Claims
- 1. A method of accelerating the growth rate of a prematurely-born human infant by administering to said infant a seven carbon fatty acid compound or derivative thereof, wherein said compound or derivative thereof is able to readily enter the mitochondrion without special transport enzymes.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said seven carbon fatty acid compound comprises n-heptoanoic acid.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said seven carbon fatty acid compound comprises a triglyceride comprising n-heptanoic acid.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said triglyceride comprises triheptanoin.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said derivative is a five carbon fatty acid chain.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said derivative is selected from the group consisting of 4-methylhexanoate, 4-methylhexenoate, 3-hydroxy-4-methylhexanoate, 5-methylhexanoate, 5-methylhexenoate and 3-hydroxy-5-methylhexanoate.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative thereof is capable of being broken down by normal β-oxidation in humans to methylbutyric acid.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative thereof is capable of being broken down by normal β-oxidation in humans to isovaleric acid.
- 9. The method claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative is capable of being broken down by normal β-oxidation in humans to n-valeryl-CoA.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative is capable of being broken down by normal β-oxidation in humans to propionyl-CoA in one or more oxidative procedures.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative thereof is provided to said human infant in an amount comprising at least about 25% of the dietary caloric requirement for said infant.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative is provided orally.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative is provided parenterally.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound or derivative is provided intraperitoneally.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/371,385 filed on 21 Feb. 2003 which is a divisional of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/890,559 filed on 01 Aug. 2001 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/119, 038 which was filed on 05 Feb. 1999.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60119038 |
Feb 1999 |
US |
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10371385 |
Feb 2003 |
US |
Child |
10748432 |
Dec 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09890559 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10371385 |
Feb 2003 |
US |