A baby or infant composition is provided which comprises one or more nutrient materials and, as a supplement, nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof or an immediate biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof, in a physiologically acceptable form. It has been found to be beneficial to administer such a composition to preterm babies and term babies and infants. It has also been to be beneficial to administer nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof or an immediate biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof to adults having normal levels of nervonic acid in their body and, in particular, to women who intend to become pregnant, pregnant women and lactating women.

This invention relates to certain nervonic acid-containing compositions. 
Nervonic acid is a long chain mono-unsaturated fatty acid, the systematic 
name of which is cis-tetracos-15-enoic acid, generally designated in short 
as C24:1(n-9). It plays a part in the biosynthesis of myelin and it is 
found in sphingolipids of white matter in the human brain. In diseases 
involving demyelination, such as adrenoleucodystrophy (ALD) and multiple 
sclerosis (MS), there is a marked reduction from normal in the nervonic 
acid levels in sphingolipids, and we have described the administration of 
nervonic acid to sufferers of these diseases to alleviate the condition. 
However, whilst this treatment is effective, its apparent simplicity 
belies the extreme complexity of the body processes involved. It is not 
the case that mere administration of a fatty acid will necessarily, or 
even probably, overcome a deficiency of that acid in the brain: the 
processes are too complex for such an elementary analysis. 
In Medical Hypotheses (1994), 42, 237-242, Sargent J. R. et al review the 
relation between nervonic acid and demyelinating diseases. These diseases 
tend to occur from teenage onwards whereas, in contrast, myelin formation 
occurs before birth and in the first year or two of life. Sargent et al 
hypothesise that in the context of ALD and MS diseases, the absence of 
relatively specialised fatty acids during the early years of life could 
have serious consequences for neural performance later. Whilst, later in 
life, there is an apparent relationship during demyelination between 
nervonic acid levels and the diseases ALD and MS, no such relationship has 
been established between any particular acid and the myelination process 
itself. Indeed, the whole area of long chain fatty acid biosynthesis is 
proving much more complex than hitherto realised, and the effects of 
competing processes and variations in dietary feed are very far from 
understood. 
We have now found, however, that despite the fundamental lack of 
understanding of the technology and the complexity and inter-relation of 
very many different factors, there is an advantage in providing a 
supplement of nervonic acid in the diets of children and mothers, and in 
the diets of adults whose nervonic acid levels are generally taken to be 
normal. This dietary supplement of nervonic acid other than for the 
treatment of a demyelinating disease provides advantageous effects both 
for children in the myelinating age and later in life. This finding is 
contrary to the generally accepted view that normal diets do result in 
adequate nervonic acid levels, and it is of note that despite the 
complexity of the overall situation, dietary nervonic acid is a useful way 
of providing this substance to human tissue. 
According to the present invention, therefore, there is provided a baby or 
infant food composition comprising one or more nutrient materials and, as 
a supplement, nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof or an 
immediate biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional 
derivative thereof, in a physiologically acceptable form. 
The composition may, for example, comprise a formula for preterm babies or 
term babies and infants in the form of a ready-to-feed liquid water-based 
preparation, or may be in the form of a powder or concentrated liquid 
intended to be diluted with water to become a ready-to-feed liquid. 
Alternatively, infant foods, such as processed meats, vegetables and fish, 
can be supplemented by adding nervonic acid or a functional derivative 
thereof or an immediate biochemical precursor. 
The term "functional derivative", as used throughout the specification, is 
defined as any derivative of nervonic acid which contains the intact acyl 
group. Examples of such functional derivatives include esters, 
particularly glyceride esters, for example the mono-, di- and tri-nervonyl 
glycerides, and ethyl esters, and fatty acid salts, such as sodium salts, 
lithium salts, potassium salts, calcium salts, amino acid salts and the 
like. 
