Effect of Small Daily Doses of B-carotene on Breast Milk Retinol

Effect of Small Daily Doses of B-carotene or Vitamin A on Breast Milk Retinol Concentration in Lactating Filipino Women.

The purpose of this pilot study is to determine whether breast milk retinol concentration increases in response to daily supplementation with small amounts of vitamin A (~600 ug RAE/d), as either a b-carotene or retinyl palmitate, 6 d/week for 3 weeks. A secondary purpose is to evaluate sampling methods for collecting breast milk samples in a community setting. The results of this pilot study will allow us to determine whether milk retinol is a useful indicator for evaluating the impact of food-based interventions on the vitamin A status of lactating women.

Inclusion Criteria:

• lactating women breastfeeding a single infant 4-12 months of age

Exclusion Criteria:

• chronic disease
• breastfeeding more than one infant
• severe anemia
• signs or symptoms of vitamin A deficiency