American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 66, 52-61, Copyright © 1997 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

beta-Carotene in breast milk and serum is increased after a single beta- carotene dose

LM Canfield, AR Giuliano, EM Neilson, HH Yap, EJ Graver, HA Cui and BM Blashill
Department of Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA. canfield@ccit.arizona.edu

Normal lactating mothers were administered a single dose of 60 or 210 mg beta-carotene and changes in serum and milk retinol, alpha- tocopherol, and carotenoids were monitored for 8 d. Average serum beta- carotene concentrations increased 4.1- and 4.0-fold after the 60- and 210-mg doses, respectively. Milk beta-carotene concentrations increased 4.1- and 3.0-fold after the 60- and 210-mg doses, respectively. Maximum serum concentrations were reached 24 h after both supplements, although concentrations of milk beta-carotene continued to rise for 2-3 d. After 8 d, both serum and milk beta-carotene continued to rise for 2-3 d. After 8 d, both serum and milk beta-carotene concentrations remained about twofold higher than baseline concentrations. Increases in serum or milk beta-carotene concentrations were not dose-dependent. Initial serum and milk concentrations of beta-carotene predicted increases after supplementation, and increases in serum beta-carotene concentrations predicted those in milk. Concentrations of milk carotenoids were less than one-tenth their respective concentrations in serum. Lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol concentrations in serum or milk did not change significantly after beta-carotene supplementation. Retinol esters account for most of the retinol equivalents in the milk of well- nourished mothers. Initial and maximum concentrations of beta-carotene in serum and milk were strongly correlated for individual mothers. Collectively, the data showed that a single 60-mg supplement of beta- carotene sustained elevated beta-carotene concentrations in serum and milk for > 1 wk in normal mothers but did not affect concentrations of other major carotenoids, retinol, or alpha-tocopherol.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Z. Djuric, G. Chen, J. Ren, R. Venkatramanamoorthy, C. Y. Covington, O. Kucuk, and L. K. Heilbrun Effects of High Fruit-Vegetable and/or Low-Fat Intervention on Breast Nipple Aspirate Fluid Micronutrient Levels Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., July 1, 2007; 16(7): 1393 - 1399. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Lietz, G. Mulokozi, J. C. K. Henry, and A. M. Tomkins Xanthophyll and Hydrocarbon Carotenoid Patterns Differ in Plasma and Breast Milk of Women Supplemented with Red Palm Oil during Pregnancy and Lactation J. Nutr., July 1, 2006; 136(7): 1821 - 1827. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. P Gossage, M. Deyhim, S. Yamini, L. W Douglass, and P. B Moser-Veillon Carotenoid composition of human milk during the first month postpartum and the response to {beta}-carotene supplementation Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2002; 76(1): 193 - 197. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Tyssandier, N. Cardinault, C. Caris-Veyrat, M.-J. Amiot, P. Grolier, C. Bouteloup, V. Azais-Braesco, and P. Borel Vegetable-borne lutein, lycopene, and {beta}-carotene compete for incorporation into chylomicrons, with no adverse effect on the medium-term (3-wk) plasma status of carotenoids in humans Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2002; 75(3): 526 - 534. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Gossage, M. Deyhim, P. B Moser-Veillon, L. W Douglas, and T. R Kramer Effect of {beta}-carotene supplementation and lactation on carotenoid metabolism and mitogenic T lymphocyte proliferation Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2000; 71(4): 950 - 955. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]