Factors influencing concentration of B-vitamins in human milk

Regional, socioeconomic, and dietary factors influencing B-vitamins in human milk of urban Chinese lactating women at different lactation stages

Yong Xue, Karine Meisser Redeuil, Esther Campos Giménez, Gerard Vinyes-Pares, Ai Zhao, Tingchao He, Xiaoguang Yang,Yingdong Zheng,Yumei Zhang,Peiyu Wang and, Sagar K. Thakkar. 



B-vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin and folates are essential for maternal health and infant growth and development. This study analyzed B-vitamins content across different lactation stages in milk of Chinese women. Thiamine, vitamin B6 and folates increased progressively with lactation, while concentration of riboflavin and pantothenic acid decreased over time. Vitamin B3 and biotin remained constant through lactation.  Women consuming supplements had higher pantothenic acid, biotin and folate concentration in their milk.  Maternal BMI and physical activity were associated to vitamin B levels; overweight women had lower thiamin and vitamin B6 concentration while underweight women had higher folates. Further, mothers that exercised regularly had higher riboflavin concentrations. 
 
BMC Nutrition 2017;3(22). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-017-0139-1