New study shows vegan lactating mothers have same levels of key breast milk nutrients as non-vegan moms

The micronutrients in question are predominantly found in animal products and are vital for the developing infant.

A recent study presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) has found that a vegan diet does not affect maternal breastmilk concentrations of vitamin B2 and carnitine.

The study was conducted by the Amsterdam University Medical Centre.

The micronutrients in question are predominantly found in animal products and are vital for the developing infant.

According to lead researcher Dr Hannah Juncker, the study was prompted due to the rising popularity of the vegan diet worldwide. The number of vegans in Europe alone has doubled in the last four years.

“It is known that nutrition can influence the composition of breast milk. But there is little research on the influence of a vegan diet, while more people are eating vegan,” Juncker told NL Times.

Study

The researchers compared the breastmilk of 25 vegan mothers to that of 25 mothers who have no exclusions in their diets from a database of 3000 breastfeeding women.

A deficiency of Vitamin B2, which is an important co-factor in many enzymes, can cause neurological issues and anaemia in babies. Similarly, a shortage of carnitine may lead to low blood sugar levels along with a higher risk of heart and brain dysfunction.

Using sampling techniques to isolate individual components of the breast milk and blood value estimations the team found that both groups had the same levels of Vitamin B2 in the blood and in milk.

However, the concentrations of carnitine turned out to be lower in the blood of vegan women but were of standard value in the milk.

While the researchers found that a vegan diet didn’t lower the concentrations of Vitamin B2 and carnitine in breast milk, they couldn’t pinpoint how that was possible.

“We think that it is regulated in the mammary gland, but we have not investigated the exact mechanism,” the team said.

Vegan diet safe for breastfed infants

Commenting on the findings, Juncker said:  “The results of our study suggest that vitamin B2 and carnitine concentrations in human milk are not influenced by consumption of a vegan diet.

“These results suggest that a vegan diet in lactating mothers is not a risk for the development of a vitamin B2 or carnitine deficiency in breastfed infants.

“This information is useful for breastfeeding mothers and also for donor human milk banks, which collect milk for provision to premature infants who do not receive sufficient mother’s own milk.”

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