Low Serum Biotin in Japanese Children Fed with Hydrolysate Formula
January 2016
in “
Pediatrics international
”
TLDR Japanese infants fed hydrolysate formula may have low biotin levels.
The study investigated biotin levels in Japanese infants fed with various formulas, including hydrolysate formulas for milk allergy. Using an ELISA kit, biotin content was measured in 54 types of formula, breast milk, and the sera of 27 infants. Results showed that only five formulas met the recommended biotin levels, with hydrolysate and special formulas often containing biotin <0.1 μg/dL. Infants fed exclusively with hydrolysate formulas had low serum biotin, and one developed alopecia due to biotin deficiency. Despite the 2014 approval for adding biotin to breast milk substitutes, vigilance for biotin deficiency in infants remained necessary.