TY - JOUR T1 - Vitamin D levels in Malawian infants from birth to 24 months JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood JO - Arch Dis Child SP - 180 LP - 183 DO - 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302377 VL - 98 IS - 3 AU - Timothy K Amukele AU - Dean Soko AU - Pauline Katundu AU - Melvin Kamanga AU - Jin Sun AU - Newton I Kumwenda AU - Taha E Taha Y1 - 2013/03/01 UR - http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/3/180.abstract N2 - 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. ER -