The functional derivative may be a complex triglyceride, by which is meant 
a triglyceride which contains, in addition to an acyl group of nervonic 
acid, acyl groups of other fatty acids. For example, the other acyl groups 
may be derived from (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids and (n-6) 
polyunsaturated acids, where (n-3) and (n-6) indicate the position of the 
first carbon-carbon double bond with respect to the terminal methyl group 
on the fatty acid. Examples of such fatty acids are 18:3(n-3) linolenic 
acid, 18:4(n-3) stearidonic acid, 20:5(n-3) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 
22:6(n-3) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 18:2(n-6) linoleic acid, 
18:3(n-6).gamma.-linolenic acid, 20:3(n-6) dihomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid 
and 20:4(n-6) arachidonic acid. 
Preferably, the nervonic acid is used in the form of an ester thereof, and 
most preferably in the form of a glyceride ester. 
An immediate biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional 
derivative thereof can be used in the composition, as the precursor can be 
converted to nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof in the body. 
For example, the composition may contain erucic acid. 
Among the nutrients suitably present in the baby or infant composition are, 
for example, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, mineral salts, 
nucleosides, nucleotides and vitamins. 
The composition may also contain additives such as flavouring agents, 
colourants, thickeners, emulsifiers and other such agents, which are 
conventional in the art. 
Preferably, the nervonic acid or functional derivative thereof comprises at 
least 0.5 wt % of the baby or infant composition. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided the 
use of nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof or an immediate 
biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional derivative 
thereof as a supplement for a baby or infant food. 
We have also found that it is particularly beneficial to supplement infant 
formulae feeds with nervonic acid when the feed contains DHA and 
arachidonic acid. We believe that the presence of DHA and arachidonic acid 
inhibits the conversion of oleic acid to nervonic acid, thus making it 
even more important to supplement the feed with nervonic acid. 
In humans, the essential fatty acid, linolenic acid is converted to DHA and 
another essential fatty acid, linoleic acid is converted to arachidonic 
acid. The same enzyme systems bring about these two conversions. Thus, the 
presence of an excess of linoleic acid will inhibit the conversion of 
linoleic acid to DHA, so that arachidonic acid but not DHA is produced; 
and equally, the presence of an excess of linolenic acid will inhibit the 
conversion of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid, so that DHA but not 
arachidronic acid is produced. Moreover, the presence of the end product 
DHA will inhibit the conversion of linolenic acid to DHA and probably also 
the conversion of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid; and equally, the 
presence of the end product arachidonic acid will inhibit the conversion 
of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid. 
We have now discovered that the competitive interactions between linolenic 
and linoleic acid referred to above also extend to the conversion of oleic 
acid to nervonic acid, i.e. linolenic and linoleic acid will compete with 
oleic acid for conversion to long chain (C20 and C22) products. Equally, 
we believe that the end product inhibitions exerted by DHA and arachidonic 
acid on the conversions of linolenic acid to DHA and linoleic acid to 
arachidonic acid apply also to the conversion of oleic acid to nervonic 
acid. 
We have now realised, therefore, that when infant formulae feeds contain 
the end products DHA and arachidonic acid (which is sometimes the case), 
it is particularly important to supplement the feed with nervonic acid or 
a functional derivative thereof. 
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided 
the use of nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof or an 
immediate biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional 
derivative thereof, and one or more nutrient materials as a baby or infant 
food composition. 
The invention also provides the use of nervonic acid or a functional 
derivative thereof or an immediate biochemical precursor of either 
nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof as a supplement for an 
adult foodstuff for an adult having a normal level of nervonic acid in the 
body. Most preferably, the adult foodstuff is for administration to women 
who intend to become pregnant, pregnant women and lactating women. 
In Medical Hypotheses (1994), 42, pages 237-242, Sargent J. R. et al, 
referred to above, figures are given for what are considered to be normal 
levels of nervonic acid.

The table given below illustrates the amount of nervonic acid in 
sphingolipids of white matter from post mortem brains of "normal 
individuals" and multiple sclerosis patients. 
______________________________________ 
Sphingomyelin Sulphatides Cerebrosides 
Fatty acid 
Normal MS Normal MS Normal MS 
______________________________________ 
Nervonic 
36.3 .+-. 
25.7 .+-. 
36.2 .+-. 3.7 
28.0 .+-. 
40.3 .+-. 5.7 
31.0 .+-. 
