Ingrid B. Helland

Effect of Supplementing Pregnant and Lactating Mothers With n-3 Very-Long-Chain Fatty Acids on Children's IQ and Body Mass Index at 7 Years of Age

OBJECTIVES. Arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) are essential for brain growth and cognitive development. We have reported that supplementing pregnant and lactating women with n-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids promotes higher IQ scores at 4 years of age as compared with maternal supplementation with n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In our present study, the children were examined at 7 years of age with the same cognitive tests as at 4 years of age. We also examined the relation between plasma fatty acid pattern and BMI in children, because an association between arachidonic acid and adipose tissue size has been suggested. METHODS. The study was randomized and double-blinded. The mothers took 10 mL of cod liver oil or corn oil from week 18 of pregnancy until 3 months after delivery. Their children were tested with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children at 7 years of age, and their height and weight were measured. RESULTS. We did not find any significant differences in scores on the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children test at 7 years of age between children whose mothers had taken cod liver oil (n = 82) or corn oil (n = 61). We observed, however, that maternal plasma phospholipid concentrations of α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy were correlated to sequential processing at 7 years of age. We observed no correlation between fatty acid status at birth or during the first 3 months of life and BMI at 7 years of age. CONCLUSION. This study suggests that maternal concentration of n-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy might be of importance for later cognitive function, such as sequential processing, although we observed no significant effect of n-3 fatty acid intervention on global IQs. Neonatal fatty acid status had no influence on BMI at 7 years of age.

Supplementation of n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation reduces maternal plasma lipid levels and provides DHA to the infants

Objective. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is considered an essential fatty acid for the fetus and newborn infant, but the optimal level of supply is not known. We studied the effect of supplementing pregnant and lactating women with marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as compared to n-6 PUFAs related to maternal and infant lipid levels. Study design. Five hundred and ninety pregnant women in weeks 17–19 of pregnancy were recruited. They were given either 10 mL cod liver oil (n-3 PUFAs) or corn oil (n-6 PUFAs) daily until three months after delivery, and 341 women took part in the study until giving birth. Results. Maternal supplementation with cod liver oil increased the concentration of DHA in maternal as well as infant plasma and umbilical tissue phospholipids, as compared to corn oil. The maternal plasma triacylglycerol increase during pregnancy was less pronounced in women supplemented with cod liver oil as compared to corn oil. The concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol was unchanged during pregnancy in the cod liver oil group, whereas it decreased in the corn oil group, promoting a greater increase in the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol in the corn oil group. Conclusion. Maternal supplementation with n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation provides more DHA to the infant and reduces maternal plasma lipid levels compared to supplementation with n-6 fatty acids.

Presence of ochratoxin A in human milk in relation to dietary intake.

Individual and geographical variations in ochratoxin A (OA) levels in human blood and milk samples may be due to differences in dietary habits. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between OA contamination of human milk and dietary intake. Human milk samples were collected from 80 Norwegian women. The usual food intake during the last year was recorded using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The concentration of OA in the human milk was determined by HPLC (detection limit 10 ng/l). Seventeen (21%) out of 80 human milk samples contained OA in the range 10–182 ng/l. The women with a high dietary intake of liver paste (liverwurst, liver pâté) and cakes (cookies, fruitcakes, chocolate cakes, etc.) were more likely to have OA-contaminated milk. The risk of OA contamination was also increased by the intake of juice (all kinds). In addition, the results indicate that breakfast cereals, processed meat products, and cheese could be important contributors to dietary OA intake. OA contamination of the milk was unrelated to smoking, age, parity, and anthropometric data other than body weight.

Fatty acid composition in maternal milk and plasma during supplementation with cod liver oil.

Objective: We investigated how cod liver oil influences the amount of essential fatty acids in mothers’ breast milk.Design and Intervention: Lactating mothers (n=22) were randomized into four groups 3–8 weeks after parturition. They were supplemented for 14 days with 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 ml cod liver oil (7.7 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), 10.2 g docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and 22.9 g n-3 fatty acids in total per 100 ml).Results: In maternal plasma phospholipids there was an increase in the content of EPA and DHA in the group supplemented with 10 ml cod liver oil daily (P≤0.05). DHA concentrations in breast milk pre-supplementation ranged from 0.15 to 1.56 wt% and increased in all supplemented groups (P≤0.05). The concentration of EPA in breast milk increased in the groups supplemented with 5 or 10 ml cod liver oil (P≤0.05), whereas the concentration of arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) did not change in any of the supplemented groups. Total intake of DHA adjusted to body mass index (BMI), correlated to DHA concentrations in plasma (r=0.49, P=0.02) and breast milk (r=0.45, P=0.04). The concentration of tocopherol did not change during the supplementation period, neither in plasma nor in breast milk.Conclusion: Dietary intake of DHA is reflected in the concentration of DHA in breast milk, without affecting the concentration of AA or tocopherol.Sponsorship: Supported by Peter Möller avd. av Orkla ASA

Smoking related to plasma leptin concentration in pregnant women and their newborn infants.

