American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 21, 7-14, Copyright © 1968 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Tocopherol in Infants Fed Diets Rich in Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

¹ From the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, St. Luke's Hospital Center, and Institute of Nutrition Sciences, Columbia University, New York City

Fifteen full-term infants were placed on dietary regimens for 3 months: 1) formula diet with cottonseed oil as the sole fat source (six subjects); 2) evaporated cow's milk formula supplemented with -tocopherol to equal that provided by the cottonseed oil (four subjects); 3) breast feeding (five subjects). The mean plasma tocopherol level (± sd) at birth of all infants was 0.23 ± 0.06 mg/100 ml. Also measured at birth were erythrocyte and adipose tissue fatty acids by gas-liquid chromatography, erythrocyte sensitivity to peroxide-induced hemolysis, and hemogram.

In contrast to the infants on evaporated milk or on breast feeding, those on cottonseed oil (group I) showed a striking increase in the C 18: 2 (linoleate) content of red cell and adipose tissue lipids after 1 month. During the same interval their plasma tocopherol levels remained the same or decreased (mean ± sd, 0.20 ± 0.08 mg/100 ml) while the sensitivity of erythrocytes to peroxide hemolysis increased. At 2 months, in group I infants, the mean hemoglobin level was 9.3 g/100 ml, with a rise in reticulocytes and abnormal erythrocyte morphology. After 2 months, four infants in group I showed appreciable rises in plasma tocopherol with a drop in sensitivity to peroxide hemolysis. One infant, still displaying an exceedingly low level of plasma tocopherol and abnormal peroxide hemolysis, was given daily supplements of tocopherol resulting in rapid restoration of these parameters to normal. By the 3rd month, the infants in group I were normal with respect to plasma tocopherol levels, peroxide hemolysis, and hematologic findings, although the linoleate content of red cell and adipose tissue lipids continued to increase. Linoleate-rich diets such as that provided by the cottonseed oil formula may promote tocopherol depletion of infants during the 1st month of life and induce certain transient hematologic changes similar to those described in premature infants maintained on PUFA-rich diets.