The composition of macro- and micronutrients in milk from six patients with tightly controlled insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [median glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations at parturition of 5.2% (range 4.9-5.3%, reference range 4.9-6.6%) and 6 wk thereafter of 6.1% (range 5.0-6.3%, reference range 5.0-6.4%) was compared with that from five control subjects. Milk samples were collected halfway through a single breast-feeding at days 3-5 (colostrum); 7, 9, and 10 (transitional milk); and 12, 15, 17, 21, 25, 29, and 35 (mature milk). We found no abnormalities in macronutrient (triglycerides, lactose, and protein), cholesterol, glucose, and myoinositol concentrations or fatty acid composition. Two of three longitudinally studied patients showed rather constant ratios between glucose concentrations in milk and capillary blood. The present data suggest that tight control corrects a multitude of milk abnormalities associated with moderate and poor control.

We isolated phospholipid (PL) subclasses from milk of women in Dominica and Belize. Fatty acid (FA) compositions of PLs and total lipids were determined. In the total-lipid fraction Dominican milk showed higher relative amounts of medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MC-SAFAs; 6:0-14:0) and 22:6n-3 and lower amounts of long-chain saturated fatty acids (LC-SAFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). There was a positive relationship between the MC-SAFA content in total lipids and total PLs. Incorporation of MC-SAFAs in PLs occurred at the expense of LC-SAFAs, MUFAs, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and long-chain PUFAs with greater than or equal to 20 carbon atoms (LC-PUFAs greater than or equal to C20). Previous studies from Western countries revealed low amounts of MCSAFAs and high amounts of PUFAs and LC-PUFAs greater than or equal to C20 in milk PLs. Our data show that carbohydrate-rich diets give rise to incorporation of MC-SAFAs in PLs at the expense of PUFAs and LC-PUFAs greater than or equal to C20. The data are discussed in relation to the presumed origin of fat-globule membrane phospholipids.

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Homocysteine is an intermediate in the folate cycle and methionine metabolism. This study investigated whether formula‐fed infants have different plasma total homocysteine to their breastfed counterparts, and during what period any difference developed. Plasma total homocysteine was determined in 53 formula‐fed and 15 breastfed healthy low‐birthweight babies (≫2500 g) around days 10, 20 and 40. Total homocysteine was also measured in human milk. Mean ± SD plasma total homocysteine levels (μmol 1‐1) at days 10, 20 and 40 were 6.4 ± 2.6, 6.7 ± 2.4 and 9.1 ± 2.4 (breastfed), and 7.5 ± 3.2, 7.3 ± 2.1 and 7.4 ± 1.6 (formula‐fed). Homocysteine of breastfed babies at day 40 was higher than that of breastfed babies at day 20 (p > 0.0001), and that of formula‐fed counterparts at day 40 (p= 0.002). Homocysteine correlated negatively with formula (day 10) and breast milk (day 40) volume intakes. Median (range) homocysteine in 12 mature human milk samples was 0.30 (not detectable to 0.7) μmol 1−1. Conclusion: Increasing plasma total homocysteine in breastfed babies to higher levels compared with formula‐fed babies may be caused by a gradually developing suboptimal B‐vitamin status in lactating women.

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We conclude that parameters of early neonatal AA status are related to intra-uterine rather than to post-natal growth. Parameters of post-natal brain growth are related to RBC DHA and CE DHA contents on day 42, and to dietary protein intake. These results point to the importance of dietary DHA for brain growth in the first 6 post-natal weeks.

We investigated whether a regular formula for premature infants (pre) supplemented with ribonucleotides (pre+RN) raises erythrocyte and plasma cholesterol ester (CE) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) of low-birth-weight babies (< or = 2.50 kg) compared with their breast-fed counterparts. From days 11 to 42, 31 babies received the pre formula and 37 received pre+RN. Eleven breast-fed babies served as a reference group. Erythrocytes and CE fatty acids were determined on days 11, 21, and 42. There were no differences in the courses of erythrocytes and CE fatty acids between pre formula-fed and pre+RN-fed babies. On day 42, formula-fed babies had lower erythrocytes and CE n-3 and n-6 LCPUFAs compared with breast-fed babies. Subdivision into gestational age- and body weight-matched subgroups gave similar results. RN supplementation does not augment the erythrocyte and CE LCPUFA status of formula-fed babies.