American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 48, 1057-1060, Copyright © 1988 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

25-Hydroxyvitamin D and vitamin D in human milk: effects of supplementation and season

M Ala-Houhala, T Koskinen, MT Parviainen and JK Visakorpi
Department of Pediatrics, University Central Hospital, Tampere, Finland.

Breast-milk 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-[OH]D) and vitamin D were measured in mothers supplemented with 2000 or 1000 IU (50 or 25 micrograms) of vitamin D/d or with no supplementation. Fore- and hindmilk samples were collected at two stages of lactation (8 and 15 or 20 wk after delivery) and at different seasons. Season affected the levels of 25-(OH)D and vitamin D. The 25-(OH)D levels were higher in hind- than in foremilk. Supplementation had no effect on vitamin D levels. Milk 25-(OH)D levels of mothers receiving either 1000 or 2000 IU (25 or 50 micrograms) vitamin D/d were significantly higher than those of unsupplemented mothers in February and April. In theory, supplementation with 2000 IU (50 micrograms) vitamin D should have increased the calculated antirachitic activity of the milk in winter to the levels of unsupplemented mothers in September; however, responses varied widely among individuals.

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