7 PLASMA AND RED CELL FOLATE IN BREAST-FED AND COW'S MILK-FED INFANTS AND CHILDREN DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS OP LIFE

Abstract

The plasma and red cell folate concentrations and other pertinent parameters have been studied in 35 breast-fed and 10 infants fed home-made cow's milk mixtures. -Breastfed infants had significantly higher folate cone. in plasma and red blood cells than the artificially fed infants and the adult referance material. A significant positive correlation between plasma folate at one age and that of red cells at a later age in the first year of life was observed.-The cow's milk-fed infants had significantly lower haemoglobin cone., red blood cell counts and haematocrit values than the breast-fed infants at 3 months of age, and significantly higher relative reticulocyte counts at 4 and 5 months of age. A significant positive correlation between the haemoglobin cone. and the red cell folate cone. at 6 months of age was found in the artificially fed infants. -The observed differences between the breast-fed and artificially-fed infants are probably due to loss of folate during the preparation of the cow's milk mixtures. Reduction in the folate cone, during boiling could be prevented by adding ascorbic acid. The artificially fed infants may be regarded as folate deficient.