Retinol vitamin colostrum

Recently we published data that even in countries with excellent food sources and availability, insufficient vitamin A supply will occur (Schulz et ah, 2007). The aim of this trial was to analyze vitamin A and p-carotene status and investigate the contribution of nutrition to vitamin A and p-carotene supply in mother-infant pairs of multiparous births or births within short birth rates. Twenty-nine volimteers aged between 21 and 36 years were evaluated for 48 hours after delivery. In order to establish overall supply, retinol and p-carotene were determined in maternal plasma, cord blood, and colostrum via HPLC analysis. A food frequency protocol was obtained from all participants. Regardless of the high-to-moderate socioeconomic background, 27.6% of participants showed plasma retinol levels below 1.4 pmol/liter, which can be taken as borderline deficiency. In addition, 46.4% showed retinol intake <66% of RDA and 50.0% did not consume liver at all, although liver contributes as a main source for preformed retinol. Despite a high total carotenoid intake of 6.9 3.9mg/day, 20.7% of mothers showed plasma levels <0.5 pmol/liter p-carotene. 

Retinol and p-carotene levels were highly significant correlated between maternal plasma versus cord blood and colostrum. In addition, significantly lower levels were found in cord blood [31.2 13% (retinol), 4.1 1.4% (p-carotene)] compared with maternal plasma. Despite the fact that vitamin A- and p-carotene-rich food is generally available, in contrast to developing countries, risk groups for low vitamin A supply indeed exist in the western world. 

Vitamin A activity is present in milk as retinol, retinyl esters and as carotenes. Whole cows milk contains an average of 52 fig retinol and 21 fig carotene per 100 g. The concentration of retinol in raw sheep s and pasteurized goats milks is 83 and 44 fig per 100 g, respectively, although milks of these species are reported (Holland et ai, 1991) to contain only trace amounts of carotenes. Human milk and colostrum contain an average of 58 and 155 fig retinol per lOOg, respectively. In addition to their role as provitamin A, the carotenoids in milk are reponsible for the colour of milk fat (Chapter 11). 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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