contribution of plant foods to the vitamin A supply of lactating women in Vietnam: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 85; no. 4; pp. 1112 - 1120
• Main Authors: Khan, Nguyen Cong, West, Clive E, Pee, Saskia de, Bosch, Diane, Phuong, Ha Do, Hulshof, Paul JM, Khoi, Ha Huy, Verhoef, Hans, Hautvast, Joseph GAJ
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Nutrition 01.04.2007; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: Adult; alpha-carotene; beta-carotene; bioavailability; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; breast feeding; carotenoids; Carotenoids - administration & dosage; Carotenoids - pharmacokinetics; children; consumption; dark-green; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fruit - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant; Intestinal Absorption; lactation; Lactation - metabolism; leafy vegetables; lutein; maternal nutrition; Milk, Human - chemistry; Milk, Human - drug effects; mothers; nutrient availability; Nutritional Requirements; Nutritional Status; plant-based foods; randomized clinical trials; Rural Population; spinach; Vegetables - chemistry; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vietnam; vitamin A; Vitamin A - administration & dosage; Vitamin A - pharmacokinetics; Vitamins - administration & dosage; Vitamins - pharmacokinetics; Vietnam; Asia; Human; vitamin A; carotenoids; breastfeeding women; Vitamin; Bioavailability; food-based approaches; Retinol; Plant; Vietnam; Female; Carotenoid; Food supply; Food
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/85.4.1112

BACKGROUND: More information is needed on the efficacy of carotenoids from plant foods in improving vitamin A status. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to quantify the efficacy of provitamin A-rich vegetables and fruit in improving vitamin A status. DESIGN: Breastfeeding women in 9 rural communes in Vietnam were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 groups: the vegetable group (n = 73), which ingested 5.6 mg β-carotene/d from green leafy vegetables; the fruit group (n = 69), which ingested 4.8 mg β-carotene/d from orange or yellow fruit; the retinol-rich group (n = 70), which ingested 610 μg retinol/d from animal foods and 0.6 mg β-carotene/d; and the control group (n = 68), which ingested 0.4 mg β-carotene/d. Meals of groups 1, 2, and 4 contained <30 μg retinol/d. Lunch and dinner were provided 6 d/wk for 10 wk. RESULTS: Mean (95% CI) changes in serum retinol concentrations of the vegetable, fruit, retinol-rich, and control groups were 0.09 (0.03, 0.16), 0.13 (0.07, 0.19), 0.25 (0.17, 0.33), and 0.00 (-0.06, 0.06) μmol/L, respectively. Mean (95% CI) changes in breast-milk retinol concentrations were 0.15 (0.04, 0.27), 0.15 (0.02, 0.28), 0.48 (0.32, 0.64), and -0.06 (-0.21, 0.09) μmol/L, respectively. According to these findings, the equivalent of 1 μg retinol would be 12 μg β-carotene (95% CI: 8, 22 μg) for fruit and 28 μg β-carotene (17, 84 μg) for green leafy vegetables. Thus, apparent mean vitamin A activity of carotenoids in fruit and in leafy vegetables was 50% (95% CI: 27%, 75%) and 21% (7%, 35%), respectively, of that assumed. CONCLUSION: The bioavailability of carotenoids from vegetables and fruit is less than previously assumed.