Which property of medium chain triglycerides makes them suitable for preterm infants?

• A. Are absorbed via chylomicrons
• B. Increase bile production
• C. Are not absorbed in neonates
• D. Do not require bile salts for absorption

Answer: (D)

Medium-chain triglycerides are advantageous for preterm infants because their digestion and absorption don’t depend on the same pathways as long-chain fats. In immature neonates, bile production and pancreatic lipase activity are limited, which hampers absorption of long-chain triglycerides that require bile salts to emulsify and then enter the lymphatic system via chylomicrons. Medium-chain fats, with fatty acids in the 6–12 carbon range, are more water-soluble and are rapidly hydrolyzed and absorbed directly into the portal circulation, bound to albumin, and delivered to the liver. This means they do not require bile salts for emulsification or chylomicron formation for absorption, making them more reliably absorbed in preterm infants.