Effect of vitamin C and E supplementation on total antioxidant content of human breastmilk and infant urine.
OBJECTIVE
After delivery and birth, mothers and neonates are exposed to oxidative stress. The present study examined the effect of supplementation of the diet of breastfeeding mothers with vitamin C and E to improve the antioxidant content of breastmilk and evidence of antioxidant activity in infant urine.


METHODS
The subjects were 60 healthy lactating breastfeeding mothers and their infants 1-6 months of age. They were randomly allocated to a control group (n=30) consuming a free diet or an experimental group (n=30) consuming a free diet supplemented each day with effervescent tablets of vitamin C (500 mg) and chewable tablets of vitamin E (100 IU). After 30 days, the total antioxidant content of the mothers' breastmilk and evidence of antioxidant activity in the infants' urine were measured by the ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay. The free radical scavenging activity of the urine samples was measured by the α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl method. Differences pre- and postintervention were compared within and between the groups.


RESULTS
Significantly higher levels of antioxidants in the breastmilk (610±295.5 to 716±237.5 μmol/L) and infant urine (43.2±21.8 to 75.0±49.2 μmol/mg creatinine) were observed in the experimental group over the control group (p<0.05). A significant increase in evidence of free radical scavenging in infant urine was observed in the experimental group after 30 days of supplementation by mothers (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of vitamin C and E supplements appears to have a positive effect on total antioxidant content of breastmilk and evidence of antioxidant activity in infant urine.
1 Biochemistry Department, Birjand University of Medical Sciences , Birjand, Islamic Republic of Iran .
Asghar
A
Zarban
Mahsa Mostafavi
MM
Toroghi
Marziye
M
Asli
Masumeh
M
Jafari
Morteza
M
Vejdan
Gholamreza
G
Sharifzadeh
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D001515:Beer; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002253:Carbonated Beverages; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D009035:Mothers; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011897:Random Allocation; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins; D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid