High-Dose Monthly Maternal Cholecalciferol Supplementation during Breastfeeding Affects Maternal and Infant Vitamin D Status at 5 Months Postpartum: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Issue 10 (24th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wheeler, Benjamin J; Taylor, Barry J; Herbison, Peter; Haszard, Jillian J; Mikhail, Adel; Jones, Shirley; Harper, Michelle J; Houghton, Lisa A
• Is Part Of: Journal of nutrition. Volume 146:Issue 10(2016)
• Page Start: 1999
• Page End: 2006
• Publication Date: 2016-08-24
• Subjects: vitamin D -- cholecalciferol -- 25-hydroxyvitamin D -- breastfeeding infant -- lactation; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Diet -- Periodicals; 613.205
• DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.236679
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3166

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Many countries recommend daily infant vitamin D supplementation during breastfeeding, but compliance is often poor. A monthly, high-dose maternal regimen may offer an alternative strategy, but its efficacy is unknown. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effect of 2 different monthly maternal doses of cholecalciferol on maternal and infant 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status during the first 5 mo of breastfeeding. Methods: With the use of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, women who were planning to exclusively breastfeed for 6 mo ( n = 90; mean age: 32.1 y; 71% exclusively breastfeeding at week 20) were randomly assigned to receive either cholecalciferol (50, 000 or 100, 000 IU) or a placebo monthly from week 4 to week 20 postpartum. The treatment effects relative to placebo were estimated as changes in maternal and infant serum 25(OH)D from baseline to week 20 postpartum by using a linear fixed-effects regression model. Additional secondary analyses, adjusted for potential confounders such as season of birth, vitamin D–fortified formula intake, and infant or maternal skin color, were also conducted. Results: After 16 wk of supplementation, changes in maternal serum 25(OH)D were significantly higher in the 50, 000-IU/mo (12.8 nmol/L; 95% CI: 0.4, 25.2 nmol/L) and 100, 000-IU/mo (21.5 nmol/L; 95% CI: 9.2, 33.8 nmol/L) groups than in the placebo group ( P = 0.43 and P < 0.001, respectively). For infants, the unadjusted mean changes in serum 25(OH)D were 4.5 nmol/L (95% CI: −16.2, 25.0 nmol/L) for the 50, 000-IU/mo group and 15.8 nmol/L (95% CI: −4.7, 36.4 nmol/L) for the 100, 000-IU/mo group, but the changes did not differ from the placebo reference group. However, after adjustment for season of birth, vitamin D–fortified formula intake, and infant skin color, the mean change effect size for the 100, 000-IU/mo group was 19.1 nmol/L (95% CI: 2.5, 35.6 nmol/L; P = 0.025) higher than that in the placebo group. Conclusions: Maternal cholecalciferol supplementation at a dose of 100, 000 IU/mo during the first 5 mo of breastfeeding potentially benefits infant vitamin D status. Further studies are required to determine optimum dose and dosing frequency. This trial was registered at www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12611000108910.