Nucleotides and your child's growing years
A healthy world …begins with healthy infants and children
Nucleotides are the building blocks of both DNA and RNA, making them vital for cell growth , function and repair. In fact, they are integral to the function of every living cell.

Besides the formation of DNA and RNA, nucleotides also plays a part in cell metabolism. For example, the nucleotide adenosine triphosphate is the main energy carrying molecule in all cells . Put simply, cells cannot survive without it.

Nucleotides also aids in the synthesis of lipids(fats), carbohydrates and proteins.

Where can we get nucleotides?
They are constantly being formed and degraded in our body.

Where in particular? Most especially in tissues with rapid turnover rates. For instance, skin, white and red blood cells and the immune system.

Our body can make its own nucleotides in the liver, but it also needs to get them from external sources, like the food we eat.

Readily found in breast milk, nucleotides have been shown to have various benefits for your child.

There are thirteen types of nucleotides found in human milk, five of these have been proven to aid physiologic function. They are:

1. Cytidine (CMP)
2. Adenosine (AMP)
3. Uridine (UMP)
4. Guanosine (GMP)
5. Inosine (IMP)

Nucleotides enhance physical development
Nucleotides play an important role in building resistance to infections.

That's one reason why children who have been breast fed have fewer colds, coughs and so on.

Nucleotides protect against gastroenteritis
Diarrhea in a child is usually caused by a viral infection of the intestines (gastroenteritis). Occasionally it is caused by bacteria or parasites. Not only can nucleotides protect your child from serious bouts of gastroenteritis, it also helps reduce the incidence and duration of diarrhea in your child.

Nucleotides help in the manufacture of AA & DHA
Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids or LCPUFAs have been linked to improved intellectual and visual development in infants.

A need for nucleotides
Your child requires a constant supply of DNA and a rapid turnover of RNA to grow strong and healthy. Millions of new cells need to be produced everyday to sustain growth spurts.

A child's rapid growth, especially during infancy, increases the daily requirement of nucleotides, surpassing the body's ability to manufacture its own.

That's why it is especially important for infants to benefit from nucleotides in their diet , namely breast milk. Unfortunately, full cream milk contains levels of nucleotides that are nearly undetectable.

Reprinted with permission from Wyeth Nutrition