ArticleNutrients2023
Human Milk Composition and Nutritional Status of Omnivore Human Milk Donors Compared with Vegetarian/Vegan Lactating Mothers.
Article in Nutrients, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Dairy Intake and Iodine Status in Pregnant and Lactating Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2025Pooled it
- Vitamins A, D, E, and K Intakes, Status, and Breastmilk Concentrations in Breastfeeding Women in Ireland.The Journal of nutrition · 2026Trial
- Preparation of Human Milk Substitute Fat by Physical Blending and Its Quality Evaluation.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- From Mother to Baby: The Role of Human Milk Vitamins in Infant Body Development and Breast Milk Jaundice-An Observational Study.Food science & nutrition · 2025Article
- Can Dietary Supplements Be Linked to a Vegan Diet and Health Risk Modulation During Vegan Pregnancy, Infancy, and Early Childhood? The VedieS Study Protocol for an Explorative, Quantitative, Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Article
- Associations of maternal diet with nutritional and chemical exposure markers in human milk from the LACTACOL cohort of preterm infants.European journal of nutrition · 2025Article
- Modern challenges of iodine nutrition: vegan and vegetarian diets.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Review
- Toward Supplementation Guidelines for Vegan Complementary Feeding.Food science & nutrition · 2024Article
- Day-to-Day Fluctuation in Micronutrient Content in Human Milk Relative to Maternal Diet.Nutrients · 2024Observational
- Human milk microbiome: associations with maternal diet and infant growth.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Article
- Vegan/vegetarian diet and human milk donation: An EMBA survey across European milk banks.Maternal & child nutrition · 2024Article
- Associations of Dietary Intake and Nutrient Status with Micronutrient and Lipid Composition in Breast Milk of Donor Women.Nutrients · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Women of childbearing age in Western societies are increasingly adopting vegetarian diets. These women are sometimes rejected as milk donors, but little about the composition of their milk is known. The present study aimed to compare the intake, nutritional status, and nutritional composition of human milk from omnivore human milk donors (Donors) and vegetarian/vegan lactating mothers (Veg). Milk, blood, and urine samples from 92 Donors and 20 Veg were used to determine their fatty acid profiles, as well as vitamins and minerals. In a representative sample of both groups, we also determined the lipid class profile as a distribution of neutral and polar lipids, the molecular species of triacylglycerols, and the relative composition of phospholipids in their milk. A dietary assessment was conducted with a five-day dietary record (while considering the intake of supplements). We highlight the following results, expressed as the mean (SE), for the Veg vs. Donors: (1) Their docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake was 0.11 (0.03) vs. 0.38 (0.03) g/day; the plasma DHA was 0.37 (0.07) vs. 0.83 (0.06)%; and the milk DHA was 0.15 (0.04) vs. 0.33 (0.02)%. (2) Their milk B12 levels were 545.69 (20.49) vs. 482.89 (4.11) pM; 85% of the Veg reported taking B12 supplements (mean dose: 312.1 mcg/day); and the Veg group showed no differences with Donors in terms of total daily intake or plasma B12. (3) Their milk phosphatidylcholine levels were 26.88 (0.67) vs. 30.55 (1.10)%. (4) Their milk iodine levels were 126.42 (13.37) vs. 159.22 (5.13) mcg/L. In conclusion, the Vegs' milk was shown to be different from the Donors' milk, mainly due to its low DHA content, which is concerning. However, raising awareness and ensuring proper supplementation could bridge this gap, as has already been achieved for cobalamin.
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Registered trials
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