Calcium and phosphorus deficiencies affect mineral distribution in neonatal miniature piglets

Current efforts to monitor the mineral status of preterm infants fed human milk may not provide sufficient information on the distribution of body minerals. To investigate the body distribution of calcium and phosphorus during various degrees of mineral deficiency, neonatal miniature piglets were raised for 2 wk on diets differing only in calcium and phosphorus. Groups A, B, and C were fed 100%, 60%, and 20%, respectively, of the recommended amounts of calcium and phosphorus that, when adjusted for rates of growth, approximated the range of dietary intakes of preterm infants. Group C manifested biochemical and body-composition evidence of mineral deficiency when compared with group A: lower serum phosphorus; higher serum alkaline phosphatase activity; less fat-free tissue, calcium, and phosphorus in tibiae, vertebrae, and whole carcasses. Neonatal miniature piglets are useful for studying mineral deposition during mineral deficiency in preterm infants.