Acid 2.5 5.7 4.8 5.3 
______________________________________ 
Total lipid was extracted by chloroform:methanol (2:1 vol:vol), separated 
by two dimensional thin layer chromatography, and fatty acid methyl esters 
prepared by acid-catalysed transmethylation and analysed by high 
resolution gas-liquid chromatography. Values are means .+-.s.d. for 
separate determinations of post mortem brain samples from 9 normal 
individuals and 9 patients with multiple sclerosis. 
The present invention also provides the use of nervonic acid or a 
functional derivative thereof or an immediate biochemical precursor of 
either nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof, and one or more 
nutrient materials as an adult foodstuff for an adult having a normal 
level of nervonic acid in the body, most preferably, the adult foodstuff 
is for administration to women who intend to become pregnant, pregnant 
women and lactating women. 
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided the use of 
nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof or an immediate 
biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional derivative 
thereof, in a physiologically acceptable form, in the manufacture of a 
medicament to treat preterm babies and term babies and infants, women who 
intend to become pregnant, pregnant women and lactating women. 
The present invention also provides a foodstuff for a women who intends to 
become pregnant, a pregnant woman or a lactating woman, which woman has a 
normal level of nervonic acid in the body, to which foodstuff is added 
nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof or an immediate 
biochemical precursor of either nervonic acid or a functional derivative 
thereof. 
Any known foodstuff or dietary composition can be mixed with the nervonic 
acid or functional derivative thereof or immediate biochemical precursor, 
to provide a baby or infant food composition in accordance with the 
present invention, or an adult foodstuff for administration to adults 
whose nervonic acid levels are normal. 
Without limitation, foodstuffs or dietary compositions which can be used to 
prepare the baby or infant compositions or adult foodstuffs include: oils, 
low fat spreads, margarines, butter, cheese spreads, milk, yoghurts, 
chocolate, chocolate spreads, peanut butter, salad dressing, mayonnaise, 
meat paste, fish paste, vegetable spreads, juices, drinks, milk, infant 
food, infant milk, whips, creams, powders, granules and tablets or pills 
containing them, capsules, bakery products, pates and seafood products. 
Functional derivatives of nervonic acid, in a physiologically acceptable 
form, containing between 1 and 99% nervonic acid can be used by food 
manufacturers. 
For example, oils containing nervonic acid or a functional derivative 
thereof can be used for direct ingestion or for mixing with other oily 
foods, such as salad oils or cooking oils. The nervonic acid or functional 
derivatives thereof may be mixed at between 0.5%-50%. 
Compounded foodstuffs, such as whips, creams, emulsions or mayonnaise, can 
be supplemented by adding 0.5%-50% of nervonic acid or a functional 
derivative thereof. 
Animal milk from cows and goats can be supplemented by adding nervonic acid 
or a functional derivative thereof in the range 0.5-10%, usually with 
addition of an emulsifier to aid incorporation. 
Granules, powders and foodstuffs containing granules or powders can be 
prepared by adsorption or microencapsulating nervonic acid or a functional 
derivative thereof. Concentration levels of between 0.5 and 90% of 
nervonic acid or a functional derivative are envisaged. 
Tablets or pills can be prepared from granules or powders containing 
nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof. 
Infant foods, such as processed meats, vegetables and fish, can be 
supplemented by adding between 0.5-50% of nervonic acid or a functional 
derivative thereof. 
Enteral foods or infant foods can be prepared containing between 0.5-20% 
nervonic acid or a functional derivative thereof. 
Suitably, the baby or infant food compositions of the invention, or 
supplements therefor, and adult foodstuffs or supplements for adult 
foodstuffs, for administration to adults whose nervonic acid levels are 
normal in accordance with the invention, comprise the oil from a plant or 
micro-organism in a substantially purified form. Although nervonic acid is 
rare or insignificant in normal diets, it does occur in a small number of 
plant seeds and micro-organisms. Natural sources include the seed oils of 
Cardamine gracea, Heliphila longifola, Thlaspi perfoliatum, Tropaeolum 
speciosum, Lunaria biennis, Lunaria annua and Malania oleifera; the moulds 
Neocallismastix frontalis, Erysiphe graminis and Sphaerotheca humuli; the 
bacterium Pseudomonas atlantica; the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and 
the marine diatom Nitzschia cylindrus. 
