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  • Title: Alpha-tocopherol concentrations in human milk from mothers of preterm and full-term infants in China.
    Author: Zheng MC, Zhang GF, Zhou LS, Guo XG, Quan YF.
    Journal: Biomed Environ Sci; 1993 Sep; 6(3):259-64. PubMed ID: 8292270.
    Abstract:
    alpha-Tocopherol content in breast milk of 28 mothers who delivered preterm infants (preterm milk) and 43 mothers who delivered full-term infants (term milk) were measured. alpha-Tocopherol concentration in preterm milk did not differ significantly from that of term milk in the first 12 days of lactation (P > 0.05). There is a higher alpha-tocopherol concentration in the early colostrum, however, it decreases with the lactational days significantly. The investigation suggests that early breast-feeding would be beneficial to the improvement of vitamin E intake in neonates during the early life. In China, clinicians gathered samples of human milk from 28 mothers of preterm infants (gestational age [GA] = 28-36 weeks; mean birth weight = 2062 g) and 43 mothers of full term infants (GA = 38-41 weeks; mean birth weight =or 2700 g) within the first 12 days after delivery at the Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College. To determine the vitamin E content in human milk, they had the alpha-tocopherol (the most biologically active form) content measured. The mean alpha-tocopherol concentration in term milk was 16.11 mcmol/l which is about 50% lower than that reported in term milk in developed countries. In preterm milk, it was 13.95 mcmol/l. The mean alpha-tocopherol level was highest in the early colostrum (first 2-3 days) in both groups (18.06 mcmol/l for preterm milk and 17.22 mcmol/l for term milk) and fell significantly with each day (4-12 days, 11.28-10.86 mcmol/l for preterm milk and 16.44-10 mcmol/l for term milk, respectively; p 0.05). Continued investigation of the preterm milk of 3 mothers for 25 days supported the downward trend in alpha-tocopherol levels. These findings show that early breast feeding would improve the vitamin E intake in neonates.
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