OBJETIVO: Avaliar a concentração de alfa-tocoferol no colostro humano em condições de suplementação com cápsulas de vitamina A acrescidas de vitamina E sintética. MÉTODOS: Foram recrutadas para o estudo 30 parturientes saudáveis atendidas em uma maternidade pública. Após jejum noturno, foram coletadas amostras de sangue e de colostro (2 mL) das parturientes. Após a primeira coleta, as mesmas receberam suplemento na forma de uma cápsula de palmitato de retinila (200000 UI ou 60 mg) acrescido de vitamina E sintética (49,4 mg de dl-alfa-tocoferol). Após 24 horas da suplementação, foi realizada nova coleta de 2 mL de colostro, também em jejum. RESULTADOS: A concentração sérica de alfa-tocoferol foi de 1 042,9 ± 319,0 μg/dL. Os teores de alfa-tocoferol no colostro antes da suplementação foram de 1155,4 ± 811,0 μg/dL, vs. 1396,3 ± 862,2 μg/dL 24 horas depois da suplementação (P > 0,05). Foi encontrada correlação entre o alfa-tocoferol do colostro na condição de jejum antes da suplementação e 24 horas após a suplementação (P = 0,001; r = 0,58), mas não entre soro e o colostro em nenhuma das condições acima citadas. CONCLUSÕES: Não houve aumento na concentração de alfa-tocoferol do colostro 24 horas após a suplementação. Isso indica que não é vantajoso suplementar a mãe com vitamina E sintética. Entretanto, os resultados também sugerem que, se o estado nutricional prévio à suplementação estiver adequado, mais tocoferol será encontrado no colostro após a suplementação. Novos estudos devem ser realizados para investigar o efeito da suplementação com a forma natural do alfa-tocoferol.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the levels of alpha-tocopherol in human colostrum following supplementation with capsules containing vitamin A plus synthetic vitamin E. METHODS: Thirty healthy women about to give birth were recruited from a public maternity hospital. After overnight fasting, blood samples as well as colostrum samples (2 mL) were collected. After the first collection, the women received supplementation with a capsule containing retinyl palmitate (200 000 IU or 60 mg) plus synthetic vitamin E (49.4 mg dl-alpha tocopherol). Twenty-four hours after supplementation, a second 2 mL colostrum sample was collected after overnight fasting. RESULTS: The serum concentration of alpha-tocopherol was 1 042,9 ± 319.0 µg/dL. The concentration of alpha-tocopherol in colostrum before supplementation was 155.4 ± 811.0 µg/dL, vs. 1 396.3 ± 862.2 µg/dL 24 hours after supplementation (P > 0.05). A correlation was found between fasting levels of alpha-tocopherol in colostrum before supplementation and 24 hours after supplementation (P = 0.001; r = 0.58), but not between the concentrations in serum and colostrum. CONCLUSIONS: There was no increase in the levels of alpha-tocopherol in colostrum 24 hours after supplementation. This suggests that supplementation with synthetic vitamin E is not advantageous. However, the present results also suggest that if the nutritional state is adequate prior to supplementation, more tocopherol will be available in colostrum after supplementation. Further studies should be carried out to investigate the effects of supplementation with the natural form of alpha-tocopherol.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a concentração de alfa-tocoferol no soro e colostro maternos, seja em condições de jejum ou pós-prandial. MÉTODOS: Trinta parturientes saudáveis atendidas em uma maternidade pública foram recrutadas para o estudo, e amostras de sangue, colostro em jejum e colostro pós-prandial foram coletadas até 12 horas pós-parto. RESULTADOS: A concentração sérica de alfa-tocoferol foi de 1.939,8±766,0 μg/dL. O alfa-tocoferol no colostro em jejum, 1.603,4±911,0 μg/dL, e após a refeição, 1.515,0±890,9 μg/dL, não apresentaram diferença significativa (p > 0,05). Houve correlação entre o alfa-tocoferol do colostro na condição de jejum e no pós-prandial (p < 0,05), mas não entre o soro e o colostro. CONCLUSÃO: A falta de correlação entre o alfa-tocoferol no plasma e no colostro e a correlação entre o alfa-tocoferol no colostro em jejum e no pós-prandial reforçam a hipótese de um mecanismo de controle na passagem desse micronutriente, independente do aporte dietético.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate alpha-tocopherol concentrations in maternal serum and colostrum under fasting and postprandial conditions. METHODS: Thirty healthy childbearing women were recruited in a public maternity hospital, and samples of blood, fasting colostrum, and postprandial colostrum were collected from them up to 12 hours after delivery. RESULTS: The serum alpha-tocopherol concentration was 1,939.8±766.0 μg/dL. Alpha-tocopherol levels in fasting colostrum (1,603.4±911.0 μg/dL) and in postprandial colostrum (1,515.0±890.9 μg/dL) did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). There was correlation between alpha-tocopherol levels in fasting and postprandial colostrum (p < 0.05), but not between serum and colostrum. CONCLUSION: The lack of correlation between alpha-tocopherol levels in plasma and in colostrum, and the correlation between alpha-tocopherol concentrations in fasting and postprandial colostrum support the existence of a mechanism that controls the transfer of this nutrient, regardless of dietary intake.

This study concerns certain problems inherent to the determination of fat-soluble vitamins in food, from extraction methods to identification and quantification. The discussion involves the main official and unofficial extraction methods coupled with spectrophotometric and HPLC techniques in which vitamins samples are obtained through liquid-liquid-solid and liquid-liquid-solid-solid extraction, indispensable to the analytical separation of different chemical compounds with vitamin functions. A saponification stage, possibly coupled with supercritical fluid extraction appears to be mandatory in the determination of vitamins A and E in their alcoholic forms. Alternative identification and quantification procedures are outlined: biological and chemical assays, analytical separations by HPLC (normal and reversed-phase), UV detection (all fat-soluble vitamins) and fluorescence detection (retinoids and tocopherols). Automation from sample preparation to quantification stages increases the data acquisition rate.