Micronutrient Additional Requirements (Vital Substances) in the Breastfeeding Phase: Other Vital Substances (Micronutrients)

Vitaminoids are essential food components with vitamin-like effects, but without coenzyme function. The body can produce these substances itself, but the amount of self-synthesis is insufficient to meet requirements, especially during the breastfeeding period. Therefore, the supply via food or in the form of supplementation is of crucial importance. During breastfeeding, L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone), in particular, is consumed more frequently and at the same time, however, too little is absorbed. If the deficiency of these vitaminoids occurs, the mother’s plasma concentration is greatly reduced in favor of the child due to breast milk production.

L-Carnitine

Function of L-carnitine

• Essential for fatty acid transport and for energy production from the breakdown of fatty acids – mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation.
• Involved in the action of thyroid hormone thyroxine, which increases metabolic processes and internal combustion processes by increasing oxygen uptake into cells

Sources: Good carnitine suppliers are meat and milk, in plant foods hardly present – vegetarians are at risk of deficiency.

L-carnitine is synthesized in the cells of the liver and kidneys from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Vitamins B3, B6, C and iron are also required for its own synthesis. These vital substances (micronutrients) must therefore be present in sufficient quantities to ensure the formation of L-carnitine. Since the heart, muscles, liver and kidneys mainly meet their energy needs from fats, they are particularly dependent on carnitine. When carnitine is deficient, the functions of the heart, muscles, liver, and kidneys can be impaired, resulting in energy supply problems

Coenzyme Q10

Function of coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone).

• Energy supplier – due to its ring-shaped quinone structure, coenzyme Q10 can accept and donate electrons, thus playing a key role in the biochemical process of energy formation with oxygen consumption – respiratory chain phosphorylation – in mitochondria – the vitaminoid cannot be replaced in this important process
• Involved in the synthesis of ATP, the main energy carrier of the cell.
• Membrane stabilization
• Important fat-soluble antioxidant, as it is present in the mitochondria – where free radicals are formed as unstable reaction products from cellular respiration -, protecting fats from oxidation as well as free radical damage
• Supports the action of vitamin E as a free radical scavenger in adipose tissue by accelerating its regeneration

Sources: Found mainly in meat, fish – sardines, mackerel -, broccoli, green beans, cabbage, spinach, garlic and in some oils – olive, soybean, corn and wheat germ oil -; whole grain products contain high amounts of coenzyme Q9, which can be converted in the liver into the form usable by humans.

Coenzymes Q are chemical compounds consisting of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon atoms, which form a so-called ring-shaped quinone structure. They are present in all cells – human, animal, plant, bacteria – and are therefore called ubiquinones. For humans, only coenzyme Q10 is relevant, with coenzymes Q1 to Q10 occurring in nature. In order to be synthesized in the body, the amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and methionine are required, as well as vitamins B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12. In order for the nursing mother and the newborn to be adequately supplied with coenzyme Q10, the mother must increase her intake of ubiquinone through food and the amino acids and vitamins necessary for its own synthesis. The infant is dependent on the mother for its supply, as it is not yet able to synthesize sufficient ubiquinone itself. The highest ubiquinone concentrations are found in the mitochondria of the heart and liver, as these organs have the highest energy requirements. The kidneys and pancreas also have high concentrations of coenzyme Q10. If a woman is breastfeeding and over the age of 40, she is particularly at risk of deficiency. The reason for this is that with increasing age, Q10 concentrations decrease due to reduced self-synthesis, insufficient food intake or increased consumption due to oxidative stress in various organs. For example, 40-year-olds have 32% less ubiquinone in the heart muscle than 20-year-olds.At a coenzyme Q10 deficiency of 25 %, functional disorders of the respective organs already occur. Deficiencies above 75% lead to life-threatening disorders. Antioxidant protection during breastfeeding can be significantly improved by the administration of coenzyme Q10 and increased intake of the antioxidants beta-carotene, selenium, vitamins E, C, gamma-linolenic acid and fatty acids. The absorption of Q10 can be increased by a simultaneous intake of secondary plant substances (flavonoids). Table – L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 requirements.