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Vitamin E and C levels in infants during the first year of life
Insights
Newborns have lower vitamin E and C levels than mothers. While infant vitamin E intake appears adequate, vitamin C levels often indicate risk, necessitating periodic infant status evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Neonatal Health
Background:
- Vitamin E and C levels are lower in newborns compared to maternal blood at delivery.
- The reasons for these initial lower levels in infants are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between vitamin E and C levels at birth and their changes during the first year of life in infants.
- To assess the adequacy of vitamin E and C intake in infants based on blood levels.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 217 unselected newborns was conducted.
- Serum vitamin E and C levels were measured at delivery, 3 days, 6 months, and 12 months of age.
Main Results:
- Serum vitamin E levels increased significantly from birth to 12 months.
- Serum vitamin C levels decreased from birth to 12 months, with a high prevalence of levels indicating moderate risk.
- Vitamin E levels generally remained above the acceptable limit, while vitamin C levels were frequently inadequate.
Conclusions:
- Infant diets typically provide sufficient vitamin E but may be inadequate in vitamin C.
- Periodic monitoring of both vitamin E and vitamin C status in infants is recommended.
Abstract:
The considerably lower vitamin E level found in cord blood and in newborns at birth than those found in the venous blood of mothers at delivery are not yet fully explained. In a group of 217 not selected newborns, we attempted to establish the relation between vitamin E and C levels at delivery and the changes during the first year of life. The mean serum vitamin E level rose from 0.37 mg/ml at 3 days to 0.80 mg/100 ml at 6 months and to 0.72 mg/100 ml at 12 months. On the other hand vitamin C mean levels lowered from 0.93 mg/100 ml in cord blood to 0.77 mg/100 ml at 6 months and to 0.73 mg/100 ml at 12 months. The rise of vitamin E values could be explained by the early use of infant solid foods with high vitamin and mineral content and by the increase of serum lipoproteins. Except at 3 days after delivery there were no individual values of serum vitamin E below the acceptable 0.35 mg/100 ml limit. However, serum vitamin C levels compatible with a moderate risk were very often observed, i.e., in 27.1% of infants at 6 months and in 30.5% at 1 year. Thus, vitamin E intake in infants was satisfactory with the usual diet but not vitamin C for which blood levels were not adequate. In view of these findings it appears necessary to evaluate periodically the vitamin E as well as vitamin C status in the infant population.