Bone mineral content, serum vitamin D metabolite concentrations, and ultraviolet B light exposure in infants fed human milk with and without vitamin D2 supplements.
OBJECTIVE
To monitor ultraviolet B light exposure in human milk-fed infants both with and without supplemental vitamin D2, and to measure longitudinally the bone mineral content, growth, and serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and parathyroid hormone.


METHODS
Longitudinal, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 6 months' duration.


METHODS
Patients from private pediatric practice, Madison, Wisconsin.


METHODS
Sequential sampling of 46 human milk-fed white infants; 24 received 400 IU/day of vitamin D2, and 22 received placebo. An additional 12 patients were followed who received standard infant formula. Eighty-three percent of patients completed a full 6 months of the study.


RESULTS
Ultraviolet B light exposure and measurements of growth did not differ between groups. At 6 months, the human milk groups did not differ significantly in bone mineral content or serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, although total 25-hydroxyvitamin D values were significantly less in the unsupplemented human milk group (23.53 +/- 9.94 vs 36.96 +/- 11.86 ng/ml; p less than 0.01). However, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 serum concentrations were significantly higher in the unsupplemented human milk-fed group compared with the supplemented group (21.77 +/- 9.73 vs 11.74 +/- 10.27 ng/ml, p less than 0.01) by 6 months of age.


CONCLUSIONS
Unsupplemented, human milk-fed infants had no evidence of vitamin D deficiency during the first 6 months of life.
Greer
F R
FR
Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Marshall
S
S
D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000032:analysis*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004872:Ergocalciferols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D011897:Random Allocation; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis
D004872:Ergocalciferols; D008903:Minerals; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D010758:Phosphorus; D002117:Calcitriol; D002112:Calcifediol; D002118:Calcium