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No Association between Glucocorticoid Diurnal Rhythm in Breastmilk and Infant Body Composition at 3 Months
Jonneke Hollanders1, Lisette R Dijkstra2, Bibian van der Voorn3
1Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Pediatric Endocrinology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, (1000-1183) Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.hollanders@amsterdamumc.nl.
Insights
This study found no link between the daily rhythm of glucocorticoids (GCs) in breastmilk at one month and infant growth or body composition at three months. Previous findings may be inaccurate due to limited cortisol measurements.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Human Physiology
- Infant Nutrition
Background:
- Breastmilk glucocorticoids (GCs) are linked to infant growth and body composition.
- Previous studies did not account for the diurnal rhythm of breastmilk GCs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between breastmilk GC rhythmicity at 1 month postpartum and infant growth and body composition at 3 months.
Main Methods:
- Collected breastmilk GCs over 24 hours at 1 month postpartum.
- Analyzed GCs using LC-MS/MS.
- Measured infant body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass index) via air-displacement plethysmography at 3 months; collected length and weight at 1, 2, and 3 months.
Main Results:
- No significant associations were found between breastmilk GC rhythmicity metrics (AUC increase, AUC ground, maximum, delta) and infant growth trajectories.
- No significant associations were observed between breastmilk GC rhythmicity and infant body composition (fat mass index, fat-free mass index, fat percentage) at 3 months.
Conclusions:
- Breastmilk GC rhythmicity at 1 month did not correlate with infant growth or body composition at 3 months.
- Previous associations between breastmilk cortisol and infant weight may be unreliable due to a lack of serial measurements and detailed body composition data.
Objective:
Glucocorticoids (GCs) in breastmilk have previously been associated with infant body growth and body composition. However, the diurnal rhythm of breastmilk GCs was not taken into account, and we therefore aimed to assess the associations between breastmilk GC rhythmicity at 1 month and growth and body composition at 3 months in infants.
Methods:
At 1 month postpartum, breastmilk GCs were collected over a 24-h period and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Body composition was measured using air-displacement plethysmography at 3 months. Length and weight were collected at 1, 2, and 3 months.
Results:
In total, 42 healthy mother-infant pairs were included. No associations were found between breastmilk GC rhythmicity (area-under-the-curve increase and ground, maximum, and delta) and infant growth trajectories or body composition (fat and fat free mass index, fat%) at 3 months.
Conclusions:
This study did not find an association between breastmilk GC rhythmicity at 1 month and infant's growth or body composition at 3 months. Therefore, this study suggests that previous observations linking breastmilk cortisol to changes in infant weight might be flawed by the lack of serial cortisol measurements and detailed information on body composition.
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