Came across this study in my meanderings, don't think it's been mentioned yet
on Lactnet.

Kathleen Fallon Pasakarnis, M.Ed., IBCLC

Vitamin B-6 content of breast milk and neonatal behavioral functioning.

Ooylan LM, Hart S, Porter KB, Driskell JA.

Department of Education, Nutrition, Restaurant and Hotel Management, Texas
Tech University, Lubbock 79409, USA. [log in to unmask]

OBJECTIVE: To determine if vitamin B-6 intakes of mothers influence the B-6
vitamer content of transition milk and if correlations exist between the
vitamin B-6 content of the milk and the infants' neurobehavioral functioning.


DESIGN: Transition milk samples were collected from mothers 8 to 11 days
after delivery for B-6 vitamer analysis. Neurobehavioral functioning of the
neonates was determined at that time. A 24-hour recall was used in estimating
vitamin B-6 intakes of the mothers.

SUBJECTS: A convenience sample of low-income, lactating women (n = 25) who
had normal pregnancies.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: B-6 vitamers were measured in the mothers' transition
milk samples. Neurobehavioral functioning was assessed using the Brazelton
Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS), and the Center for Epidemiologic
Studies Depression Scale was used to evaluate maternal depression.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Pearson correlation coefficients were used to
assess if statistically significant relationships existed between variables.
The Mann-Whitney test was used to determine if median group values were
significantly different.

RESULTS: The major B-6 vitamer in transition milk was pyridoxal. Mothers with
vitamin B-6 intake greater than the median value had a significantly higher
median pyridoxal level in their breast milk than did the mothers with intakes
below the median value. All except one mother had a dietary vitamin B-6
intake that exceeded the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Infant scores on
habituation (r = .94, P < .05) and autonomic stability (r = .34, P < .05)
subscales of the NBAS were positively correlated with milk pyridoxal values.

APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin B-6 is important for normal behavioral
functioning of infants. The mothers' vitamin B-6 intake affects vitamin B-6
levels of breast milk and the need for consuming recommended levels of
vitamin B-6 should be emphasized to all pregnant and lactating mothers.

J Am Diet Assoc 2002 Oct;102(10):1433-8



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