No statistically significant subgroup differences were found according to infant risk of allergy or type of infant feed .
There is some evidence that a prebiotic supplement added to infant feeds may prevent eczema .
It is unclear whether the use of prebiotic should be restricted to infants at high risk of allergy or may have an effect in low risk population s ; or whether it may have an effect on other allergic diseases including asthma
BACKGROUND Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotic given to infants for the prevention of allergy .
Dietary Nucleotides and Early Growth in Formula-Fed Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND : Dietary nucleotides are nonprotein nitrogenous compounds that are found in high concentrations in breast milk and are thought to be conditionally essential nutrients in infancy . A high nucleotide intake has been suggested to explain some of the benefits of breastfeeding compared with formula feeding and to promote infant growth . However , relatively few large-scale r and omized trials have tested this hypothesis in healthy infants . OBJECTIVE : We tested the hypothesis that nucleotide supplementation of formula benefits  early infant growth .  PATIENTS AND METHODS :  Occipitofrontal head circumference , weight , and length were assessed in infants who were r and omly assigned to groups fed nucleotide-supplemented ( 31 mg/L ; n = 100 ) or control formula without nucleotide supplementation ( n = 100 ) from birth to the age of 20 weeks , and in infants who were breastfed ( reference group ; n = 101 ) . RESULTS : Infants fed with nucleotide-supplemented formula had greater occipitofrontal head circumference at ages 8 , 16 , and 20 weeks than infants fed control formula ( mean difference in z scores at 8 weeks : 0.4 [ 95 % confidence interval : 0.1–0.7 ] ; P = .006 ) even after adjustment for potential confounding factors ( P = .002 ) . Weight at 8 weeks and the increase in both occipitofrontal head circumference and weight from birth to 8 weeks were also greater in infants fed nucleotide-supplemented formula than in those fed control formula . CONCLUSIONS : Our data support the hypothesis that nucleotide supplementation leads to increased weight gain and head growth in formula-fed infants . Therefore , nucleotides could be conditionally essential for optimal infant growth in some formula-fed population s. Additional research is needed to test the hypothesis that the benefits of nucleotide supplementation for early head growth , a critical period for brain growth , have advantages for long-term cognitive development
No statistically significant subgroup differences were found according to infant risk of allergy or type of infant feed .
There is some evidence that a prebiotic supplement added to infant feeds may prevent eczema .
It is unclear whether the use of prebiotic should be restricted to infants at high risk of allergy or may have an effect in low risk population s ; or whether it may have an effect on other allergic diseases including asthma
BACKGROUND Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotic given to infants for the prevention of allergy .