Cow's Milk Protein Could Help Save Preemies' Lives
TUESDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- A protein from cow's milk could reduce by about two-thirds the rate of serious blood infections in babies born weighing less than 3.3 pounds.
That's the conclusion of a study published in the Oct. 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that found when these tiny newborns were given a daily dose of the milk protein lactoferrin along with a probiotic bacteria during the first weeks of life, the incidence of the blood infection sepsis dropped dramatically.
"Prevention of sepsis in neonates can be achieved through supplementation of a simple, easily available, cost-effective intervention that is well-tolerated and may be implemented in all settings, including Third World [countries]," said study author Dr. Paolo Manzoni, a neonatologist at S. Anna Hospital in Torino, Italy.
However, when isolated from milk and then concentrated -- as it was in this study -- bovine lactoferrin is not yet approved for use in the United States.
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