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Nutrient Physiology, Metabolism, and Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions

Xanthophyll and Hydrocarbon Carotenoid Patterns Differ in Plasma and Breast Milk of Women Supplemented with Red Palm Oil during Pregnancy and Lactation¹

Georg Lietz^*,2, Generose Mulokozi, Jeya C. K. Henry^** and Andrew M. Tomkins

^* Newcastle University, School of Clinical Medical Sciences, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK; Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; ^** School of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK; and Centre for International Child Health (CICH), Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK

² To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: georg.lietz{at}ncl.ac.uk.

Currently limited information exists on how maternal supplementation with provitamin A carotenoids might influence the carotenoid pattern in breast milk during lactation. This study was designed to investigate the effect of maternal red palm oil supplementation (12 g/d) throughout the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and the first 3 mo postpartum on carotenoid pattern in both plasma and breast milk. Plasma and breast milk - and ß-carotene concentrations increased in response to red palm oil supplementation and were different (P < 0.001) from the control group at both 1 and 3 mo postpartum. Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were reduced (P < 0.001) from pregnancy to 1 mo postpartum and remained stable until 3 mo postpartum. However, breast milk lutein concentrations, expressed per gram of milk fat, increased (P < 0.05) in both groups from 1 to 3 mo postpartum. The results of this study show that there are proportionally more hydrocarbon carotenoids such as - and ß-carotene in plasma than in breast milk, whereas xanthophylls, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, are proportionally more prevalent in breast milk. More importantly, red palm oil supplementation increases the milk concentrations of provitamin A carotenes without decreasing the milk concentrations of xanthophylls. In summary, this study demonstrates that a regulated uptake of polar carotenoids into breast milk exists and that supplementation with - and ß-carotene does not negatively affect this transfer. The mechanisms behind this transport are not fully understood and merit further study.

KEY WORDS: • ß-carotene • lutein • lactation • breast milk • red palm oil

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