title: Effect of fish oil on the fatty acid composition of human milk and maternal and infant erythrocytes.
abstract: To examine the effect of fish oil supplementation on the fatty acid (FA) composition of human milk and maternal and infant erythrocytes, five lactating women were supplemented with 6 g of fish oil daily for 21 d. Usual maternal diets contained 1,147 mg of total n-3 FA, with 120 mg from very long-chain (> C18) n-3 FA. Supplementation increased dietary levels to 3,092 mg of total n-3 FA and 2,006 mg of very long-chain n-3 FA. Milk samples were collected daily, prior to fish oil ingestion, and at 4-h intervals on days 1, 7, 14 and 21. Milk n-3 FA content increased within 8 h and reached steady state levels within one week. The n-6 fatty acid content decreased. Erythrocyte eicosapentaenoic acid content increased from 0.24% to 1.4% (P < 0.01) in mothers and from 0.11% to 0.70% (P < 0.05) in infants. Docosapentaenoic acid increased from 1.4% to 2.2% (P < 0.05) in mothers and from 0.30% to 0.78% (P < 0.01) in infants. There was no significant change in docosahexaenoic acid or n-6 fatty acid content. Maternal platelet aggregation responses were variable. No differences in milk or plasma tocopherol levels were noted.
authors: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-4017.
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Henderson
authors: R G
authors: RG
authors: Jensen
authors: C J
authors: CJ
authors: Lammi-Keefe
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Ferris
authors: K R
authors: KR
authors: Dardick
mesh_terms: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; C026219:docosapentaenoic acid