454 BREAST MILK CHOLESTEROL, PHYTOSTEROL, AND TOTAL FAT

Abstract

Breast milk cholesterol (C), total phytosterols(TP), and total fat (TF) were quantitated during the first 12 months of lactation in 8 normals(N) and in a subject homozygous for familial hypercholesterolemia(H-FHC), to assess temporal changes in milk sterol and fat content. The N took an ad-libitum diet, the H-FHC, a low cholesterol (<100 mg/day), polyunsaturate rich diet(P/S, 2/1). Mean C and TP( mg/g milk total fat),and TF( g/ml) for the N were:

In the H-FHC, mean C,TP, and TF during month 1 were 103,3.3, and 2.3 respectively; in month 2 they were 40, 3, and 3.3; in month 3 they were 52, 2, and 2.7. During lactation in N, breast milk C appears to increase slightly in mo. 4-7. Breast milk TP are variable, but mean TP may be 60% that of C. Breast milk TF was stable,ranging from 2.3 to 4.8 g/ml. In the H-FHC, breast milk TP and TF were comparable to N, but milk C was 10-30 fold higher than N.Although changes in plasma cholesterol(PC) in N are not accompanied by changes in breast milk C, in the H-FHC, (PC>600 mg/dl),breast milk is remarkably enriched with C. Since breast milk C is derived from PC and from cholesterolgenesis in the breast, the marked increments in breast milk C in the H-FHC appear to be related to sharp increments in PC with increased extraction of C into breast milk.

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