title: Serum cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations in mothers during and after prolonged exclusive lactation.
abstract: The effect of exclusive lactation on lipid levels was investigated by evaluating serum concentrations of total and lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and apoprotein (apo) B in mothers during and after exclusive, prolonged lactation. Serum total cholesterol concentrations were measured at delivery (n = 195), at 2 (n = 165), 6 (n = 119), 9 (n = 74), and 12 months (n = 32) of lactation, and 2 months (n = 27) after ending this exclusive lactation. In a subgroup of 34 mothers, serum levels of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein 2 (HDL2), HDL3, and LDL apo B were determined at 2, 6, 9, and 12 months of lactation. The mean value of serum total cholesterol concentrations decreased from 6.2 +/- 0.12 (SEM; n = 195) at delivery to 4.8 +/- 0.1 mmol/L (n = 116) at 6 months of exclusive lactation (P < .001). The average decrement in total cholesterol level was 0.80 mmol/L (P < .001) from delivery to 2 months of lactation and 0.55 mmol/L (P < .001) from 2 to 6 months of lactation, and levels were stable thereafter. In the 27 mothers who were exclusively breast-feeding their infants at 9 months of lactation and whose serum cholesterol levels were measured 2 months after the end of lactation, cholesterol levels increased rapidly to 5.7 +/- 0.21 mmol/L (P = .001). In the subgroup of 34 mothers who were examined more closely, the course just described was also true for serum TG, LDL and VLDL cholesterol, and LDL apo B levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Siimes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perheentupa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salmenperä
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Miettinen
mesh_terms: D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol