Adequate bone mineralization in breast-fed infants

Abstract

To determine if human milk provides sufficient nutrients for adequate bone mineralization in healthy term infants, 76 term Caucasian infants were evaluated at 2 and 16 weeks of age. The infants and their mothers were divided according to the infant's diet into three groups: human milk alone, human milk with supplemental vitamin D, and Similac. At 2 and 16 weeks of age, bone mineral content was measured by photon absorptiometry and blood was drawn for measurement of serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, and 25-OH vitamin D. At both 2 and 16 weeks of age, BMC was similar among all three feeding groups. At 16 weeks of age there was no difference in serum total Ca, ionized Ca, P, or alkaline phosphatase values. At 16 weeks of age the serum 25-OH D concentration was lower in the infants fed human milk alone (P less than 0.05), but was within the normal adult range. Maternal BMC and serum 25-OH D values are similar among the three groups. No seasonal effect on BMC was observed. Our data suggest that during the first 16 weeks of life, routine vitamin D supplementation for breast-fed term Caucasian infants may not be necessary.