SELENIUM STATUS OF INFANTS IS INFLUENCED BY SUPPLEMENTATION OF FORMULA OR MATERNAL DIETS

Plasma selenium of infants fed proprietary formula was significantly l ess than that in infants fed human milk. Addition of selenite to the f ormula (0.253 mumol Se/L) increased plasma selenium and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and total peroxidase (Px). However, eryth rocyte selenium decreased significantly during the 12-wk study in infa nts receiving human milk or formula with or without supplemental selen ite. Infants fed human milk from women receiving 0 or 200 mug suppleme ntal selenium as selenomethionine or selenium-enriched yeast had plasm a selenium that paralleled changes in their selenium intake. Plasma GP x and Px activities were unrelated to human milk selenium intake. Milk from women given either selenium supplement prevented the decline in infant erythrocyte selenium. Results of these studies suggest that the method of feeding modifies the infant's apparent selenium status and that the molecular form of selenium provided and/or its interaction wi th other milk constituents are determinants of infant selenium status.