Thiamin status during the third trimester of pregnancy and its influence on thiamin concentrations in transition and mature breast milk
- 1 July 2004
- journal article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in British Journal of Nutrition
- Vol. 92 (1), 129-135
- https://doi.org/10.1079/bjn20041153
Abstract
Thiamin deficiency remains an important public health problem in some populations. The aim of the present investigation was to study thiamin status during the third trimester of pregnancy and its influence on the concentration of this vitamin in transition (days 13–14 of lactation) and mature breast milk (day 40 of lactation) in a group of Spanish women. The pregnancies and lactation periods of fifty-one healthy women 18–35 (mean 26·7 (sd 3·7)) years old were monitored. Vitamin intake during the third trimester was determined by recording the consumption of foods over 5 d and of the quantities provided by dietary supplements. Thiamin status during this stage of pregnancy was determined by measuring the activation coefficient of erythrocyte transketolase (α-ETK). Milk thiamin content was estimated (in 41% of the subjects) by oxidizing thiamin to thiocrome and measuring fluorescence. Subjects with thiamin intakes above that recommended (group H) had more satisfactory serum α-ETK coefficients (1·01 (sd 0·19)) than did those with lower intakes (group L) (1·21 (sd 0·30); P>0·05). Mature milk thiamin concentrations were significantly higher in group H subjects (0·59 (sd 0·44) μmol/l) than group L subjects (0·25 (sd 0·07) μmol/l). Subjects with α-ETK coefficients >1·25 in the third trimester had significantly lower mature milk thiamin concentration (0·31 (sd 0·10) μmol/l) than did subjects with more satisfactory α-ETK levels at this time (0·55 (sd 0·42) μmol/l; P>0·05). The thiamin status of women can be improved since 25·5% of subjects took less than that recommended and 13·7% showed signs of severe deficiency (α-ETK >1·25). The influence of maternal thiamin intake on α-ETK coefficients and on mature breast milk thiamin concentration is confirmed.Keywords
This publication has 24 references indexed in Scilit:
- Zinc status of a group of pregnant Spanish women: Effects on anthropometric data and Apgar scores of neonatesNutrition Research, 1999
- Micronutrients and pregnancy outcome: A review of the literatureNutrition Research, 1999
- The consumption of food, energy and nutrients in pregnant women: Differences with respect to smoking habitsNutrition Research, 1998
- Mineral and vitamin content of mature breast milk of Saudi lactating mothersEcology of Food and Nutrition, 1996
- THIAMINE ADMINISTRATION DURING CHRONIC ALCOHOL INTAKE IN PREGNANT AND LACTATING RATS: EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING NEUROBEHAVIOURAL DEVELOPMENTAlcohol and Alcoholism, 1996
- Thiamin intake, erythrocyte transketolase (EC2.2.1.1) activity and total erythrocyte thiamin in adolescentsBritish Journal of Nutrition, 1994
- Food and nutrient intakes of pregnant and lactating women in the United StatesJournal of Nutrition Education, 1993
- Does Breastfeeding Protect Against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?Journal of Human Lactation, 1991
- The effect of nutritional intake on outcome of pregnancy in smokers and non-smokersBritish Journal of Nutrition, 1991
- Determination of thiamine (vitamin B1) in maternal blood during normal pregnancies and pregnancies with intrauterine growth retardationZeitschrift Fur Ernahrungswissenschaft, 1990