Elsevier

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 114, Issue 2, February 1989, Pages 204-212
The Journal of Pediatrics

Original article
Bone mineral content, serum vitamin D metabolite concentrations, and ultraviolet B light exposure in infants fed human milk with and without vitamin D2 supplements

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(89)80784-XGet rights and content

Abstract

Objective

To monitor ultraviolet B light exposure in human milk-fed infants both with an without supplemental vitamin D2, and to measure longitudinally the bone mineral content, growth, and serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and parathyrold hormone.

Design

Longitudinal, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 6 months' duration.

Setting

Patients from private pediatric practice, Madison, Wisconsin.

Patients

Sequential sampling of 46 human milk-fed white infants; 24 recelved 400 IU/day of vitamin D2, and 22 recelved placebo. An additional 12 patients were followed who received standard infant formula. Eighty-three percent of patients completed a full 6 months of the study.

Measurements and results

Ultraviolet B light exposure and measurements growth did not differ between groups. At 6 months, the human milk groups did not differ significantly in bone mineral content or serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, although total 25-hydroxyvitamin D values were significantly less in the unsupplemented human milk group (23.53±9.94 vs 36.96±11.86 ng/ml; p<0.01). However, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 serum concentrations were significantly higher in the unsupplemented human milk-fed group compared with the supplemented group (21.77±9.73 vs 11.74±10.27 ng/ml, p<0.01) by 6 months of age.

Conclusion

Unsupplemented, human milk-fed infants had no evidence of vitamin D deficiency during the first 6 months life.

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  • Cited by (0)

    Supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture grant No. 85-CRCR-1-1712

    Presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Research, Anaheim, Calif., April 28, 1987.

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