Estimation of 24‐Hour Polyamine Intake From Mature Human Milk

• Published in: Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 298 - 302
• Main Authors: Dorhout, Bernard, Beusekom, Christien M., Huisman, Marcel, Kingma, Anneke W., Hoog, Elly, Rudy Boersma, E., Muskiet, Frits A. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-10-1996
• Subjects: Development; Growth; Human milk; Infants; Milk polyamine origin; Polyamines
• ISSN: 0277-2116; 1536-4801
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1536-4801.1996.tb01537.x

Summary
It has been suggested that milk polyamines stimulate GI tract proliferation and maturation in newborns. We determined human milk polyamine concentrations and estimated 24‐h outputs on days 16 ± 4 (n = 98), 44 ± 3 (n = 97) and 91 ± 6 (n = 25) after delivery. Median concentrations in micromolars were, respectively, putrescine 0.77, 0.63, and 0.63; spermidine 4.54, 3.07, and 2.73; spermine 3.76, 2.90, and 2.22; and total polyamines 9.82, 6.83, and 5.71. Concentrations of spermidine, spermine, and total polyamines decreased during the observation period. Putrescine, spermidine, and spermine milk/maternal plasma ratios were estimated to be 16‐19, 14‐24, and 44‐75, respectively. It would appear that milk polyamines are derived from the high polyamine contents in the mammary gland and that they may be important in infant nutrition.