Development of the nervous and cardiovascular systems in low-birth-weight infants fed a taurine-supplemented formula.

An adapted cow's milk formula with or without supplemental taurine (480 mumol/l) was fed for 16 weeks to 20 low-birth-weight infants. In the 2nd and 16th weeks of life, respectively, the following parameters were determined: growth, sonography of heart and brain, ECG, EEG, neurological development and the taurine concentration of plasma and urine. None of the parameters investigated was influenced by taurine supplementation except the urinary taurine excretion. At least according to these data, the addition of taurine to whey-predominant infant formulae seems to be unnecessary for the development of heart and brain function in low-birth-weight infants.