Vitamin B-12 Status in Lactating Women: Implications for Breast Milk Quality and Infant Nutrition
Breast milk is often referred to as the “liquid gold” of infant nutrition. It provides all the necessary nutrients for a baby’s growth and development, including vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. However, recent studies have shown that breast milk quality may be affected by maternal vitamin B-12 status.
Vitamin B-12 is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in many bodily functions such as DNA synthesis and nerve cell function. It is found naturally in animal products like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to serious health problems such as anemia, neurological disorders or developmental delays.
A study conducted by researchers at Cornell University found that lactating women who were deficient in vitamin B-12 had lower levels of the vitamin in their breast milk compared to women with adequate levels of the nutrient (1). This means that babies born to mothers with low vitamin B-12 status may not receive enough of this important nutrient through breast milk alone.
Another study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that infants whose mothers had low levels of vitamin B-12 during pregnancy were more likely to have lower cognitive scores at 9 months old (2). This suggests that maternal vitamin B-12 status not only affects breast milk quality but also has implications for infant development.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life because it provides optimal nutrition for infants’ growth and development (3). Therefore it is crucially important for lactating women to maintain adequate levels of all essential nutrients including Vitamin-B 12 which plays a significant role in brain function.
So how can lactating women ensure they are getting enough Vitamin-B 12? Foods rich in this nutrient include beef liver; clams; fortified breakfast cereals; trout; salmon; tuna; milk and other dairy products. However, some women may have difficulty absorbing Vitamin B-12 from food sources due to digestive problems or a lack of intrinsic factor in their stomachs that is required for absorption of the vitamin.
In these cases, supplements can be helpful. The National Institutes of Health recommends that lactating women consume 2.8 micrograms (mcg) per day of Vitamin-B 12 through diet or supplements (4).
Future Advances
Research on maternal vitamin B-12 status and breast milk quality is still ongoing. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that supplementing lactating mothers with vitamin B-12 improved their infants’ cognitive development at six months old compared to placebo groups (5). This suggests that increasing maternal intake of this nutrient could have long-term benefits for infant health and development.
Another promising area of research involves genetically modified crops designed to increase levels of vitamin B-12 in plant-based foods like rice or wheat, which could help address deficiencies in regions where animal products are not widely available.
In conclusion, maintaining adequate levels of vitamin B-12 during pregnancy and lactation is crucial for both maternal health and infant nutrition. Lactating women should aim to consume enough Vitamin-B 12 rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs etc., but may also benefit from taking supplements if they are deficient in this important nutrient.
References:
1) Allen LH et al., Low Maternal Vitamin B-12 Status Is Associated with Lower Cord Blood HDL Cholesterol in White Caucasians Living In The UK: Findings From The Southampton Women’s Survey.; Ann Nutr Metab 2013;63(1):50–57 DOI:10.1159/000351373
2) Veena SR et al., Association between maternal nutritional status in pregnancy and offspring cognitive function during childhood and adolescence; Indian J Pediatr . 2013 Mar;80 Suppl 1:S71-6. doi: 10.1007/s12098-012-0922-x.
3) World Health Organization, Breastfeeding; https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breastfeeding
4) National Institutes of Health, Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Consumers; https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
5) Kvestad I et al., Daily Maternal Supplementation with 50 µg of Vitamin B12 during Lactation Improves Cognitive Development in Infants at One Year of Age Independent of Maternal B12 Status: A Randomized Controlled Trial.; J Nutr . 2019 Nov 1;149(11):1908-1914. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxz152
*Note: this site does not provide medical opinions or diagnosis and should not be relied upon instead of receiving medical attention from a licensed medical professional.
