Assessment of Maternal Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) as a Potential Marker for Dietary Carotenoid Intake during Lactation in Humans

Abstract

Pregnancy and lactation can change the maternal nutrient reserve. Non-invasive, quantitative markers of maternal nutrient intake could enable personalized dietary recommendations that improve health outcomes in mothers and infants. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) is a candidate marker, as MPOD values generally reflect carotenoid intake. We evaluated the association of MPOD with dietary and breastmilk carotenoids in postpartum women. MPOD measurements and dietary intake of five carotenoids were obtained from 80 mothers in the first three months postpartum. Breastmilk samples from a subset of mothers were analyzed to determine their nutrient composition. The association between MPOD and dietary or breastmilk carotenoids was quantitatively assessed to better understand the availability and mobilization of carotenoids. Our results showed that dietary α-carotene was positively correlated with MPOD. Of the breastmilk carotenoids, 13-cis-lutein and trans-lutein were correlated with MPOD when controlled for the total lutein in breastmilk. Other carotenoids in breastmilk were not associated with MPOD. Maternal MPOD is positively correlated with dietary intake of α-carotene in the early postpartum period, as well as with the breastmilk content of lutein. MPOD may serve as a potential marker for the intake of carotenoids, especially α-carotene, in mothers in the early postpartum period.

A Role for Data Science in Precision Nutrition and Early Brain Development

“…As the time window for nutritional interventions to optimize infant neurodevelopment is likely to precede measurable outcomes, proximal biomarkers of neonatal nutritional status are necessary. Potential markers of infant nutritional status include weight, head circumference, body composition, and macular pigment density (137)(138)(139)(140)(141)(142)(143)(144)(145). Body composition measurements determine the relative amounts of fat and fat-free mass, the latter of which includes total body water, bone mineral, and muscle mass (146).…”

“…However, open questions include (a) whether MPOD remains stable during lactation, and the lack of longitudinal studies in a large cohort for the dynamics of MPOD from pre-conception, pregnancy, and postpartum; (b) what exact nutrients or nutrient combinations in these three stages do MPOD reflect in maternal nutrition – because existing evidence that MPOD reflects lutein and zeaxanthin intake has been from non-pregnant populations. This association may or may not replicate in mothers before, during, and after pregnancy as dietary carotenoids are also transferred to breastmilk ( 153 , 155 ) and therefore are likely to have a different relationship with MPOD ( 145 ).…”