is taurine in baby formula

Taurine is available from human breastmilk, and also in seafood and meat. They are involved in protein synthesis and metabolic regulatory processes. Nucleotides are added to formula products to mimic breastmilk with the anticipated benefits of enhancing immune functions and promoting growth of infants. However, evidences of beneficial effects from nucleotide supplementation of infant formulae are not conclusive.

The Codex does not require the addition of nucleotides in formula products. In fact, nucleotides could be produced in the human body and are widely available in foods. At present, the benefits from adding a number of substances voluntarily by manufacturers to formula products still lack international consensus. In the case of choline, taurine and nucleotides, although claims on their functions or health benefits may have been made on some formula products, only a few have been accepted in individual overseas jurisdictions, notably Singapore.

Lucas, A. Child , 67 3 — Child , Child , 64 11 — Child , 70 2 :F—F Malloy, M. Neonate , —8. Morley, R. Child , 63 Morris, J. Small Animal Prac. Okamoto, E. Perlman, M. Pharoah, P. Child , 70 4 — Rassin, D. Sander, T. North AM , 42 4 — Sturman, J. Is cystine essential? Thornton, L. Child , 66 1 Spec No — Tiedmann, F. Trachtman, H. Tyson, J. Taurine has an important role in fat absorption in pre-term and possibly term infants and in children with cystic fibrosis.

Because taurine-conjugated bile acids are better emulsifiers of fat than glycine-conjugated bile acids, the dietary or TPN intake has a direct influence on absorption of lipids. Taurine supplementation of formulas or TPN solutions could potentially serve to minimize the brain phospholipid fatty acid composition differences between formula-fed and human milk-fed infants. Taurine has also been reported to improve maturation of auditory-evoked responses in pre-term infants, although this point is not fully established.

Clearly, taurine is an important osmolyte in the brain and the renal medulla. Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared taurine supplementation versus no supplementation in preterm or low birth weight newborn infants. Data were extracted using the standard methods of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group, with separate evaluation of trial quality and data extraction by two review authors, and synthesis of data using relative risk, risk difference and weighted mean difference.

Nine small trials were identified. In total, infants participated. Most participants were greater than 30 weeks gestational age at birth and were clinically stable. In eight of the studies, taurine was given enterally with formula milk. Only one small trial assessed parenteral taurine supplementation.