Circadian Changes in the Composition of Human Milk Macronutrients Depending on Pregnancy Duration: a Cross-sectional Study

Overview

Journal Int Breastfeed J

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2020 May 27

PMID 32450886

Citations 13

Authors

Ieva Jura Paulaviciene

Arunas Liubsys

Alma Molyte

Audrone Eidukaite

Vytautas Usonis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the circadian variation of human milk macronutrients and energy content depending upon pregnancy duration.

Methods: One hundred eighty fresh human milk samples from 45 mothers (27 of preterm and 18 of full-term newborns) were collected on a single day chosen between the 14th to 16th day after delivery. The samples were taken four times per day at 12 PM, 6 PM, 12 AM and 6 AM. Only lactating women, who could not breastfeed their hospitalized newborns and expressed milk by breast pump, were enrolled in the study. Human milk macronutrient composition and energy count were evaluated by mid-infrared spectrophotometry.

Results: Significant differences in macronutrient content were observed between 6 AM and 12 PM for mean protein content (t = - 4.62, df = 44, p < 0.001), for mean fat content (t = - 2.10, df = 44, p = 0.04) and for mean energy content (t = - 2.24, df = 44, p = 0.03); between 6 AM and 6 PM for mean protein content (t = - 2.41, df = 43, p = 0.02), for mean fat content (t = - 3.76, df = 43, p = 0.001) and for mean energy content (t = - 3.85, df = 43, p < 0.001); between 12 PM and 12 AM for mean protein content (Wilcoxon test V = 75.5, p = 0.001), for mean fat content (t = 2.50, df = 44, p = 0.02) and for mean energy content (t = 2.74, df = 44, p = 0.01); between 6 PM and 12 AM for mean protein content (V = 229, p = 0.02), for mean fat content (t = 4.39, df = 43, p < 0.001) and for mean energy content (t = - 4.57, df = 43, p < 0.001). The average content of carbohydrates did not change significantly during the 24 h. The samples of preterm newborns' mothers had more apparent diurnal fluctuations in macronutrient content.

Conclusions: Our study revealed significant diurnal variations in protein and fat in human milk, and these circadian fluctuations were more apparent in the milk of mothers of preterm infants.

Citing Articles

The milk study protocol: A longitudinal, prospective cohort study of the relationship between human milk metabolic hormone concentration, maternal body composition, and early growth and satiety development in Samoan infants aged 1-4 months.

Harries V, Abraham J, Vesi L, Reupena A, Faaselele-Savusa K, Duckham R PLoS One. 2024; 19(5):e0292997.

PMID: 38728264 PMC: 11086876. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292997.

Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis of Lactation-Stage-Matched Human and Bovine Milk Samples at 2 Weeks Postnatal.

Lemas D, Du X, Dado-Senn B, Xu K, Dobrowolski A, Magalhaes M Nutrients. 2023; 15(17).

PMID: 37686800 PMC: 10490210. DOI: 10.3390/nu15173768.

Circadian Rhythm Does Not Affect the miRNA Cargo of Bovine Raw Milk Extracellular Vesicles.

Saenz-de-Juano M, Silvestrelli G, Ulbrich S Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24(12).

PMID: 37373358 PMC: 10299634. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210210.

The contributions of parental lactation on offspring development: It's not udder nonsense!.

Wijenayake S, Martz J, Lapp H, Storm J, Champagne F, Kentner A Horm Behav. 2023; 153:105375.

PMID: 37269591 PMC: 10351876. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105375.

Gestational Hypertension and Human Breast Milk Composition in Correlation with the Assessment of Fetal Growth-A Pilot Study.

Sokolowska E, Jassem-Bobowicz J, Drazkowska I, Swiader Z, Domzalska-Popadiuk I Nutrients. 2023; 15(10).

PMID: 37242287 PMC: 10222266. DOI: 10.3390/nu15102404.

References

Amaral Y, Rocha D, Silva L, Soares F, Lopes Moreira M . Do maternal morbidities change the nutritional composition of human milk? A systematic review. Cien Saude Colet. 2019; 24(7):2491-2498. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232018247.18972017. View

Nommsen L, Lovelady C, Heinig M, Lonnerdal B, Dewey K . Determinants of energy, protein, lipid, and lactose concentrations in human milk during the first 12 mo of lactation: the DARLING Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991; 53(2):457-65. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/53.2.457. View

Zhu M, Yang Z, Ren Y, Duan Y, Gao H, Liu B . Comparison of macronutrient contents in human milk measured using mid-infrared human milk analyser in a field study vs. chemical reference methods. Matern Child Nutr. 2016; 13(1). PMC: 6866206. DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12248. View

Khan S, Hepworth A, Prime D, Lai C, Trengove N, Hartmann P . Variation in fat, lactose, and protein composition in breast milk over 24 hours: associations with infant feeding patterns. J Hum Lact. 2012; 29(1):81-9. DOI: 10.1177/0890334412448841. View

Michaelsen K, Skafte L, Badsberg J, Jorgensen M . Variation in macronutrients in human bank milk: influencing factors and implications for human milk banking. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1990; 11(2):229-39. DOI: 10.1097/00005176-199008000-00013. View

Dangat K, Upadhyay D, Kilari A, Sharma U, Kemse N, Mehendale S . Altered breast milk components in preeclampsia; An in-vitro proton NMR spectroscopy study. Clin Chim Acta. 2016; 463:75-83. DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2016.10.015. View

Clark R, Ross S, Hill D, Ferris A . Within-day variation of taurine and other nitrogen substances in human milk. J Dairy Sci. 1987; 70(4):776-80. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(87)80073-5. View

Wu X, Jackson R, Khan S, Ahuja J, Pehrsson P . Human Milk Nutrient Composition in the United States: Current Knowledge, Challenges, and Research Needs. Curr Dev Nutr. 2018; 2(7):nzy025. PMC: 6063275. DOI: 10.1093/cdn/nzy025. View

Dangat K, Kilari A, Mehendale S, Lalwani S, Joshi S . Preeclampsia alters milk neurotrophins and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Int J Dev Neurosci. 2013; 33:115-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2013.12.007. View

10.

Lakens D . Calculating and reporting effect sizes to facilitate cumulative science: a practical primer for t-tests and ANOVAs. Front Psychol. 2013; 4:863. PMC: 3840331. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00863. View

11.

Daly S, Di Rosso A, Owens R, Hartmann P . Degree of breast emptying explains changes in the fat content, but not fatty acid composition, of human milk. Exp Physiol. 1993; 78(6):741-55. DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.1993.sp003722. View

12.

Sanchez Lopez C, Hernandez A, Rodriguez A, Rivero M, Barriga C, Cubero J . [Nitrogen and protein content analysis of human milk, diurnality vs nocturnality]. Nutr Hosp. 2011; 26(3):511-4. DOI: 10.1590/S0212-16112011000300012. View

13.

White R . Circadian Variation of Breast Milk Components and Implications for Care. Breastfeed Med. 2017; 12(7):398-400. DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2017.0070. View

14.

Weber A, Loui A, Jochum F, Buhrer C, Obladen M . Breast milk from mothers of very low birthweight infants: variability in fat and protein content. Acta Paediatr. 2001; 90(7):772-5. View

15.

Lubetzky R, Littner Y, Mimouni F, Dollberg S, Mandel D . Circadian variations in fat content of expressed breast milk from mothers of preterm infants. J Am Coll Nutr. 2006; 25(2):151-4. DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2006.10719526. View

16.

Casadio Y, Williams T, Lai C, Olsson S, Hepworth A, Hartmann P . Evaluation of a mid-infrared analyzer for the determination of the macronutrient composition of human milk. J Hum Lact. 2010; 26(4):376-83. DOI: 10.1177/0890334410376948. View

17.

Fusch G, Rochow N, Choi A, Fusch S, Poeschl S, Ubah A . Rapid measurement of macronutrients in breast milk: How reliable are infrared milk analyzers?. Clin Nutr. 2014; 34(3):465-76. PMC: 5050037. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2014.05.005. View

18.

Silvestre D, Fraga M, Gormaz M, Torres E, Vento M . Comparison of mid-infrared transmission spectroscopy with biochemical methods for the determination of macronutrients in human milk. Matern Child Nutr. 2012; 10(3):373-82. PMC: 6860261. DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00431.x. View

19.

Czosnykowska-Lukacka M, Krolak-Olejnik B, Orczyk-Pawilowicz M . Breast Milk Macronutrient Components in Prolonged Lactation. Nutrients. 2018; 10(12). PMC: 6316538. DOI: 10.3390/nu10121893. View

20.

Gunther M, STANIER J . Diurnal variation in the fat content of breast-milk. Lancet. 1949; 2(6571):235-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(49)91242-8. View