Adequation of micronutrient support in industrialized enteral formulas

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the adequacy of the micronutrient supply in certain industrialized enteral formulas. Method: Descriptive study, with label analysis of 19 industrialized enteral formulas frequently used in hospitalized patients. The micronutrient content of a 1000 Kcal portion was compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for adults aged 19 to 50 years, depending on sex. The micronutrient intake was considered adequate when it reached values equal to 100 ± 5% of the DRIs. Results: Observing the male gender, six formulations were below the recommendations for zinc and ten formulas were below the recommendations for niacin. The iron content exceeded the recommended values for adult men, however it varied from 56% to 93% of the recommendations for the female sex. Contributions of 45% to 89% of the DRIs were found for Vitamin D, 32% to 64% for sodium and 29% to 77% for potassium, as well as predominantly below the reference range for calcium, magnesium, vitamin K and acid Folic. Eight formulas showed values below the recommended for selenium and four for pantothenic acid. The biotin content varied from 63% to 1,111% in relation to the recommended values. The D formula (polymer, standard volume) exhibited the most inadequacies for both sexes. Conclusion: The inadequacy of the supply of certain micronutrients is a cause for concern, since enteral formulations are often the only and exclusive source of food for these patients, which may culminate in nutritional deficiencies and unfavorable clinical outcomes.