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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Western Human Nutrition Research Center » Obesity and Metabolism Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421916
Research Project: Improving Public Health by Understanding Metabolic and Bio-Behavioral Effects of Following Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Location: Obesity and Metabolism Research

Title: Reference Values for B vitamins in human milk

Author
item Allen, Lindsay
item Shahab-Ferdows, Setareh
item MOORE, SOPHIE - King'S College
item PEERSON, JANET - Consultant
item KAC, GILBERTO - Universidade Federal Do Rio De Janeiro
item FIGUEIREDO, AMANDA - Universidade Federal Do Rio De Janeiro
item Dror, Daphna
item MICHAELSEN, KIM - University Of Copenhagen
item ISLAM, M. MUNIRUL - Icddr,b
item NIJE, FANTA - London School Of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
item HAMPEL, DANIELA - University Of California, Davis

Submitted to: Advances in Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: This fourth article in the series presenting Reference Values (RVs) for nutrients in human milk describes the values for B vitamins. The Mothers, Infants, and Lactation Quality (MILQ) and Early-MILQ (E-MILQ) studies, conducted at sites in Bangladesh, Brazil, Denmark, and The Gambia, were designed to measure human milk nutrient concentrations of well-nourished, unsupplemented mothers during the first 8.5 months of lactation. Milk B vitamin concentrations from the MILQ study, measured using advanced techniques like UPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-FLD for improved precision , were compared with those used by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for setting recommendations for nutrient intakes of infants. MILQ estimates were substantially lower (<60% of the IOM reference concentration) for vitamins B1, B2, and B6; 60-100% lower than IOM concentrations for vitamin B3, vitamin B12, and choline; and consistent with or slightly (100-125%) higher than IOM reference concentrations for pantothenic acid and biotin. The MILQ RVs are also provided as percentiles to enable comparison and interpretation of data from other studies. Variability in milk B vitamin content is influenced by maternal diet and nutritional status, and postpartum timing. These globally representative RVs for B vitamins in breastmilk will enhance understanding of their crucial role in infant nutrition and guide future lactation recommendations.

Technical Abstract: This fourth article in the series presenting Reference Values (RVs) for nutrients in human milk describes the values for B vitamins. The Mothers, Infants, and Lactation Quality (MILQ) and Early-MILQ (E-MILQ) studies, conducted at sites in Bangladesh, Brazil, Denmark, and The Gambia, were designed to measure human milk nutrient concentrations of well-nourished, unsupplemented mothers during the first 8.5 months of lactation. The application of UPLC-MS/MS for analysis of multiple B vitamins simultaneously produced RVs for vitamin B2, B3, pantothenic acid , B6, biotin, and choline. Vitamin B1 was analyzed by HPLC-FLD and vitamin B12 by competitive chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. Measured milk B vitamin concentrations from the MILQ study were compared with those used by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for setting recommendations for nutrient requirements of infants. MILQ estimates were substantially lower (<60% of the IOM reference concentration) for vitamins B1, B2, and B6; 60-100% lower than IOM reference concentrations for vitamin B3, vitamin B12, and choline; and consistent with or slightly (100-125%) higher than IOM reference concentrations for pantothenic acid and biotin. The MILQ RVs are also provided as percentiles to enable comparison and interpretation of data from other studies.