title: The effect of vitamin C supplementation on lactating women in Keneba, a West African rural community.
abstract: A study of vitamin C requirements was undertaken in the village of Keneba, The Gambia, during the rainy season, when the intake of vitamin C-rich foods is very low. The effect of four supplementary levels of vitamin C (0, 24, 47 and 60 mg/day), together with a milk and biscuit food supplement which provided 34 mg vitamin C/day, was studied for a five-week period. Plasma ascorbate increased from 0.25 to 0.72 mg/dl; buffy coat ascorbate increased from 14.7 to 24.3 micrograms/10(8) cells and breast milk ascorbate increased from 3.4 to 5.5 mg/dl as intake increased from 34 to 103 mg/dl. Breast milk ascorbate approached a plateau at the high intakes. A fasting plasma ascorbate of at least 0.3 mg/dl in 97.5% of the population of lactating women in Keneba would require a daily vitamin C intake of about 117 mg. No differences between vitamin C supplementation levels were observed with respect to changes in plasma iron, total iron-binding capacity or its percentage saturation. Whole blood histamine levels showed a slight downward trend as the vitamin C intake increased.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia; D006632:Histamine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D007774:Lactation; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012424:Rural Population; D013662:Tea
chemical_list: D013662:Tea; D006632:Histamine; D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid