Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Change language
Home > VITAFRIENDSPKU  > YOUR PKU > YOUR JOURNEY WITH PKU

YOUR JOURNEY WITH PKU

Click through the characters below to find out more about the VitafriendsPKU journey

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a lifelong condition and Vitaflo are here to support you every step of the way.


At VitafriendsPKU you’ll find all the information you need about your protein substitute: how to make and take it, available flavours and what products your dietitian might talk to you about. There is lots of age specific information and recipes using your recommended product.

Vitaflo products for the dietary management of Phenylketonuria (PKU) have a circular PKU badge and will always be blue. If you ever receive a product which isn’t blue or has a circular badge that doesn’t say PKU, consult your dietitian before consuming.

WHAT IS PKU?

PKU is short for Phenylketonuria (pronounced phe·nyl·ke·ton·uria).

PKU is a rare genetic condition. In many countries, there will be only 1 baby born with PKU for every 10,000 babies born.
When diagnosed early and effectively managed, individuals with PKU can develop and grow normally.

FIND OUT MORE

When an individual has PKU, their body is unable to properly deal with a nutrient in food called protein. Protein is found in many foods but certain foods (e.g. meat, fish, chicken, nuts and eggs) have more protein than others. To be more exact, the body has problems with one particular part of protein; Protein is made up of ‘building blocks’ called amino acids.


One of these amino acids is called Phenylalanine (or Phe for short). There is an enzyme in the body called Phenylalanine hydroxylase (or PAH for short). PAH converts Phe into another amino acid called tyrosine. Tyrosine is needed for many important functions in the body. In PKU, the enzyme PAH does not work very well or it does not work at all. The main problem this causes is a build-up of Phe to high levels in the body which can impact on health.


High levels of Phe in young children over a prolonged period can lead to brain damage. The amount of Phe in the body is determined by measuring the amount of Phe in the blood. Long-term, blood Phe needs to be kept within specific limits which are known as the target blood Phe range. These limits are set by the medical experts working in this area.
In many countries, there is national newborn screening (NBS) in place for PKU. This means that every baby born in that country will be offered testing for PKU. This allows PKU to be diagnosed in the early days of life. Early diagnosis allows high Phe levels to be quickly reduced, preventing damage.


Early diagnosis combined with effective life-long dietary management leads to very good outcomes in PKU. Individuals with well-managed PKU can enjoy the same expectations in life (in terms of education, employment* and family life) as everybody else.

(*Some individuals with PKU on dietary treatment have been unsuccessful in applying for military roles, with inability to supply specialist dietary products in a warzone cited as the reason for rejecting their applications.)

Further information

Explorers Club

EXPLORERS CLUB

The Explorers Club is an education programme designed to support parents and their children as they start their PKU journey from 0-4 years.

FIND OUT MORE