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The Vitamin C Content of Human Milk and Its Variation with Diet¹

Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh

The vitamin C content of human milk was found to vary from 0.012 to 0.108 mg. per cubic centimeter, the average of fifty-three cases, 3 to 6 days post partum, being 0.055 mg. per cubic centimeter. On a good hospital dietary without special supplements the average value rose gradually to 0.064 on the tenth day. The values for two groups receiving orange juice supplements equivalent to 210 and 430 mg. of vitamin C per day rose to 0.073 and 0.081 mg. per cubic centimeter respectively on the tenth day. When the mother was receiving an adequate diet the usual range of vitamin C was in the zone of 0.060 to 0.080 mg. per cubic centimeter. This indicates that the normal vitamin C intake for an infant is approximately 40 to 50 mg. per day during the first few weeks of life. Several cases with markedly subnormal antiscorbutic values were observed, and these rapidly approached normal when an orange juice supplement was given. Patients with initial high lactation levels indicative of a good state of nutrition showed relatively small increases when vitamin supplements were given. The excess quantities of vitamin were eliminated rapidly in the urine. The present investigation and data reported previously provide strong evidence against the suggestion that guinea pigs and humans can synthesize adequate quantities of ascorbic acid during gestation or infancy.

Manuscript received 10 February 1936.