title: Maternal supplementation with natural or synthetic vitamin E and its levels in human colostrum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Newborns are considered a high-risk group for vitamin E deficiency. Breast milk is a source of alpha-tocopherol (α-TOH), a form of vitamin E that prevents deficiency. The present study aimed to assess whether supplementation with a natural or synthetic form of α-TOH, in addition to maternal sources of vitamin E, would increase the concentration of α-TOH in colostrum.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 109 healthy lactating women were recruited from a Brazilian public maternity clinic and randomized into 3 groups: control without supplementation (n = 36), natural α-TOH supplementation (n = 40), and synthetic α-TOH supplementation (n = 33). Blood and colostrum samples were collected before and after supplementation to check the nutritional status of these women by high-performance liquid chromatography. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied for independent samples, and Tukey test was used for 2-way analysis of the averages of the groups. The baseline nutritional status of vitamin E of all of the lactating women enrolled in the trial was considered adequate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who received supplementation had higher concentrations of α-TOH in colostrum than the control group, with 57% and 39% increases in women supplemented with the natural and synthetic forms of α-TOH, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supplementation with both forms of α-TOH increased vitamin E concentrations in colostrum; however, the natural form was more efficient in increasing the levels.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte †Department of Biotechnology, Potiguar University, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Heleni A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.forename: Heryka M M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ramalho
authors.forename: Mayara S R
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Evellyn C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Grilo
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dimenstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003126:Colostrum / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol