Patient's question:
Got diagnosed with phenylketonuria after a hospital check-up.Doctor's answer:
Mainly applicable to typical PKU patients and those with persistently elevated phenylalanine levels above 1.22 mmol/L (20 mg/dL). Since phenylalanine is an essential amino acid for protein synthesis, complete deficiency can also lead to neurological damage. Therefore, infants can be fed specially formulated low-phenylalanine formula milk, and during the weaning period, a diet rich in low-protein foods such as starches, vegetables, and fruits should be provided. The required phenylalanine intake is approximately 50–70 mg/(kg·d) for infants under 2 months, 40 mg/(kg·d) for those aged 3–6 months, 25–30 mg/(kg·d) for children aged 2 years, and 10–30 mg/(kg·d) for those over 4 years, with the goal of maintaining blood phenylalanine levels between 0.12–0.6 mmol/L (2–10 mg/dL). Dietary control should be maintained at least until after puberty.