Tricia,
My daughter has the same? or similar condition and had extremely elevated triglyceride levels. Familial chylomicronemia, an auto recessive inherited metabolic disorder, was diagnosed at 10 yo. In her case, she is missing an enzyme that digests fat. Her treatment was a diet containing a maximum of 30 grams/day fats. She was never put on meds. She has kept her triglyceride levels below very dangerous levels on this regiment.  She had an uneventful pregnancy (supposedly a dangerous time as pancreatitis is more apt to occur in the 3rd trimester when both cholesterol and triglycerides rise). There is a strikingly rapid fall of plasma triglyceride and cholesterol in those mothers who breastfeed beginning at 4 weeks postpartum.  She was able to breastfeed for 2.5 years and has recently weaned La Leche League Style- "Don’t offer and don’t refuse”.

I have read everything I could find on breastfeeding and hyperlipidemia, etc.  I even called UC DAVIS but did not get any help there. There is a 2 line mention in Ruth Lawrence that the composition of the fats is “disturbed”, i.e. there are less than normal long-chained fatty acids. That aside, there are so many variations of this disorder that affect breastmilk that perhaps a different composition of fats may not be present in all cases. There has been very little research b/c the condition is rare. Perhaps in the distant future cell therapy will be available.

It makes sense that the lactating mother would use up more fats from her blood just like diabetic lactating mothers see their sugar #s improve.

If you want to discuss further, you can contact me privately.

Laura Monin
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> On Dec 4, 2017, at 4:05 PM, Shamblin, Tricia <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> Dear Lactnet,
> 
> I have been asked a question that I cannot find the answer to. The patient's question is where does the body get its source of fat for human milk? The patient has a disorder that causes her to have extremely elevated triglyceride levels. Her levels typically range from 4500 to 9500 (normal is less than 150). The patient is normally on medication to control triglyceride levels. However, she has found that her triglyceride level has dropped down to less than 150 since she has been breastfeeding. She is wondering if her body might be taking the them from her blood stream and using for her milk? Her infant is gaining weight well, and a little above average weight gain. This seems logical to me, but cannot find any sources of information.
> 
> Tricia Shamblin, RN, IBCLC
> 
> 
> 
> 
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