LLLI
Center for Breastfeeding Information
Journal Abstract of the Month for June 2003
"Effect of Human Breast
Milk on Urinary 8-Hydroxy-2'Deoxyguanosine Excretion in Infants."
Pediatric Research 2003;53(5):850-52
Breastmilk contains many
antioxidants: catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate, vitamin E,
etc. During the perinatal period, oxidative stress is intimately involved
in pathologic processes of serious diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis,
chronic lung disease, retinopathy of prematurity and intraventricular
hemorrhage. In this study, oxidative stress levels were compared in
41 healthy one-month old infants by measuring free radical damage to
DNA. The infants were divided into four different feeding group categories:
Group 1 received more than 90% of their diet as breast milk, Group 2
was breast milk dominant, receiving 50-90% of their diet as breast milk,
Group 3, artificial milk was the dominant food at 50-90% intake and
group 4, was the formula fed group, receiving over 90% of their intake
as formula.
Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine
is produced by oxidative damage to the nucleoside deoxyguanosine and
is excreted into urine. The excretion of this product in the breast-fed
group was significantly lower than those of the artificial milk dominant
mixed-fed group or the bottle-fed group, in fact appeared to correlate
with the percentage of formula intake. This research indicates that
breast milk acts as an antioxidant during infancy and that breast-fed
infants have reduced oxidative DNA damage. Artificial infant formulas
are deficient in antioxidants.
Definition: "Antioxidant:
An agent that inhibits oxidation and thus prevents rancidity of oils
or fats or the deterioration of other materials through oxidative processes"
Stedman's Medical Dictionary 25th Ed.
This article will be categorized
in the CBI Database in the following subject categories: HM: Immune
Properties, Antioxidants, Prematures, NEC, HM: Enzymes, Formula Concerns,
Physiology
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:34:26 UTC 2007.