Leptin, a hormone produced in adipose tissue and placenta, is potentially important in relation to energy metabolism and growth. We investigated the effect of cigarette smoking on maternal plasma leptin concentration during pregnancy, and on plasma leptin concentration and weight among infants up to 13 wk of age. Plasma leptin concentration was measured in women in week 18 (n= 203) and week 35 (n=164) of pregnancy, while cotinine (nicotine metabolite) was measured in plasma sampled from mothers in week 35 of pregnancy (n= 159). Leptin concentration was also measured in plasma from the umbilical cord (n= 133) and from 4‐wk‐old (n= 129) and 13‐wk‐old (n= 130) infants. There was no difference in plasma leptin concentration between smoking and non‐smoking mothers at 18 wk and at 35 wk of pregnancy. Plasma cotinine concentration was higher in smoking than in non‐smoking mothers, and a negative correlation between plasma cotinine and leptin concentrations was found. The leptin concentrations in umbilical cord plasma were similar, although the birthweights of newborns from smoking mothers were significantly lower than those from non‐smoking mothers. The plasma leptin concentrations were similar between the two groups also at 4 wk of age. At 13 wk of age, infants of smoking mothers had significantly higher plasma leptin concentrations than infants of non‐smoking mothers.

Addition of both platelets and thrombin in combination accelerates tumor cells to adhere to endothelial cells In vitro

SummaryPlatelets and coagulation are involved in the pathogenesis of blood-borne metastases. The aim of this study is to obtain more information about the mechanisms involved in the initial adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial cells. In short term experiments with tumor cells, suspended in the medium of cultured endothelial cells, we tested whether addition of both platelets and thrombin cause more tumor cell adhesion to endothelial cells, than when either platelets or thrombin are acting alone.HeLa cells or HT29 cells, prelabeled with radioactive 51Cr, human platelets, and thrombin were added to human endothelial cell cultures. Following 15 min of shaking at 37° C, the percentage of tumor cell adhesion was calculated. The percentages of adhering tumor cells with the presence of both platelets and thrombin were greatly increased compared to controls. Addition of hirudin 2 min before thrombin lowered the adhesion percentage of tumor cells. Hirudin added immediately before and 2 min after thrombin gave only minor effects. When the endothelium was treated with superoxide dismutase, catalase, and mannitol, the adhesion of tumor cells was lowered with catalase and superoxide dismutase. The cause of tumor cell-endothelial cell interaction is probably complex. Our results show that activated platelets enhance the tumor cell adhesion, and that generation of active oxygen species may be important in the initial phase of the interaction.

Influence of Preeclampsia or Maternal Intake of Omega–3 Fatty Acids on the Vasoactive Effect of Prostaglandin F-Two-Alpha in Human Umbilical Arteries

The vasoactive effect of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) was studied in in vitro perfused human umbilical arteries following maternal dietary supplementation with ω–3 fatty acids or in pregnancies complicated by a moderate degree of preeclampsia. In most preparations PGF2α induced a biphasic pressure response with a transient dilatation followed by a constrictory response. The pressure increase was significant in both groups, but no significant differences in the constrictory response or in the proportions of preparations displaying dilatatory responses were observed when compared to appropriate control groups. In conclusion, neither preeclampsia nor dietary supplementation with cod-liver oil had any significant effect on the vasoactive response to PGF2α in umbilical cord arteries.

LEPTIN CONCENTRATION IN UMBILICAL CORD PLASMA: GENDER DIFFERENCES AND CORRELATION TO BIRTH WEIGHT. † 1380

LEPTIN CONCENTRATION IN UMBILICAL CORD PLASMA: GENDER DIFFERENCES AND CORRELATION TO BIRTH WEIGHT. † 1380

Gender Differences and Reduction in Plasma Leptin (P-leptin) Levels during the Neonatal Period

Background: Leptin is produced by adipose tissue, and the protein plays a role in regulation of food intake and metabolism. Plasma concentration of the hormone is correlated to body fat mass, and gender differences have been reported both in adults and children.

Relation between Essential Fatty Acids in Maternal Diet and Human Milk 109

Background: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is probably an essential fatty acid for newborns and it is found in human milk. We investigated how the mothers diet would influence the amount of DHA in her milk.