Vitamins for preterm infants

Abstract 

Providing adequate nutrition for preterm infants is a challenge, and ensuring optimal intake of vitamins is one important element of nutritional management. Preterm babies have different phases of nutrition and growth: a transitional phase (mainly parenteral nutrition), an early growth phase (enteral nutrition), and a longer period of catch-up growth (also enteral nutrition). Specific vitamin requirements differ according to dietary nutrient intake at each phase, and supplements must be tailored accordingly. As well as their nutritional role, there has been an interest in the use of vitamins as ‘pharmacological’ agents, particularly vitamins A and E as anti-oxidants.

In this article, we will review the current evidence for nutritional use of multivitamin preparations, both for parenteral and enteral nutrition of preterm babies, as well as the potential pharmacological roles for vitamins A and E in reduction of oxygen-radical-induced injury.

Keywords:  Preterm infant, Vitamins, Nutrition, Anti-oxidants