Influence of breast-feeding on the restoration of the low serum concentration of vitamin E and β-carotene in the newborn infant

Abstract

Vitamin E and β-carotene are two important natural antioxidants. However, the mean (±SD) serum concentrations of β-carotene in the cord blood of term (17.9 ± 4.4 μg/dl) and preterm (14.04 ± 4.7 μg/dl) infants are one eighth the concentration in the maternal serum (131 ± 43 μg/dl). Likewise the serum concentrations of vitamin E in the term (0.31 ± 0.09 mg/dl) and preterm (0.29 ± 0.08 mg/dl) infants are one-third the concentration in the maternal serum (0.97 ± 0.16 mg/dl), Human breast milk, particularly colostrum, contains very high concentrations of both vitamin E (3.28 ± 2.93 mg/dl) and β-carotene (213 ± 166 μg/dl). Thus the breast-fed, term infant attains serum levels of both vitamin E and β-carotene comparable to those in the adult within 4 to 6 days of breast-feeding. This study shows that the seeming barrier in the fetus to access to the antioxidants vitamin E and β-carotene, in utero, is rapidly corrected and the substances are replenished postnatally through breast-feeding, This study therefore alludes to the possible role of breast-feeding in providing for the infant's defense against oxygen toxicity.