Original Paper

Fat-Soluble Vitamins in the Maternal Diet, Influence of Cod Liver Oil Supplementation and Impact of the Maternal Diet on Human Milk Composition
Anna S. Olafsdottir^a,b, Karl-Heinz Wagner^b, Inga Thorsdottir^a, Ibrahim Elmadfa<sup>b

a</sup>Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali-University Hospital and Department of Food Science, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland;
^bInstitute of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Austria

Address of Corresponding Author

Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism 2001;45:265-272 (DOI: 10.1159/000046737)

  Key Words

• Fat-soluble vitamins
• Cod liver oil
• Human milk
• Lactation
• Maternal intake

  Abstract

Background/Aims: To investigate lactating mothers' intake of fat-soluble vitamins in free-living subjects and to what extent cod liver oil supplementation influences the maternal intake in a population with common intake of cod liver oil. The impact of maternal diet on the concentration of fat-soluble vitamins in human milk was studied. Methods: Dietary intake of 77 lactating women was investigated by 24-hour diet recalls and breast-milk samples were taken at the same occasions. Breast milk samples were analyzed for fat-soluble vitamins. Results: The median intakes were 927 µg/day for vitamin A, 5.5 mg/day for vitamin E and 3.3 µg/day for vitamin D. Maternal vitamin A, E and D intakes were higher when the diet was supplemented with cod liver oil. Icelandic breast milk was found to have high contents of vitamin A and E. Only vitamin D was too low in breast milk to meet the recommended intake for infants. Retinylpalmitate in relation to lipids correlated with maternal vitamin A intake (r = 0.23, p < 0.05). The group with cod liver oil supplementation had significantly lower levels of -tocopherol in breast milk (p < 0.01), whereas the supplementation did not affect other fat-soluble vitamins. Conclusion: The recommended intake of fat-soluble vitamins for lactating women can more easily be met with a cod liver oil supplementation than diet alone. Only vitamin D in human milk cannot meet the recommended intakes for infants, with normal breastfeeding. There is a relationship between the content of vitamins A and E in human milk and the maternal diet.

Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Prof. Inga Thorsdottir
Unit for Nutrition Research
Landspitali-University Hospital
IS-101 Reykjavik (Iceland)
Tel. +354 560 1536, Fax +354 560 1873, E-Mail ingathor@rsp.is

  Article Information

Received: Received: December 7, 2000
Accepted: April 17, 2001
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 32