A theoretical increase in infants' hepatic vitamin A is realized using a supplemented lactating sow model

Kristina L. Penniston, Ashley R. Valentine, Sherry A. Tanumihardjo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a public health problem affecting millions in developing nations. Supplementation for lactating women, whose needs are high, involves large oral doses of the preformed vitamin. The safety Land efficacy of these doses has been inadequately studied. Lactating women typically receive 210 μmol of retinyl ester during early lactation, but 420 μmol has also been administered. If larger doses of vitamin A are not significantly more effective in preventing VAD in mothers and infants, then smaller doses would be recommended. We therefore examined the vitamin A concentration of milk from lactating sows (n = 15) that were provided two different doses of vitamin A (i.e., 1050 or 2100 μmol, n = 6/group) or corn oil (n = 3), corresponding to doses given women on the basis of body weight. Compared with controls, an overall significant treatment effect was found (P = 0.0019), but there was no difference in milk concentration between treatment groups. Theoretically, applying the mean milk vitamin A concentrations of the groups through 12 h and values to 48 h from 4 sows, we estimate that an infant of a supplemented mother could realize an increase of +0.08 or 0.16 μmol/g liver from the low or high dose, respectively.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1139-1142
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Nutrition
Volume133
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Milk
  • Retinyl ester
  • Sows
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin A supplementation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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