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A longitudinal study of serum cobalamins and its binding proteins in lactating women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 184–189 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To examine longitudinal changes in serum cobalamins, transcobalamin (TC) and haptocorrin (HC) during lactation and to investigate the influence of vitamin B12 supplementation on these parameters.

Design:

A 9-month follow-up study.

Subjects and methods:

Lactating mothers (N=89) including 23 supplemented with vitamin B12 (1–18 μg/daily), 41 partly supplemented and 25 not supplemented. Blood samples collected 3 weeks (baseline) and 4 and 9 months post-partum were analysed for cobalamins, TC and HC. Both the total concentration and the cobalamin-saturated form (holo) of TC and HC were analysed.

Results:

No significant differences were observed in serum cobalamins or its binding proteins related to supplementation with vitamin B12 or the duration of lactation. Serum cobalamins remained unchanged from 3 weeks to 9 months post-partum. Total TC (holoTC) (median±s.e. pmol/l) decreased between 3 weeks (710±23 (85±12)) and 9 months (602±21 (76±11)) (P<0.0001 (P=0.0002)), whereas total HC (holoHC) increased from (422±11 (300±9)) at 4 months to (455±13 (317±10)) to 9 months post-partum (P<0.0001 (P<0.0001)).

Conclusion:

We report a decrease in TC and an increase in HC during a 9-month period post-partum. No differences were observed between the vitamin B12-supplemented and the unsupplemented groups. Thus, supplementation with vitamin B12 has no impact on the circulating level of serum cobalamins or its binding proteins in a Danish population of lactating mothers.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the women who participated in the study; Anna Lisa Christensen and Jette Fisker Petersen at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, for technical assistance; the staff at The Osteoporosis Clinic, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, for collecting the blood samples; and the secretaries at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, for assisting in the identification of eligible women. This study was supported by the Biomedical Laboratory Scientist Education Research Fund, the LEO Pharma Research Foundation and by the EU Demonstration Project on the diagnostic utility of holoTC (QLK3-CT-2002-01775).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus Sygehus, Aarhus, Denmark

    A L Mørkbak & E Nexø

  2. Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus Sygehus, Aarhus, Denmark

    C H Ramlau-Hansen

  3. Department of Endorinology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus Sygehus, Aarhus, Denmark

    U K Møller

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Paediatrics, Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby Sygehus, Aarhus, Denmark

    T B Henriksen

  5. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby Sygehus, Aarhus, Denmark

    J Møller

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  1. A L Mørkbak
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  3. U K Møller
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  4. T B Henriksen
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  5. J Møller
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  6. E Nexø
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A L Mørkbak.

Additional information

Guarantor: AL Mørkbak.

Contributors: EN and ALM were responsible for analyses and wrote the original manuscript. CHR, JM, UKM and TBH designed the study. CHR and UKM collected samples. CHR, JM, UKM and TBH commented on the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Mørkbak, A., Ramlau-Hansen, C., Møller, U. et al. A longitudinal study of serum cobalamins and its binding proteins in lactating women. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 184–189 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602502

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