A preferred source is the seed oil of plants known to contain significant 
amounts, i.e. greater than 10%, of nervonic acid in the lipid (usually 
triglyceride). Clearly other sources containing less than 10% can be used, 
but are of lower value since higher concentrations would have to be 
employed to provide the optimal amount, or the nervonic acid would require 
concentrating by the use of additional steps. The seed oils of Lunaria 
species e.g. Lunaria biennis are of particular value since they contain 
over 20% nervonic acid in the triglyceride lipid. A detailed typical 
composition of such an oil is shown in Table 2. 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
FATTY ACID DISTRIBUTION IN L.BIENNIS SEED OIL* 
Fatty Acid 
Name Amount (%)** 
Amount (%)*** 
______________________________________ 
C16:0 Palmitic acid 
1.2 1.1 
C16:1 oleopalmitic acid 0.2 0.1 
C18:0 stearic acid 0.2 0.2 
C18:1 oleic acid 23.4 23.3 
C18:2 linoleic acid 4.8 5.4 
C18:3 linolenic acid 1.0 0.8 
C20:0 eicosanoic acid tr**** --***** 
C20:1 eicosenoic acid 1.6 0.5 
C22:0 behenic acid 0.2 0.2 
C22:1 erucic acid 45.3 45.1 
C22:2 docosandienoic acid 0.1 0.2 
C24:0 tetracosanoic acid 0.2 0.1 
C24:1 nervonic acid 21.8 22.8 
100.00 100.00 
______________________________________ 
*Analysed by gas chromatography 
**The triglycerides ester converted to the corresponding methyl ester 
***second determination on a different sample 
****trace amount, usually less than 0.1% 
*****not detected 
In addition to the various natural sources of nervonic acid described 
above, it is also possible to provide nervonic acid by a synthetic 
procedure. The starting point for such synthesis could be, for example, 
the readily available erucic acid (cis-docosa-13-enoic acid). One possible 
synthesis has been described by Carrol K. K, Canadian J. Chem., 1957, 35, 
pages 757-760. This synthesis involves the conversion of erucic acid to 
its methyl ester by esterification with methanol, reduction to erucyl 
alcohol using lithium aluminium hydride, conversion of the alcohol to its 
alkyl bromide by reaction with phosphorous tribromide, reaction of the 
erucyl bromide with diethyl malonate and decarboxylation to yield nervonic 
acid. This synthesis is particularly advantageous in the preparation of 
isotopically labelled nervonic acid. 
The various methods of extracting seed oils from the oil-bearing seeds are 
well known to those skilled in the art. These methods include dry 
rendering, wet rendering, batch pressing, continuous pressing, solvent 
extraction and extraction with super-critical gases such as carbon 
dioxide. In practice, the most efficient processes involve continuous 
pressing or super-critical extraction with or without secondary solvent 
extraction of the oil seed cake. 
Extracted oils free from solvent may also contain undesirable impurities 
which can detract from the value of the oil as a pharmaceutical. 
Undesirable impurities or contaminants may be removed by various refining 
processes. Refining is defined as any purifying treatment designed to 
remove free fatty acids, phosphatides, gums or other major impurities. 
The oil may be further improved by bleaching and deodorisation. Bleaching 
is defined as any process designed to reduce the colour of the oil. 
Various methods are used and are well known to those skilled in the art. 
Deodorisation is defined as any process designed to remove trace 
contaminants that give rise to flavour and odour. A particularly valuable 
purification process which has the advantage of refining, bleaching and 
deodorisation in one step is adsorption chromatography. 
As can be seen from Table 2 above, natural oils contain a large number of 
component fatty acids in addition to the long chain fatty acids. If 
desired, the long chain fatty acids may be concentrated by selectively 
removing other components. Suitable methods include conversion of the 
triglyceride to the free fatty acid or lower alkyl ester, particularly 
their methyl or ethyl esters. Concentration may then be effectively 
performed by fractional distillation, crystallisation, solvent extraction, 
urea clathration or chromatography to yield nervonic acid-rich fractions. 
