The Effect of Oral Protein Supplementation on the Growth of Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Protein supplementation significantly improves the growth of the anthropometric parameters. An increase in serum albumin and no increase in serum urea can indicate the anabolic effect of extra protein. Protein supplementation can add to routine feeding protocols of VLBW infants without any short-term adverse effect; however, further study for evaluation of long-term complications is needed.