Open AccessMaternal Supplementation With Natural or Synthetic Vitamin E and Its Levels in Human Colostrum
Author(s) -
Clemente Heleni A.,
Ramalho Heryka M.M.,
Lima Mayara S.R.,
Grilo Evellyn C.,
Dimenstein Roberto
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.206
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1536-4801
pISSN - 0277-2116
DOI - 10.1097/mpg.0000000000000635
Subject(s) - colostrum , medicine , vitamin e , breast milk , vitamin , lactation , physiology , zoology , pregnancy , immunology , biology , biochemistry , antioxidant , genetics , antibody
Objectives: Newborns are considered a high‐risk group for vitamin E deficiency. Breast milk is a source of alpha‐tocopherol (α‐TOH), a form of vitamin E that prevents deficiency. The present study aimed to assess whether supplementation with a natural or synthetic form of α‐TOH, in addition to maternal sources of vitamin E, would increase the concentration of α‐TOH in colostrum. Methods: A total of 109 healthy lactating women were recruited from a Brazilian public maternity clinic and randomized into 3 groups: control without supplementation (n = 36), natural α‐TOH supplementation (n = 40), and synthetic α‐TOH supplementation (n = 33). Blood and colostrum samples were collected before and after supplementation to check the nutritional status of these women by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The Kruskal‐Wallis test was applied for independent samples, and Tukey test was used for 2‐way analysis of the averages of the groups. The baseline nutritional status of vitamin E of all of the lactating women enrolled in the trial was considered adequate. Results: Women who received supplementation had higher concentrations of α‐TOH in colostrum than the control group, with 57% and 39% increases in women supplemented with the natural and synthetic forms of α‐TOH, respectively. Conclusions: Supplementation with both forms of α‐TOH increased vitamin E concentrations in colostrum; however, the natural form was more efficient in increasing the levels.