In some cases, it may be desirable to use combinations of these 
techniques. 
Although the acids and their functionally active derivatives may be 
prepared synthetically by the processes described above, the processes 
involve a number of stages and high cost. It is especially preferred, 
therefore, that the materials be obtained from naturally-occurring seed 
oils or micro-organisms. Particularly preferred are seed oils such as 
those described above, and especially the seed oil of the Lunaria family. 
As described above, complex triglycerides containing nervonic acid and 
other fatty acids can be used in the baby or infant composition, 
supplement for the baby or infant composition, adult foodstuff or 
supplement for the adult foodstuff. Such complex triglycerides can be 
prepared by a number of methods. These include interesterification, 
transesterification and related esterification techniques. 
Thus, a mixture of triglycerides containing the required fatty acyl groups 
can be interesterified by heating, in the presence of a catalyst such as 
sodium hydroxide, of lipolytic enzyme until the acyl groups are randomly 
distributed. Alternatively, a triglyceride can be transesterified by 
heating in the presence of a catalyst and an alkyl ester of the fatty 
acids of interest. 
A further possibility is complete chemical synthesis by reacting glycerol 
with the fatty acids required, in the presence or absence of a catalyst, 
with the elimination of water. 
Structured (rather than mixed) triglycerides can also be prepared, where 
the specific fatty acids are located regiospecifically on the 
triglyceride. Regiospecificity can be introduced by the use of enzymes or 
by protecting-deprotecting methodologies. These techniques are well known 
to those skilled in the art and are discussed in several publications, 
e.g. Jensen, R. G., in "Topics in Lipid Chemistry", Vol 3, pages 1-35, ed. 
Gunstone, F. D. and Wiley, J. (1972) and Gunstone, F. D., in "The Lipid 
Handbook", 2nd edition, pages 366-374, ed. Gunstone, F. D., Harwood, J. L. 
and Padley, F. B. Chapman and Hall (1994). 
It is further preferred that the nervonic acid or functional derivatives 
thereof are administered in an acceptable form. Many such forms are known 
and include oral administration of the oil itself, the free fatty acids or 
functional derivatives thereof. Additionally, the oil-free fatty acids or 
functional derivatives may be administered as capsules, tablets or 
emulsions in water. Furthermore, the composition may be administered where 
appropriate by injection, intravenous intubation or nasogastric 
intubation, for example. 
Where the baby or infant composition of the invention is intended to be a 
formula for preterm babies or term babies and infants, many other 
nutrients are suitably present. Typically, the baby or infant composition 
would contain other fats, carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, mineral 
salts, nucleosides, nucleotides and vitamins, in addition, for example, to 
the nervonic acid, functional derivative of nervonic acid or Lunaria oil. 
The infant formula may be a ready-to-feed liquid water-based preparation 
or may be in the form of a powder or concentrated liquid intended to be 
diluted with water to become a ready-to-feed liquid. 
Suitable protein sources include casein, whey protein, soyabean protein, 
cows milk protein or hydrolysed whey or casein protein. Suitable 
carbohydrate sources include lactose, sucrose, glucose or glucose polymers 
or combinations. 
In addition, the infant formula can contain nutritionally acceptable 
quantities of the following vitamins and minerals : vitamin A, vitamin D, 
vitamin B, vitamin B.sub.2, Niacin, vitamin B.sub.6, folate, pantothenic 
acid, vitamin B.sub.12, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, 
phosphorous, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, 
manganese, iodine and selenium. 
The amino acids typically added include: L-arginine, L-cystine, 
L-histidine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-cysteine, L-methionine, 
L-phenylalanine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, L-valine, 
L-carnitine and taurine. 
The additional fatty acids which may be incorporated as fatty acids, esters 
or natural oils may be saturated or unsaturated and include short chain 
fatty acids, long chain fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acids, 
poly-unsaturated fatty acids, (n-6) poly-unsaturated fatty acids and (n-3) 
poly-unsaturated fatty acids. (n-3) and (n-6) indicate the position of the 
first carbon-carbon double bond with respect to the terminal methyl group 
on the fatty acid. 
