Retinol and alpha-tocopherol concentrations in breast milk of Turkish lactating mothers under different socio-economic status.

Retinol and alpha-tocopherol levels in breast milk of Turkish mothers under different socioeconomic status were investigated. Mature milk samples were collected from 92 lactating mothers living in Izmir and in Manisa, cities of Turkey, who were at 60-90 days of the lactating period. Socio-economic, anthropometric, and dietary data were collected by means of a questionnaire. The body mass index was used to determine the nutritional status. The retinol and alpha-tocopherol contents of breast milk were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography; the concentration of alpha-tocopherol was 9.84 microg/ml whereas retinol levels were 81.5 microg/100 ml. The questionnaire survey was used to determine the level of these vitamins in the daily ration of the women. No significant differences were found in terms of milk retinol and alpha-tocopherol levels for the variables income, educational level and mothers' body mass index.