title: Zinc and copper levels in the breast-milk of Cape Town mothers.
abstract: Zinc and copper levels were measured longitudinally in the breast-milk of 55 healthy South African women from the middle and upper socio-economic classes. The mean foremilk zinc levels showed a significant fall (P less than 0,05) from 652,9 +/- 240,7 micrograms/dl at 3 days after delivery to 413,3 +/- 143,0 micrograms/dl at 7 days and 228,1 +/- 136,1 micrograms/dl at 6 weeks. Lower foremilk zinc levels were obtained at 36 weeks (64,3 +/- 50,0 micrograms/dl). In contrast, foremilk copper levels were low at 3 days (57,0 +/- 74,8 micrograms/dl), with a gradual decline to very low levels (28,0 +/- 29,7 micrograms/dl) at 36 weeks. No differences were detected between the fore- and hindmilk zinc and copper levels at any stage of lactation studied (P greater than 0,05).
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000032:analysis*; D010298:Parity; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D013997:Time Factors; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc