Effect of supplementing the diet of breast feeding mothers with omega 3 fatty acids on lipid composition of breast milk

Abstract

Introduction: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an important component of membrane phospholipids in brain and retinal tissues. The capability of infants to form DHA may be inadequate to support their metabolic requirements. Indeed they are dependent on the maternal supply. Women with a customarily high consumption of marine foods show increased levels of DHA in their breast milk. In Chile there is a low consumption of marine foods. 

Objective: To determine whether DHA supplementation of lactating women with jurel increases the DHA content of breast milk. Breast feeding women were randomly assigned to a supplemented or control group. The supplemented group (n = 12) consumed 160 g of jurel twice a week for 2 weeks, the control group (n = 12) maintained their usual diet. The jurel (Trachurus murphyi) contained 621mg of DHA per 100 g edible portion. 

Results: DHA supplementation increased DHA intake from 64 mg per day to 335.9 mg/day. Basal line DHA levels in milk were 0.15 ± 0.05% of total fatty acids and increased significantly to 0.22 ± 0.10% (p < 0.05). There was no effect of dietary DHA on breast milk arachidonic acid levels. 

Conclusion: maternal DHA supplementation with jurel significantly elevated milk DHA content.