Carotenoid Content in Breastmilk in the 3rd and 6th Month of Lactation and Its Associations with Maternal Dietary Intake and Anthropometric Characteristics
2019
Monika A. Zielinska | Jadwiga Hamulka | Aleksandra Wesolowska
Carotenoids are diet-dependent milk components that are important for the visual and cognitive development of an infant. This study determined &beta:-carotene, lycopene and lutein + zeaxanthin in breastmilk and its associations with dietary intake from healthy Polish mothers in the first six months of lactation. Concentrations of carotenoids in breastmilk were measured by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) (first, third, sixth month of lactation) and dietary intake was assessed based on a three-day dietary record (third and sixth month of lactation). The average age of participants (n = 53) was 31.4 ±: 3.8 years. The breastmilk concentrations of carotenoids were not changed over the progress of lactation. Lycopene was a carotenoid with the highest content in breastmilk (first month 112.2 (95% CI 106.1&ndash:118.3)&mdash:sixth month 110.1 (103.9&ndash:116.3) nmol/L) and maternal diet (third month 7897.3 (5465.2&ndash:10329.5) and sixth month 7255.8 (5037.5&ndash:9474.1) µ:g/day). There was a positive correlation between carotenoids in breastmilk and dietary intake (lycopene r = 0.374, r = 0.338: lutein + zeaxanthin r = 0.711, r = 0.726, 3rd and 6th month, respectively) and an inverse correlation with maternal BMI in the third month of lactation (&beta:-carotene: r = &minus:0.248, lycopene: r = &minus:0.286, lutein + zeaxanthin: r = &minus:0.355). Adjusted multivariate regression models confirmed an association between lutein + zeaxanthin intake and its concentration in breastmilk (third month: &beta: = 0.730 (0.516&ndash:0.943): 6th: &beta: = 0.644 (0.448&ndash:0.840)). Due to the positive associations between dietary intake and breastmilk concentrations, breastfeeding mothers should have a diet that is abundant in carotenoids.
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