It will be understood, therefore, that the baby or infant composition of 
the present invention or adult foodstuff may comprise nervonic acid or 
functional derivatives thereof and one or more additional fatty acids. The 
baby or infant composition or adult foodstuff may, for example, contain a 
physical mixture of nervonic acid (or a derivative thereof) and the other 
fatty acids given above (or derivatives thereof). Alternatively, the baby 
or infant composition or adult foodstuff may contain structured or mixed 
complex triglycerides containing nervonic acid and other fatty acids, 
whereby all the desired fatty acids are chemically combined in the 
triglyceride(s). 
Where the nervonic acid is supplied as Lunaria oil (which contains about 
20% nervonic acid), then the amount of Lunaria oil in the baby or infant 
formula of the present invention would be between about 25-30 mg/100 ml 
feed; the minimum daily intake being about 150 mg/day or 37.6 mg/kg body 
weight. 
By way of comparison, the normal total fat content in infant formulae is 
3.4 g/100 ml (Cow and Gate Nutrition Plus), 3.41 g/100 ml (Boots 
Follow-On) and 3.6 g/100 ml (Milupa Aptamil). Infant formulae are often 
supplied as powdered concentrates to be diluted with water for feeding, in 
which case the concentrated powder would be formulated to provide the 
desired amount of nervonic acid in the final feed. 
It is believed that the quantity of nervonic acid which should suitably be 
supplied to pregnant women, women who intend to become pregnant and 
lactating women is about 5-80 mg/day, preferably about 5-50 mg/day and 
most preferably about 8-32 mg/day. If, for example, Lunaria oil is 
encapsulated to give 1000 mg capsules (200 mg nervonic acid), a 50 
kilogram woman would need to take between two and eight capsules per day. 
Average milk volume outputs from lactating mothers range from about 600 
ml/24 hours at one month, up to a maximum of about 1000 ml/24 hours at six 
months, and thereafter fall to around 800 ml/24 hours at twelve months. 
For infant formula feeding, it is recommended to give infants from about 
510 ml of the feed at two weeks old to about 1000 ml at six months old. 
It is proposed that the amount of nervonic acid (calculated on a 100% 
basis) which should suitably be taken by the infant would be in the range 
of about 30-60 mg/day, and that this amount could be provided by the 
composition of the present invention, supplied as an infant formula. The 
amount of nervonic acid supplied as a derivative in an infant formula in 
accordance with the present invention, would suitably be between about 
1-20 mg/100 ml, preferably between about 2-10 mg/100 ml, and most 
preferably between about 4-7 mg/100 ml. As the amount of infant formula 
feed increases from about 600 ml (at two weeks) to about 1000 ml (at six 
months), the amount of nervonic acid derivative in the feed is suitably 
between 5-6 mg/ml. The amount of nervonic acid supplied in the infant 
formula needs to be sufficient to allow the infant to obtain at least the 
minimum daily intake of nervonic acid required, allowing for fat 
digestion, absorption and subsequent metabolic processing. 
Where the nervonic acid is supplied as Lunaria oil (which contains about 
20% nervonic acid), then the amount of Lunaria oil in the infant formula 
of the present invention would be between about 25-30 mg/100 ml feed; the 
minimum daily intake being about 150 mg/day or 37.6 mg/kg body weight. 
By way of comparison, the normal total fat content in infant formulae is 
3.4 g/100 ml (Cow and Gate Nutrition Plus), 3.41 g/100 ml (Boots 
Follow-On) and 3.6 g/100 ml (Milupa Aptamil). Infant formulae are often 
supplied as powdered concentrates to be diluted with water for feeding, in 
which case the concentrated powder would be formulated to provide the 
desired amount of nervonic acid in the final feed. 
It is believed that the quantity of nervonic acid which should suitably be 
supplied to pregnant women, women who intend to become pregnant and 
lactating women is about 5-80 mg/day, preferably about 5-50 mg/day and 
most preferably about 8-32 mg/day. If, for example, Lunaria oil is 
encapsulated to give 1000 mg capsules (200 mg nervonic acid), a 50 
kilogram woman would need to take between two and eight capsules per day.