title: Relationships among lactation performance, maternal diet, and body protein metabolism in humans.
abstract: The relationships between lactation performance and maternal diet and body protein metabolism were determined at 1, 5, and 12 months postpartum in lactating women who consumed a controlled diet of measured protein and energy. Milk production was measured by the 24-h test weighing procedure. Maternal body protein metabolism was evaluated by nitrogen balance and a primed, constant infusion of [1-13C]leucine and [alpha-15N]lysine. Milk production was associated positively with lysine flux (P less than 0.05, r = 0.59), leucine incorporation into body protein (P less than 0.05, r = 0.58), nitrogen intakes (P less than 0.05, r = 0.56), and energy intakes (P less than 0.01, r = 0.69). When adjusted for postpartum time, significant associations between total nitrogen concentrations in milk and nitrogen balance also were present (P less than 0.05, r = 0.77). These observations document associations among lactation performance, maternal diet, and the metabolic responses of body protein stores in well-nourished women and suggest strategies for the improvement of milk production in settings where nutrient insufficiency and malnutrition prevail.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Motil
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Montandon
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hachey
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Boutton
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins