Re: Breastfeeding and Vitamin C

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy,

Just stumbled over the abstract below, it is 2 years old, however

and more directly relates to allergy.

And look at these links

http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nbreastfeed/0,,3x88,00.html

<FDA requirements for nursing mothers for this vitamin are 100 mg

per day.>

from http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/vitamins.html

~ Gretchen

Eur J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan;59(1):123-8.

Vitamin C in breast milk may reduce the risk of atopy in the

infant.Hoppu U, Rinne M, Salo-Vaananen P, Lampi AM, Piironen V,

Isolauri E.

Department of Paediatrics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of maternal dietary and supplement

intake of vitamins C and E on breast milk antioxidant composition

(vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene) and their protective

potential against the development of atopy in the infant.

DESIGN, SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Mothers with atopic disease were

recruited at the end of gestation and maternal sensitization was

assessed by skin-prick testing. The 4-day food records of the

mothers and breast milk samples were collected at the infants' age

of 1 month. Infants' atopy was defined by the presence of atopic

dermatitis during the first year of life and a positive skin-prick

test reaction at 12 months of age (n=34).

RESULTS: Maternal intake of vitamin C in diet but not as supplement

was shown to determine the concentration of vitamin C in breast

milk. A higher concentration of vitamin C in breast milk was

associated with a reduced risk of atopy in the infant (OR=0.30; 95%

CI 0.09-0.94; P=0.038), whereas alpha-tocopherol had no consistent

relationship with atopy. The group at risk of suboptimal vitamin C

supply from breast milk was identified as infants whose mothers

suffer from food hypersensitivity.

CONCLUSION: A maternal diet rich in natural sources of vitamin C

during breastfeeding could reduce the risk of atopy in high-risk

infants.