Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Substrate utilization during the first weeks of life

P J Sauer1, V P Carnielli, E J Sulkers

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992). Supplement
|December 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Preterm infants utilize both glucose and fat for energy after birth. Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are efficiently oxidized and can replace glucose, while protein contributes minimally to energy expenditure.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Family integrated care reduces stress in transferred parents of preterm infants, but not across all families: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial.

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association·2025
Same author

Nutritional interventions to counteract the detrimental consequences of early-life stress.

Molecular psychiatry·2025
Same author

Comparison of "IN-REC-SUR-E" and LISA in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome: a randomized controlled trial (IN-REC-LISA trial).

Trials·2024
Same author

Parent perspectives on the assessment of quality of life of their children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in the Netherlands.

Research in developmental disabilities·2023
Same author

Maternal stress in the postpartum period is associated with altered human milk fatty acid composition.

Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)·2022
Same author

Distress and post-traumatic stress in parents of patients with congenital gastrointestinal malformations: a cross-sectional cohort study.

Orphanet journal of rare diseases·2022

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Neonatal Physiology
  • Nutritional Metabolism

Background:

  • Substrate utilization shifts significantly after birth, with a transition from primarily glucose to a mix of glucose and fat.
  • Understanding these metabolic changes is crucial for optimizing nutrition in preterm infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate substrate oxidation and turnover in preterm infants during the first day and weeks of life.
  • To determine the relative contributions of glucose, fat, and protein to energy expenditure.

Main Methods:

  • Studied substrate oxidation and turnover rates in preterm infants.
  • Analyzed the utilization of glucose and different types of fats (MCTs, LCFAs).

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • On the first day of life, infused glucose is partially oxidized and partially converted to fat.
  • By day 7 and 28, fat oxidation accounts for nearly half of energy expenditure.
  • Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are oxidized more rapidly than long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and can serve as a glucose alternative.
  • Protein contributes a consistent, small percentage (approx. 7%) to energy expenditure.

    • Conclusions:

    • Preterm infants exhibit distinct substrate utilization patterns post-birth.
    • Fat, particularly MCTs, plays a significant role in energy provision for preterm infants.
    • Nutritional strategies can leverage fat oxidation, especially MCTs, to meet the energy demands of preterm neonates.