Reference Values for Minerals in Human Milk: the Mothers, Infants and Lactation Quality (MILQ) Study.

ABSTRACT: This fifth article in the series presenting reference values for nutrients in human milk describes minerals. The Mothers, Infants and Lactation Quality (MILQ) and Early-MILQ studies collected human milk samples throughout the first 8.5 mo of lactation in 1242 well-nourished women in Bangladesh, Brazil, Denmark, and The Gambia. All minerals were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Although pooled MILQ medians from 1 to 6 mo are within ∼10% of the concentration used by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for magnesium, potassium, calcium, and copper, they are ∼50% of the IOM value for zinc and selenium, and ∼75% of the IOM value for sodium and iron. For zinc, sodium, and iron, the discrepancy can be explained by the IOM's use of values from early lactation (<3 mo) when the

SUBMITTER: Allen LH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12592237 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature