The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of alpha- and gamma-tocopherols in human breast milk samples from different periods of lactation and to compare them with tocopherol content in commercially available formulas for infants at corresponding ages. The study included 93 breast milk samples obtained on the 2nd (colostrum, n = 17), 14th (n = 30), 30th (n = 27) and 90th day of lactation (n = 19), along with 90 samples of commercially available initial and follow-on infant formulas. Concentrations of tocopherols were determined using normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Depending on the stage of lactation, human breast milk contained 2.07-9.99 mg L⁻¹ of alpha-tocopherol and 0.22-0.60 mg L⁻¹ of gamma-tocopherol. Breast milk concentrations of alpha-tocopherol decreased with the time of lactation, while significant differences in gamma-tocopherol concentration were observed only between the 14th and 30th day of lactation. There was no significant correlation between the dietary intake of vitamin E and its estimated breast milk concentration, also in women who declared vitamin supplementation. Compared with colostrum, infant formulas were characterised by significantly lower concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and vitamin E. This finding indicates the need of additional vitamin E supplementation of bottle-fed infants during the initial 2-3 days of life.

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To determine transforming growth factor (TGF) beta(1), interleukin (IL) 4, and IL-10 concentrations in human milk and to assess the relationship between allergic disorders in mothers and the content of the interleukins in their milk. Thirty allergic and 46 healthy mothers were included in the study. Colostrum was collected 2-3 days after delivery. Cytokine concentrations were determined with commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent systems. TGF-beta(1)was found in milk from 23 women in the control group (53.49%) and 11 in the allergy group (37.93%). When TGF-beta(1) was present, the median concentration was higher in the allergy group than in the control (61.5 and 30.4 pg/mL, respectively; P < 0.004). IL-10 was present in the colostrum of all the women and the median IL-10 concentration did not differ between the allergy (50.5 pg/mL) and control (51.5 pg/mL) groups. The probability of occurrence of a positive IL-4 value in the allergy group was greater than in the control group (chi-squared [df=1] = 2.60, P < 0.053). Median IL-4 level did not differ significantly between the two groups (0.5 and 0.5 pg/mL respectively). TGF-beta(1) was detected less often in the colostrum of allergic mothers than in that of mothers without allergy (but the difference was not statistically significant). IL-4 was found more often in the colostrum of allergic mothers than nonallergic ones. The allergy status did not correlate with IL-10 concentration.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of maternal smoking on antioxidative capacity and intensity of oxidative damage in breast milk.Study Design: The study group (n ¼ 30) was comprised of postpartum women who declared smoking more than five cigarettes per day during pregnancy and lactation (confirmed by the urinalysis of cotinine concentration), and their newborns. Control group included 29 nonsmoking postpartum women and their newborns. Colostrum samples were collected on the 3rd day after delivery and breast milk samples between the 30th and the 32nd day after delivery. Morning maternal and neonatal urine samples were obtained on the day of the mature milk sampling. Isoprostane concentrations in colostrum/mature milk and urine were determined immunoenzymatically. Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) of colostrum/breast milk was determined by Rice-Evans and Miller method.Result: Colostrum TAS in smokers was significantly lower than in nonsmokers (P ¼ 0.006). In both groups, the TAS of mature milk was higher compared with colostrum, but significant differences were observed amongst smokers only (P ¼ 0.001). In smokers the isoprostane concentration of mature milk was significantly higher than the colostrum concentration (P ¼ 0.001). Significant inverse correlation between maternal urinary isoprostane concentration and the TAS of mature breast milk was observed in smokers (R ¼ À0.525, P ¼ 0.023), but not in non-smokers (R ¼ 0.161, P ¼ 0.422).Conclusion: This study revealed that maternal smoking triggers harmful effects on an infant by impairing pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance of breast milk.

Aside from its other harmful consequences, smoking modulates the fatty acid profile of human milk.

AbstractThe aim of this work was to determine the physiological level of neopterin in human breast milk, and to study its variability depending on the duration of a single feeding and the lactation stage. Breast milk samples from 74 women were collected between 2 and 4 days after delivery, and at 15, 30, and 90 days after delivery. Additionally, breast milk samples from eight women were collected before and after 7 and 15 min of breastfeeding. The concentration of neopterin in breast milk was determined by an immunoenzymatic assay. The range of breast milk neopterin concentration at various stages of lactation amounted to 15.4–19.2 nmol/L at 2–4 days after delivery, 20.2–23.0 nmol/L at day 15, 20.8–24.5 nmol/L at day 30, and 16.9–20.4 nmol/L at day 90. The level of neopterin 2–4 days after delivery was significantly lower than that at days 15 and 30; moreover, the concentration of neopterin at day 30 was significantly higher than that at day 90. No significant differences were documented between neopterin concentrations at various phases of a single feeding. While the breast milk concentration of neopterin changes depending on the stage of lactation, it remains stable throughout a single feeding.

Maternal smoking is not reflected by decreased TAS and vitamin A and E concentrations in mature milk.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of vitamin C supply in the diet of lactating women on vitamin C concentrations in human milk (n = 97) sampled at different stages of lactation. Vitamin C levels were measured by liquid chromatography. Dietary intake of vitamin C was determined based on 3-day food dairies kept by breastfeeding mothers. Maternal dietary intakes of vitamin C from natural sources on lactation day 90 (n = 18) were significantly higher than on lactation days 15 (n = 42) and 30 (n = 37). The number of women taking vitamin C supplements decreased in successive stages of lactation. The average daily intake of vitamin C was estimated at 119 mg, but nearly 20% of mothers consumed less than 50 mg of vitamin C per day. No significant correlations were observed between lactation stage and vitamin C levels in breast milk (r = 0.110, p = 0.064). The average vitamin C concentrations in human breast milk were determined at 50.9 mg / L, and were not higher than 80.6 mg / L regardless of lactation stage and maternal intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C excretion into breast milk is regulated to prevent exceeding saturation level. The vitamin C concentration in milk was positive correlated with maternal intake of vitamin C from food, in the case of non-supplemented diet (r = 0.402, p = 0.041). Our results suggest that vitamin C occurring in food is much better absorbed and passes into breast milk than vitamin C from supplements.