Dorota Martysiak-Żurowska

Longitudinal study of vitamins A, E and lipid oxidative damage in human milk throughout lactation

BACKGROUND Little is known about the intensity of oxidative damage in human milk resulting from maternal oxidative stress. The aim of our study was to explore the changes in Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) and concentrations of antioxidative vitamins and isoprostanes (markers of oxidative stress) in human colostrum and mature milk. METHODS The study included 49 postpartum women with normal, spontaneous full term delivery. The exclusion criteria included active and passive smoking, acute and chronic disorders, and pharmacotherapy other than vitamin supplementation. Colostrum samples were collected on the 3rd day after delivery and breast milk samples between the 30th and the 32nd day after delivery. TAS of colostrum/breast milk was determined by Rice-Evans and Miller method. The amount of vitamins A and E was measured by HPLC. Isoprostane concentrations in colostrum/mature milk and urine were determined immunoenzymatically. RESULTS No significant differences were observed in maternal dietary intakes of vitamins A and E determined prior to the colostrum and mature milk sampling. The TAS of mature milk was significantly higher compared to colostrum (P=0.002), while vitamin A and E concentrations were significantly lower (P=0.003 and P=0.001). Although the isoprostane concentration of mature milk was significantly higher than the colostrum concentration, this difference was not significant (P=0.129). CONCLUSION Human milk is a source of antioxidative vitamins and their concentrations decrease throughout the lactation, while their total antioxidative properties increase. The phase of lactation does not affect the degree of human milks lipid oxidative damage.

Concentrations of alpha- and gamma-tocopherols in human breast milk during the first months of lactation and in infant formulas

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of alpha- and gamma-tocopherols in human breast milk samples from different periods of lactation and to compare them with tocopherol content in commercially available formulas for infants at corresponding ages. The study included 93 breast milk samples obtained on the 2nd (colostrum, n = 17), 14th (n = 30), 30th (n = 27) and 90th day of lactation (n = 19), along with 90 samples of commercially available initial and follow-on infant formulas. Concentrations of tocopherols were determined using normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Depending on the stage of lactation, human breast milk contained 2.07-9.99 mg L⁻¹ of alpha-tocopherol and 0.22-0.60 mg L⁻¹ of gamma-tocopherol. Breast milk concentrations of alpha-tocopherol decreased with the time of lactation, while significant differences in gamma-tocopherol concentration were observed only between the 14th and 30th day of lactation. There was no significant correlation between the dietary intake of vitamin E and its estimated breast milk concentration, also in women who declared vitamin supplementation. Compared with colostrum, infant formulas were characterised by significantly lower concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and vitamin E. This finding indicates the need of additional vitamin E supplementation of bottle-fed infants during the initial 2-3 days of life.

Maternal smoking modulates fatty acid profile of breast milk

We hypothesized that the fatty acid composition of breast milk can be affected by a smoking habit in the mother. Consequently, this study verified whether maternal smoking modulates, and if so to what extent, the breast milk fatty acid profile.

Cytokine Profile of Mature Milk From Smoking and Nonsmoking Mothers

ABSTRACT We verified whether smoking during lactation influences breast milk cytokine (interleukin [IL]-1&agr;, IL-1&bgr;, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-&agr;) levels 30 to 32 days after delivery. The study group comprised 24 postpartum women who declared smoking >5 cigarettes per day. The control group included 45 nonsmoking postpartum women. Compared with nonsmoking women, smokers were characterized by significantly higher breast milk concentrations of IL-1&agr; (P = 0.04), whereas no significant intergroup differences were observed in terms of remaining analyzed cytokines. Moreover, both groups were characterized by a similar fraction of women with detectable cytokine levels.

Unusual odd-chain and trans-octadecenoic fatty acids in tissues of feral European beaver (Castor fiber), Eurasian badger (Meles meles) and raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)

The fatty acid (FA) composition of depot adipose tissues in the raccoon dog (Nyctereutesprocyonoides) and the European beaver (Castorfiber) differs from that reported for the lipids of other monogastric animals, especially with regard to the presence of trans-octadecenoic acids. The concentrations of pentadecanoic acid 15:0 (PA) and heptadecanoic acid 17:0 (HA) in the lipids of the tested animals ranged from 0.23 to 0.79% and from 0.33 to 2.35% of total FAs, respectively. The total content of their monounsaturated cis isomers varied from 0.12 to 2.75% for pentadecanoic acid (c-PA) and from 0.38 to 2.45% for heptadecanoic acid (c-HA). It is interesting that the tissues of European beavers and raccoon dogs contained also trans isomers of octadecenoic acid C18:1 (t-OA) including vaccenic acid C18:1,11t (VA), typical of ruminants. The presence of FAs with an uneven number of carbon atoms and trans-octadecenoic acids in depot adipose tissue is indicative of the process of hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid) in the digestive tract. The tissues of badgers also contained t-OA (from below 0.05% in the liver to 0.44% in the kidneys), but no VA was found.

