After reading the posts concerning the baby on the "fat-free formula"..I
looked up the formula Portagen, because I had never heard of a baby being
maintained on a fat-free formula, and since we know the importance of fat for
a baby's neurological and brain growth, this concerned me.

This is what I found about Portagen. --online


Iron fortified nutritionally complete powder with medium chain triglycerides
PORTAGEN powder is nutritionally complete and may, therefore, be used as an
infant formula, as the major or sole constituent of the diet or as a beverage
to be consumed with each meal in accord with recommendations of the physician

Thus, Portagen seems to be a formula that basically uses MCT oil (medium
chained trigycerides)  as a fat source.  I know MCT oil is sometimes used to
calorically boost breastmilk or formula for babies needing to gain more
weight.

I'm not sure metabolically of the differences between medium chain
triglycerides and regular sources of fat in the neonate diet, and what the
advantages might be for this particular infant...particularly compared to the
fat sources in human breastmilk.



June Rychlik. BS, M. Ed
IBCLC Candidate

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