Neonatal intestinal lactase activity.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The sequential changes in intestinal lactase activity of 40 neonates were measured indirectly from the differential uptake and excretion of lactose and the non-metabolisable disaccharide lactulose contained in formula feeds. A daily decline in urinary lactose:lactulose excretion ratios, reflecting a rise in intestinal lactase activity, followed formula feeding. Percentage decline was related directly to gestation: full term infants displayed a fivefold greater decline in lactosuria than infants with a gestation of 28 weeks during the first 10 days of milk feeding. The difference between lactose:lactulose ingestion and excretion ratios suggests that within five days of starting feeds intestinal hydrolysis of lactose exceeds 98% efficiency, even in very preterm infants.