Fatty acid composition of human milk in Western Iran.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the fatty acid composition of mature human milk in Western Iran with special focus on trans fatty acids.


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
Milk samples were collected from 52 lactating mothers aging 19-39 y, from Western Iran. Subjects were asked to complete a diet questionnaire. Milk fatty acids were measured as 2-nitrophenylhydrazide derivatives by high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
Saturated fatty acids were the main fraction of human milk (41.3%). Medium-chain fatty acids (C8:0-C14:0) constituted 24%, oleic acid (C18:1omega9) accounted for 30.9% and elaidic acid (C18:1T), the trans isomer of oleic acid, comprised 11.3% of the total milk fatty acids. Linoleic (C18:2omega6) and linolenic (C18:3omega3) acid contents were 13.8 and 1.1%, respectively. The level of the polyunsaturated fatty acids was 1.4% for arachidonic (C20:4omega6) and 0.2% for eicosapentaenoic (C20:5omega3) acid.


CONCLUSIONS
The milk from Iranian lactating mothers, as compared to that from the American or European mothers, contained high levels of medium-chain and trans fatty acids. This difference may be attributed to the maternal diet with low animal protein and animal fat but with high carbohydrate and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that carry large amounts of trans fatty acids. As the detrimental effects of trans fatty acids on blood lipids and cardiovascular diseases have been emphasized in the literature, a reduction of trans fatty acid content in the diet of Iranian mothers is suggested.


BACKGROUND
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.
Bahrami
G
G
Department of Pharmacology, Medical Biology Research Center, Medical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6714869914, Iran. gbahrami@kums.ac.ir
Rahimi
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D015930:Diet Records; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis
D000418:Albumins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids