Lipídeos totais e alfa-tocoferol no leite maduro: existe relação após suplementação com vitamina E?

Abstract

Lipid intake during lactation may modify the concentration of vitamin E in human milk, probably because both nutrients are fat soluble and also share similar pathways of distribution, metabolism and molecular action. It’s known that the high maternal vitamin E intake through supplementation alters alpha-tocopherol concentration in breast milk, but the relation with milk lipids has not been studied before. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the association between alpha-tocopherol and total lipids in breast milk after maternal supplementation with high levels of vitamin E. This study is part of a clinical trial composed of lactating women from a public outpatient clinic in Natal-RN. The group studied were 26 lactating women from de supplemented group, whose received a single dose of 800 IU of RRR-alpha-tocopherol (588 mg) between 30 and 90 days postpartum, where were collected breast milk before and 24h after supplementation. The food intake was assessed by 24-hour dietary, the concentration of alpha-tocopherol was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and lipid concentration was determined by creamatocrit. All participants had inadequate vitamin intake (<16mg). Alpha-tocopherol concentration in milk increased from 294,8 μg/dL to 631,6 μg/dL after supplementation (p = 0,002). However, there was no change in the concentration of total lipids and in the alpha-tocopherol/total lipids ratio after supplementation (p<0,005). Despite evidence shows the relationship of vitamin E in the protection of lipids, this finding was not observed in breast milk after supplementation with vitamin E, and further studies are needed to assess the presence of this relationship according to the type of fatty acids.