Vitamin D levels in Malawian infants from birth to 24 months
- Timothy K Amukele1,
- Dean Soko2,
- Pauline Katundu2,
- Melvin Kamanga2,
- Jin Sun3,
- Newton I Kumwenda3,
- Taha E Taha3
- 1Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- 2Johns Hopkins University Research Project, Blantyre, Malawi
- 3Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Correspondence to Dr Timothy Amukele, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Meyer B-125f, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; tamukel1{at}jhmi.edu
- Received 18 May 2012
- Revised 12 November 2012
- Accepted 15 November 2012
- Published Online First 7 December 2012
Abstract
We measured longitudinal levels of vitamin D in unsupplemented Malawian infants at 0 (birth), 2, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months of age. Matched maternal plasma and breast milk vitamin D2 and D3 levels were also measured at delivery and 2 months postpartum. Vitamin D was measured using isotope-dilution liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry. Vitamin D3 levels in children were 36% of adult levels at birth, 60% of adult levels at age 2 months, and at par with adult levels by 12 months of age. This adult-equivalent level is subsequently maintained through age 24 months and consisted of a 98% molar ratio of vitamin D3. Vitamin D levels in breast milk were below the limit of detection, 0.1 ng/ml. Breast milk of unsupplemented Malawian mothers is a poor source of vitamin D.
