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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #110467
Title: EFFECTS OF MATERNAL DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION ON VISUAL FUNCTIONAND GROWTH OF BREAST-FED TERM INFANTS

Author
item Jensen, Craig
item PRAGER, THOMAS - U T HLTH SCI CNTR-HOUSTON
item ZOU, YALI - U T HLTH SCI CNTR-HOUSTON
item FRALEY, J - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item MAUDE, MAUREEN - U OKLAHOMA HLTH SCI CNTR
item ANDERSON, ROBERT - U OKLAHOMA HLTH SCI CNTR
item Heird, William

Submitted to: Lipids
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Low docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content of the milk of women in the US has led some to suggest DHA supplementation of breast-feeding women. Data concerning the efficacy of supplementation are lacking. We determined the effects of DHA supplementation of lactating women on visual function and growth of the recipient infants. Mothers were assigned randomly and blindly yto receive about 200-250mg of DHA daily as either algal DHA (Group 1; n=42), refined high-DHA fish oil (Group 2; n=42), or placebo (Group 3; n=42) for 120d after delivery. The fatty acid pattern of maternal milk and infant plasma phospholipid (PL) was determined 120 and 240 d postdelivery. Visual function of infants was assessed at the same ages by transient visual evoked potential (VEP) latency and amplitude; visual acuity was measured by sweep VEP and the teller Acuity Card procedure. At 120d, milk total lipid DHA content of Groups 1 and 2 was approximately twice that of Group 3. Infant plasma PL DHA content was 45-48% higher; arachidonic acid contents were 11-13, 31-34, and 38-63% lower. There were no statistically significant differences among groups in VEP latency, sweep VEP acuity or Teller Card acuity at either age. Transient VEP amplitude was lower in infants whose mothers received the algal DHA than infants in Groups 2 and 3 at 120d but not 240d of age. No measure of visual function correlated significantly with either milk DHA or infant plasma PL DHA content at 120d of age. There were no statistically significant differences in weight, length, head circumference, or triceps skinfold thicknesses among groups at either 120 or 240d of age. These data show maternal DHA supplementation increases DHA content of maternal milk and plasma PL DHA content of the recipient infant but confers no detectable benefits to visual function.