Effect of mineral supplementation of human milk on bone mineral content and trace element metabolism.

We studied the effect of feeding mineral fortified human milk to preterm infants (birth weight less than or equal to 1500 gm). Serum concentrations of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, cooper, alkaline phosphatase, and parathyroid hormone were determined, and bone mineral content was measured, in infants fed unfortified human milk (group 1), fortified human milk (group 1), fortified human milk (group 2), and a "humanized," mineral-enriched premature infant formula (group 3). Serum calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and parathyroid hormone concentrations did not differ significantly among the groups studied. Serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations increased significantly only in the infants fed unfortified human milk, and bone mineral content in this group was significantly lower than in formula-fed infants.