Taurine and Cholesterol Supplementation in the Term Infant: Responses of Growth and Metabolism

The effects of taurine and of cholesterol supplementation to a whey-protein-predominant formula fed ad libitum on the growth and biochemical responses of term infants were studied. The responses of these infants were compared to those of infants fed formula without a supplement and infants that were breastfed. These infants were followed for 12 weeks. No effect of cholesterol was observed on any of the measurements and no effect of taurine was observed on any of the biochemical measures with the exception that taurine concentrations in plasma and urine (reduced in infants fed formula alone) were corrected to concentrations observed in breastfed infants. Taurine supplementation had no effect on the rate of weight gain or on linear growth over the complete course of the study. Thus, taurine supplementation of formulas returns plasma and urine concentrations of this amino acid to those found in human milk-fed infants. However, these data indicate that the supplementation of formulas with taurine has no benefit with respect to growth. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 14:392-397, 1990).