Effect of High Pressure and Sub-Zero Temperature on Total Antioxidant Capacity and the Content of Vitamin C, Fatty Acids and Secondary Products of Lipid Oxidation in Human Milk

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare of the effects of high pressure of 193 MPa at −20°C and Low Temperature Long Time pasteurization (LTLT or holder pasteurization, 62.5°C, 30 min) on the content and composition of fatty acids (FAs), concentrations of secondary products of lipid oxidation (TBARS), the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total vitamin C and ascorbic acid (AsA) content in human milk. It was shown that no significant changes in the content and composition of FAs and TBARS levels were noted in both pressurized and LTLT pasteurized milk samples. The results obtained indicate that the antioxidant properties in pressurized human milk were also not affected. In the case of the pasteurized samples only slight (approx. 6%) and statistically insignificant decrease was observed in the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values. Pasteurization significantly reduced the content of total vitamin C and AsA, by 35% and 24%, respectively. A minor and statistically insignificant (approx. 6%) decrease in vitamin C levels was observed in milk treated with high pressure. However, a significant decrease (by more than 11%) occurred in these conditions in AsA concentrations. The influence of high pressure treatment on AsA levels and the lack of significant changes in TEAC values point to the relative stability of the remaining antioxidant components in human milk. Further research is needed to determine the effects of high pressure of approximately 200 MPa and sub-zero temperatures on, mainly thermolabile, components of human milk, which are degraded by LTLT pasteurization.

The influence of plant protection by effective microorganisms on the content of bioactive phytochemicals in apples

BACKGROUND The phytochemicals of two apple cultivars (Yellow Transparent and Early Geneva) protected in two ways, conventionally with chemical pesticides or by effective microorganisms (EM), were compared. Two types of components were determined: lipids synthesised constitutively and generated via inducible pathways polyphenols along with antioxidant activity and profiles. RESULTS The antioxidant activities assessed with ABTS, DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu reagents were about two-fold higher in the case of microbiologically protected apples. The qualitative composition of phenolics determined by LC-DAD-MS varied between cultivars and the part of apples studied, while the method of protection caused mainly differences in concentration of some groups of polyphenols (hydroxycinnamates, flavanols, dihydrochalcones, flavonols, anthocyanins). The apples from biological cultivation contained about 34-54% more phenolics than these from a conventional orchard. In contrast, lipid composition did not differ significantly between apples originating from conventional and bio-crops. CONCLUSION The results indicate that the advantage of using the EM technology in agriculture may not only be the reduction of consumption of chemical fertilisers and synthetic pesticides, but also, at least in the case of apples, may lead to the production of crops with improved health quality due to the higher content of bioactive phytochemicals.

Higher Absorption of Vitamin C from Food than from Supplements by Breastfeeding Mothers at Early Stages of Lactation

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of vitamin C supply in the diet of lactating women on vitamin C concentrations in human milk (n = 97) sampled at different stages of lactation. Vitamin C levels were measured by liquid chromatography. Dietary intake of vitamin C was determined based on 3-day food dairies kept by breastfeeding mothers. Maternal dietary intakes of vitamin C from natural sources on lactation day 90 (n = 18) were significantly higher than on lactation days 15 (n = 42) and 30 (n = 37). The number of women taking vitamin C supplements decreased in successive stages of lactation. The average daily intake of vitamin C was estimated at 119 mg, but nearly 20% of mothers consumed less than 50 mg of vitamin C per day. No significant correlations were observed between lactation stage and vitamin C levels in breast milk (r = 0.110, p = 0.064). The average vitamin C concentrations in human breast milk were determined at 50.9 mg / L, and were not higher than 80.6 mg / L regardless of lactation stage and maternal intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C excretion into breast milk is regulated to prevent exceeding saturation level. The vitamin C concentration in milk was positive correlated with maternal intake of vitamin C from food, in the case of non-supplemented diet (r = 0.402, p = 0.041). Our results suggest that vitamin C occurring in food is much better absorbed and passes into breast milk than vitamin C from supplements.

Human breast milk concentration of neopterin at various stages of lactation and during a single feeding

Abstract The aim of this work was to determine the physiological level of neopterin in human breast milk, and to study its variability depending on the duration of a single feeding and the lactation stage. Breast milk samples from 74 women were collected between 2 and 4 days after delivery, and at 15, 30, and 90 days after delivery. Additionally, breast milk samples from eight women were collected before and after 7 and 15 min of breastfeeding. The concentration of neopterin in breast milk was determined by an immunoenzymatic assay. The range of breast milk neopterin concentration at various stages of lactation amounted to 15.4–19.2 nmol/L at 2–4 days after delivery, 20.2–23.0 nmol/L at day 15, 20.8–24.5 nmol/L at day 30, and 16.9–20.4 nmol/L at day 90. The level of neopterin 2–4 days after delivery was significantly lower than that at days 15 and 30; moreover, the concentration of neopterin at day 30 was significantly higher than that at day 90. No significant differences were documented between neopterin concentrations at various phases of a single feeding. While the breast milk concentration of neopterin changes depending on the stage of lactation, it remains stable throughout a single feeding.