Absorption of individual fatty acids from long chain or medium chain triglycerides in very small infants

Using stool samples previously obtained for a nutritional balance study of very small infants, the intake, excretion, and percent absorption (%A) of individual fatty acids were quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography in two groups of patients; one receiving a formula providing fat as long chain triglycerides (LCT), the other providing 40% fat as medium chain triglyceride (MCT). The total fat intake for each group was 7.22 g/kg/day (MCT group), 6.02 g/kg/day (LCT group) and the absorption was 6.79 g/kg/day (MCT group) and 5.41 g/kg/day (LCT group). The %A of individual acids was comparable in both groups being greater than 99% for MCT and being lowest (62%) for C18:0 FA. As a consequence, infants in the MCT-fed group had a better total %A of fat, 95.2 vs 89.9% and absorbed more fat than the LCT group.