Abstract
SummaryA vitamin D‐independent paracellular and not saturable mechanism important for intestinal calcium absorption turned out to be less effective in lactose‐free diets. Twelve normal term babies with identical repletion levels of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25D) were fed sequentially with starting formulas that differed only in their carbohydrate sources: lactose (control) and polycose. A 3‐day test was performed after a 1‐week adjustment to the new diet. Fecal excretion of calcium was significantly higher in the lactose‐free formula period compared to the control one: 56.6 (13.9) versus 39.6 (12.8) mg/kg/day (p < 0.02); subsequently, the net retention was considerably higher and statistically significant (p < 0.01) for the control period versus the lactose‐free formula period: 99.4 (15.3) versus 78.1 (14.3). Plasma 25D values were 21.8 (9.1) and 23.7 (7.1) ng/ml at the beginning of the lactose and polycose periods, respectively, and 1,25‐dihydroxy‐vitamin‐D values were 64 (62) and 75 (45) pg/ml, not significant. Results suggest that formulas containing polycose as the sole carbohydrate source may reduce the intestinal absorption of calcium in term newborns, but determining long‐term biological significance requires further observation.
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