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Metabolism of Women During the Reproductive Cycle

XII. The Effect of Multi-Vitamin Supplements on the Vitamin C Utilization of Nursing Mothers¹

The Henry Ford Hospital; and the Research Laboratory, Children's Fund of Michigan, Detroit

Values obtained by analysis for vitamin C in the milk, blood and urine of healthy mothers and in the blood of their breast-fed infants following administration of 750 mg of ascorbic acid per day for 6 to 14 days, have been compared with corresponding data for the same women and their infants during 5-day intervals immediately preceding the supplement period when analyses of the mothers' diets showed average intakes to be 102 to 228 mg of vitamin C per day.

Although the average levels of vitamin C in the breast milk and in fasting blood samples were higher following supplementation of the diet, the major portion of the ascorbic acid given was represented by increases in urinary excretion. The data suggest that the amount of vitamin C recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board for lactating women is sufficient if supplied by natural foods in a diet adequate with respect to other dietary essentials and if during pregnancy the nutritional status of the mother has been satisfactory.

Manuscript received 30 January 1947.