American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 67, 292-300, Copyright © 1998 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Lean body mass of well-nourished women is preserved during lactation

KJ Motil, HP Sheng, BL Kertz, CM Montandon and KJ Ellis
US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. kmotil@bcm.tmc.edu

To determine whether the lean body mass of well-nourished women was mobilized to support milk protein output during lactation, the body composition of 10 lactating and 10 nonlactating women was examined longitudinally at 6-wk intervals between 6 and 24 wk postpartum and at 52 wk postpartum, and that of 10 nulliparous women was examined at equivalent intervals, by using clinical anthropometry and whole-body potassium counting. Milk production was determined at 6-wk intervals during the period of exclusive breast-feeding (6-24 wk postpartum) by the test-weighing procedure. Milk composition was determined by chemical analysis. Dietary intakes were determined at 6-wk intervals between 6 and 24 wk postpartum from 3-d food records with use of a nutrient database. Lean body mass was maintained in women who exclusively breast-fed their infants during the first 6 mo postpartum while consuming dietary protein in amounts that exceeded those of their nonlactating counterparts by 55%. The high protein intakes were sustained throughout lactation despite a progressive reduction by 32% of milk protein output. Lean body mass was preserved throughout lactation in well-nourished women, suggesting that the metabolic needs of milk protein production were met solely by higher protein intakes of the lactating women.

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