Vitamin D in human milk: Is there enough?
1983
Greer, Frank R. | Tsang, Reginald C.
Literature studies confirm the insufficient level of vitamin D in breast milk (20 IU/liter relative to a recommended allowance of 400 IU/day for infants) and the need to provide vitamin D supplementation to breastfed infants. In recent years it has been determined that almost all of the vitamin D activity in human milk can be accounted for by vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD). Infants exclusively breastfed and not supplemented with vitamin D during the first 3 months of life experienced a loss of bone mineral content. Infants receiving cow's milk supplemented with cod liver oil (340-400 IU vitamin D/day) were 2 cm longer than infants fed irradiated cow's milk alone (60-135 IU/day) by 1 year of age. Low serum 25-OHD levels have also been noted in unsupplemented, exclusively breastfed infants at levels reported for cases of infantile rickets. Vitamin D supplementation of mothers or ultraviolet exposures of maternal animals decreased rickets incidence and severity in breastfed offspring. (wz)
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