Sommerburg O, Meissner K, Nelle M, Lenhartz H, Leichsenring M
University Children's Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Eur J Pediatr. 2000 Jan-Feb;159(1-2):86-90. doi: 10.1007/pl00013811.
Carotenoids have various biological functions including their role as antioxidants. For humans fruits and vegetables are the only source of carotenoids. In the first months breast milk and/or formula preparations are the only nutrition for infants. To study the influence of nutrition on the plasma carotenoid profile in newborns, breast milk, different formula preparations, and the plasma of breast-fed (BF) and formula-fed (FF) newborns were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The method used allowed beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lycopene, and beta-cryptoxanthine to be detected and all four were found in breast milk. In colostrum carotenoids were up to five times higher than in mature breast milk (P<0.05). In contrast, not all carotenoids could be found in formula preparations. Beta-carotene was detected in four out of eight, and beta-cryptoxanthine in three out of eight formula preparations. Lycopene and alpha-carotene were not detectable in any of the formula preparations. Four formula preparations did not contain any carotenoids. FF infants had different plasma carotenoid profiles compared to BF infants. beta-carotene was significantly lower in FF infants [14 (0-32) microg/l, median and interquartile ranges] than in infants after birth [24 (19-310) microg/l, P<0.05], and BF infants [32 (22-63) microg/l, P<0.05]. While newborns after birth had measurable plasma concentrations of lycopene (16 [14-18] microg/l) and of alpha-carotene [5 (0-8) microg/l), these carotenoids were no longer detectable in FF infants after day 14.
FF and BF infants show significant biochemical differences in plasma carotenoid concentrations.
类胡萝卜素具有多种生物学功能，包括作为抗氧化剂的作用。对人类而言，水果和蔬菜是类胡萝卜素的唯一来源。在最初几个月，母乳和/或配方奶是婴儿的唯一营养来源。为研究营养对新生儿血浆类胡萝卜素谱的影响，采用高效液相色谱法分析了母乳、不同配方奶以及母乳喂养（BF）和配方奶喂养（FF）新生儿的血浆。所采用的方法能够检测出β-胡萝卜素、α-胡萝卜素、番茄红素和β-隐黄质，且在母乳中均能找到这四种物质。初乳中的类胡萝卜素含量比成熟母乳高五倍（P<0.05）。相比之下，并非所有类胡萝卜素都能在配方奶中找到。在八种配方奶中有四种检测出β-胡萝卜素，八种中有三种检测出β-隐黄质。在任何一种配方奶中均未检测到番茄红素和α-胡萝卜素。四种配方奶不含任何类胡萝卜素。与BF婴儿相比，FF婴儿的血浆类胡萝卜素谱不同。FF婴儿的β-胡萝卜素水平[14（0 - 32）微克/升，中位数和四分位数间距]显著低于出生后婴儿[24（19 - 310）微克/升，P<0.05]以及BF婴儿[32（22 - 63）微克/升，P<0.05]。虽然出生后新生儿的血浆番茄红素（16 [14 - 18]微克/升）和α-胡萝卜素[5（0 - 8）微克/升]浓度可测，但在出生14天后的FF婴儿中这些类胡萝卜素不再可测。
FF和BF婴儿在血浆类胡萝卜素浓度上显示出显著的生化差异。
