Table 7 Summary effect of nutritional vitamins supplements on status of multiple vitamins human milk composition

Canfield [67]

Purified b-carotene in capsules

Five healthy mothers, between the ages of 23 and 36 years.

Randomized clinical trial

Investigate changes in concentrations of milk and serum carotenoids, retinol, and a-tocopherol of five healthy women over a 28-d supplementation trial with 30 mg b-carotene and for 4 wk. thereafter.

milk a-tocopherol and retinol

B Carotene supplementation increased mean b-carotene concentrations in milk and serum 6.4- and 7.4-fold, respectively. Concentrations of other major carotenoids, retinol, and a-tocopherol did not change substantially in either milk or serum.

3/5

Americas (AMRO)

Garcia [68]

One retinyl palmitate capsule (200,000 UI)

73 Healthy parturient women, control (n = 37) and supplemented (n = 36).

Randomized clinical trial

To determine the effect of maternal supplementation with a megadose of retinyl palmitate in the immediate post-partum on a-tocopherol concentration in the colostrums.

Retinol, a-tocopherol

A significant increase (P = 0.00) was observed in colostrums retinol in the supplemented group 24 h after administration of the retinyl palmitate capsule. A significant increase (P = 0.04) was also found in colostrums a-tocopherol concentration after vitamin A supplementation.

1/5

Americas (AMRO)

Gossage [29]

B-carotene (30 mg/d; n = 11) or placebo (n = 10) beginning on day 4 postpartum (day 0 of the study).

Twenty-one pregnant women were recruited during their last trimester.

Randomized clinical trial

To assess milk carotenoid concentrations during days 4–32 postpartum and the effects of maternal B-carotene supplementation.

lutein + zeaxanthin, b-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, a-carotene, B-carotene, retinol, and a-tocopherol.

B-carotene supplementation did not significantly change the milk concentrations of B –carotene, the other carotenoids, retinol, or tocopherol. There were no significant overall effects of carotene supplementation on milk concentrations of lutein, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, or carotene.

2/5

Americas (AMRO)

Sherry [69]

Either 0 mg/d of lutein (placebo), 6 mg/d of lutein (low-dose), or 12 mg/d of lutein (high-dose).

Eighty-nine lactating women 4–6 wk. postpartum.

A multisite, prospective, randomized, placebo controlled dose-response study

To determine the impact of lutein supplementation in the breast milk and plasma of lactating women and in the plasma of breast-fed infants 2–3 mo postpartum.

Carotenoids,

Lutein, zeaxanthin

Total lutein + zeaxanthin concentrations were greater in the lowand high-dose–supplemented groups than in the placebo group in breast milk (140 and 250%, respectively; P < 0.0001)

5/5

Americas (AMRO)

Webb [70]

(1) vitamin A and b-carotene (VABC: 5000 IU (1500 mg retinol activity equivalents) of preformed vitamin A plus 30 mg of b-carotene), (2) multivitamins (MV) that did not include vitamin A and b-carotene (20 mg of thiamine, 20 mg of riboflavin, 25 mg of vitamin B6, 100 mg of niacin, 50 mg of vitamin B12, 500 mg of vitamin C (purified L-ascorbic acid), 30 mg of vitamin E RRR-a- tocopherol acetate) and 0.8 mg of folic acid), (3) MV that included vitamin A and b-carotene (same doses as above), or (4) placebo.

1078 HIV-infected pregnant women.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

To assess the impact of daily vitamin supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on concentrations of retinol, b-carotene, a-carotene, a-tocopherol, g-tocopherol and d-tocopherol in breast milk.

retinol, total b-carotene, a-carotene, a-tocopherol, d-tocopherol and g-tocopherol

Women who received VABC had significantly higher concentrations of breast milk retinol, b-carotene and acarotene at all-time points during the first year postpartum compared to women who did not receive VABC.

Supplementation with VABC did not influence concentrations of a-, g- or d-tocopherol from delivery to 1 year postpartum.

4/5

Africa (AFRO)