Effect of maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation on breast milk composition.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of varying maternal intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22 : 6n-3), in the absence of other dietary polyunsaturates, on breast milk fatty acids.


METHODS
Lactating mothers were randomised on day 5 post-partum to groups consuming equal numbers of capsules but containing either placebo or an oil containing DHA (43%) as its only polyunsaturate to receive 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.9, 1.3 g DHA/day. Breast milk fatty acids as well as maternal plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids were assessed at 12 weeks post partum by capillary gas chromatography.


RESULTS
Breast milk DHA levels ranged from 0.2 to 1.7% of total fatty acids and increased in a dose dependent manner (r2 = 0.89, P < 0.01). Maternal plasma (r2 = 0.71, P < 0.01) and erythrocyte (r2 = 0.77, P < 0.01) phospholipid DHA levels increased and were also strongly associated with dietary dose of DHA. Increasing maternal dietary doses of DHA did not affect breast milk arachidonic acid (AA, 20 : 4n-6) levels or antioxidant status as measured by plasma vitamin A or E levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results have demonstrated that DHA in the diet has a strong, specific and dose-dependent effect on breast milk DHA.
Makrides
M
M
Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Neumann
M A
MA
Gibson
R A
RA
D000975:Antioxidants; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D010919:Placebos; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D010919:Placebos; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid