Vegan Mothers' Breastmilk Contains Two Important Nutrients: Study
Using a technique that separates a sample into its individual parts and analyses their mass, this study challenges assumptions that vegan diets may not be nutritionally complete and that breastfed infants of vegan mothers may be at an increased risk of developing vitamin B2 or carnitine deficiency

The levels of carnitine and vitamin B2 in breastmilk, two elements crucial for the growth of a newborn, are not affected by a vegan diet. These are the findings of a study conducted by the Amsterdam University Medical Centre.
Research has found that lactating mothers following a vegan diet compared to mothers with an omnivorous diet showed no difference in the human milk concentrations of vitamin B2 or carnitine, despite these nutrients being found in highest concentrations in animal products.
The study was presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).
Using a technique that separates a sample into its individual parts and analyses their mass, this study challenges assumptions that vegan diets may not be nutritionally complete and that breastfed infants of vegan mothers may be at an increased risk of developing vitamin B2 or carnitine deficiency.
In the last four years, the number of vegans in Europe alone has doubled. Lead researcher, Dr Hannah Juncker explains, "The maternal diet greatly influences the nutritional composition of human milk, which is important for child development. With the rise of vegan diets worldwide, also by lactating mothers, there are concerns about the nutritional adequacy of their milk. [...] therefore, it would be important to know if the milk concentrations of those nutrients are different in lactating women consuming a vegan diet."
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is an important co-factor for enzymes involved in many biological pathways. Previous studies have shown, that a significant shortage of vitamin B2 in infants can lead to anaemia and neurological problems.
Carnitine's primary biological role is in energy metabolism. Carnitine shortages in the infant can lead to low blood sugar, as well as the possibility to heart and brain dysfunction. Carnitine intake and subsequent plasma concentrations have also been previously found to be lower in those with vegan diets than with omnivorous diets. with previous studies even suggesting that certain lactating women may need to increase their animal product consumption to avoid deficiencies during breastfeeding. This study suggests that the influence of a maternal vegan diet on these two important nutrients in milk may be less significant than previously suggested.
While the presenting study reported lower serum free carnitine and acetyl carnitine concentrations in the mothers following a vegan diet, there was notably no difference in human milk carnitine concentrations between study groups.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Juncker summarises, "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." (ANI)
Around The World
Recent
Reducing Stress On T Cells Improves Their Ability To Fight Cancer: Study
The researchers focused on sympathetic nerves that innervate our organs and produce the messenger hormone noradrenaline, which is also a stress hormon...
Study Finds Model That Improves Hydrogen Station Availability
Stations that close for unannounced maintenance decrease customer access to hydrogen and may hinder the adoption of these sorts of fuel cell electric ...
Cough Sound Analysis Help To Determine Severity Of Covid-19 Patients
The research involved smartphone recordings of voluntary coughing sounds from 70 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection...
The Impact Of Work-Life Balance On Mental Health
In this modern chaotic as well as demanding environment, maintaining the right balance in between both personal and professional life seems more chall...
Four Fundamental Norms Of Building A Wellbeing Future-Ready Workplace Culture
The past few years have brought about positive changes in the way employers and employees interact...
Study Outlines Tobacco Use In Pregnant, Lactating Indian Women
The researchers recommend the development of innovative health promotion and communication strategies, including media campaigns, to raise awareness a...