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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #88699
Title: MATERNAL DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID (DHA) SUPPLEMENTATION DOES NOT AFFECT NEURO- DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME OF BREAST-FED TERM INFANTS AT ONE YEAR OF AGE

Author
item VOIGT, ROBERT - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Jensen, Craig
item FRALEY, J - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item BROWN III, FRANK - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Heird, William

Submitted to: Pediatric Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content of breast milk of women in the United States is lower than that of many other populations. Since DHA is an essential component of the structural lipids of the developing brain, and inadequate early intake may affect subsequent neurodevelopmental status, many have recommended that lactating U.S. women be supplemented with DHA. We studied 41 term infants who were exclusively breast-fed for the first 4 months of life. Within 5 days of delivery, each mother was assigned randomly and blindly to receive a DHA supplement or a placebo for 4 months. Plasma phospholipid fatty acid patterns of the infants were measured at 4 months of age, and neurodevelopmental status was assessed by the same individual at 1 year of age. Mean plasma phospholipid DHA content of infants of DHA-supplemented mothers was 43% higher at 4 months of age than that of infants whose mothers received placebo. Despite this, there were no statistically significant differences at 1 year of age in any neurodevelopmental measure between infants whose mothers were supplemented versus those whose mothers were not. These data show that DHA supplementation of breastfeeding mothers increases infant plasma phospholipid DHA but confers no obvious advantage with respect to neurodevelopmental status at 1 year of age.