Influence of different levels of dietary pyridoxine on milk composition in the rat
Kirksey, A.; Susten, S.S.
Journal of Nutrition 108(1): 113-119
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3166 PMID: 619031 Document Number: 137050
Sprague-Dawley rats received diets containing 1.2, 2.4, 4.8, 9.6 or 19.2 mg pyridoxine.HCl/kg diet throughout growth, gestation and lactation. Milk samples obtained on days 10, 11 and 12 of lactation were similar in contents of total fat, SNF, carbohydrate, casein and non-casein protein for rats fed the 5 levels of pyridoxine. The level of vitamin B6 in milk was significantly higher for rats fed 9.6 or 19.2 mg pyridoxine.HCl/kg diet compared with values for rats fed the 3 lower levels. A higher level of dietary pyridoxine (9.6 mg/kg diet) was required to increase the levels of the vitamin in mammary gland and milk than was needed for maternal liver (4.8 mg/kg) or muscle tissue (2.4 mg/kg). The findings indicated that as the level of pyridoxine was decreased in the diet from an apparently adequate level, the concn. of the vitamin in milk decreased before that in liver or muscle tissue. This suggested that the concn. of the vitamin in milk was an indicator of marginal deficiency of vitamin B6.