Short-term, Daily Supplementation with Vitamin A, But Not Beta-carotene, Increases Plasma and Breast Milk Retinol Concentration in Lactating Filipino Women
Reina Englestone *
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Akoto Osei
Helen Keller International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Dolly Reario
Helen Keller International, Manila, The Philippines.
Joanne Arsenault
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Kenneth Brown
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Marjorie Haskell
University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objective: To assess the usefulness of breast milk vitamin A (BMVA) for evaluating the impact of food-based vitamin A (VA) interventions.
Methods: We assessed the effect of daily supplementation with 600 ug VA activity as either retinyl palmitate or β-carotene (BC) or 0 ug VA activity as corn oil (CO) on BMVA and BC concentrations in lactating women (n=83) who were randomly assigned to receive one of the three treatments, 6 d/wk for 3 wk. Treatments were administered as capsules (containing either 300 ug or 0 ug VA ), 2 times/d, with morning and noon meals consisting of low VA foods. Plasma and milk concentrations of VA and BC were measured before and after the intervention.
Results: Initial mean plasma retinol concentration was 1.29±0.41 umol/L, and the mean change in plasma retinol was greater in the VA group than in the BC and CO groups (0.13, 0.03, -0.04 umol/L, respectively, P<0.01). Initial mean BMVA was 28.0±14.6 nmol/g fat, and the mean change in BMVA was greater in the VA group than in the BC and CO groups (4.6, 0.5, -3.6 nmol/g fat, respectively, P<0.001). Initial plasma BC concentration was 0.33±0.22 umol/L, and the mean change in plasma BC was greater in the BC group than in the VA and CO groups (0.74, 0.02, 0.07 umol/L, respectively, P<0.0001).
Conclusions: Both BMVA and plasma retinol concentrations increased in response to supplementation with retinyl palmitate, but bioconversion of BC to VA is limited in this population.