Vitamin C When Breastfeeding: Safety, Benefits, And Sources

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Many obstetricians advise that mothers eat foods high in vitamin C while breastfeeding. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin mostly found in fruits and vegetables. It is a crucial antioxidant and a typical ingredient in human milk. It also protects and maintains the health of the body’s cells, assists in wound healing, and improves iron absorption.

Since our bodies cannot produce this vitamin, it should be supplemented through our diet. The recommended daily intake of vitamin C for a lactating woman is 120mg, and it is important to ensure that her dietary intake includes this amount. A mother who is healthy and eats a balanced diet would have sufficient amounts of vitamin C in her breast milk (1)

Read this post to learn more about vitamin C and breastfeeding, including the effects of vitamin C on breastmilk and how you can maintain the vitamin C level in your breastmilk.

Benefits Of Vitamin C During Breastfeeding

Every nursing mother needs a supply of nutrients including minerals and vitamins while breastfeeding. Vitamin C is an essential micronutrientⁱVitamins and minerals, required in small amounts, that are not produced by the body and need to be taken from different sources that plays a vital role in providing nutrition and supporting the proper functioning of the body.

Here are some possible benefits of taking vitamin C during breastfeeding. 

1. Vitamin C is a cofactor for many enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of collagen, carnitineⁱA chemical cofactor produced in the kidneys and liver that helps metabolize fat to produce energy , and neurotransmittersⁱChemical messengers in the brain that send signals throughout the body to carry out different functions . Hence, it aids in the growth of bones and teeth (2).
   

   Image: IStock

2. It stimulates collagen production, the main protein found in the blood vessels, cartilage, tendons, ligaments. etc. (3).
3. Ascorbic acid helps the body absorb iron from the gastrointestinal tract.
4. As it has antioxidant properties, it reduces the number of free radicals in the body, thus reducing cancer risk.
5. Vitamin C also helps in faster wound healing and quicker restoration of the tissues.
6. It gives your immune system a boost and helps you and your baby fight off infections (4).
7. Mastitis is a condition also known as inflammation of the breast which affects 3-20% of breastfeeding mothers, most commonly during the first 6 weeks postpartum (although it can occur at any time during lactation). Studies have found that the incidence of mastitis was found to be higher in mothers who were deficient in vitamin C (5). Taking vitamin C supplements may help prevent mastitis.
   

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8. Studies have proven that a maternal diet rich in natural sources of vitamin C during breastfeeding could reduce the risk of atopic diseases such as eczemaⁱNon-contagious skin condition resulting in inflamed, dry, and scratchy skin due to specific foods or medicines , asthma, and allergies in infants (6).

Did you know?

ColostrumⁱThe first breast milk that is enriched with nutrients and antibodies has about 10 to 20 mg/L more vitamin C than that mature milk (1).

Dosage And Dietary Sources Of Vitamin C

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If you are a nursing mother, you may need to check your vitamin C levels and make sure they are at the recommended levels. For mothers 18 years or younger, the recommended amount is 115mg/day, and for mothers above 18 years, it is 120mg/day (2).

Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best sources of vitamin C. Some of the foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, broccoli, cantaloupe, potato, bell pepper,tomato, kiwi, cauliflower,cabbage, strawberry, and Brussels sprouts (7).

Signs Of Vitamin C Deficiency

The following are the most common signs and symptoms of vitamin C deficiency (8).

• Scurvy

This is characterized by the loss of collagenⁱA structural protein of the body that helps build the connective tissue, skin, bones, and tendons and provides flexibility and weakening of connective tissues and could lead to

• Spots on the skin due to bleeding and bruising of blood vessels.
• Bleeding and swelling of the gums and potential loss of teeth.
• Hair loss.
• Delayed wound healing
• Fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell
• Anemia 

Can You Take Vitamin Supplements While Breastfeeding?

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The average milk vitamin C concentration is 50-90 mg/L in a well-nourished mother consuming adequate vitamin C in their diet. However, mothers who smoke have lower milk vitamin C levels (1). If you are breastfeeding and diagnosed with low vitamin C levels, consult your doctor for some supplements.

According to a study of mothers who were administered high doses of vitamin C between 250-1,000mg/L daily, the average milk concentration was 100-120mg/L after two days of supplementation. Even when one mother took doses as high as 4,000mg/L vitamin C per day, the breast milk concentration of vitamin C was well below the levels known to cause harm (9). Therefore it is best to consult your doctor for the recommended supplemental dosage.

Quick fact

Consuming one orange or a small glass of unsweetened orange juice daily as part of a well-balanced diet can provide the lactating mother with sufficient vitamin C (11).

Side Effects Of Excessive Vitamin C

Taking higher concentrations of vitamin C supplements than those recommended by your doctor may have the below side effects

.

• Tissue damage
• Kidney stones
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

Image: Shutterstock

• Vomiting
• Heartburn (7)

Infographic: Dietary Sources Of Vitamin C Foods During Lactation

Vitamin C is a vital nutrient essential for various functions of the body. The nutrient passes to your baby through breast milk, which can be the only source of vitamin C for exclusively breastfed babies. Therefore, it is vital to include vitamin C-rich foods in your diet. Since what you eat can affect your baby, the following infographic presents breastfeeding-safe vitamin C food sources you can include in your diet.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Vitamin C While Breastfeeding: Safety Benefits And Sources

Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team

Feeling tired and run down? Bad teeth? You may have a Vitamin C deficiency, or scurvy. Learn why these symptoms happen and who is most at risk.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Regina KincaidRM, IBCLC

Regina qualified as a midwife in 2005 in Germany and has since worked in maternity care in England and Ireland. She achieved stage 1 of the UNICEF Baby Friendly accreditation as infant feeding lead midwife at Ealing Hospital in London and worked in the lactation team of the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, Ireland.

Read full bio of Regina Kincaid

Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Rohit GarooBSc, MBA

Rohit Garoo is a writer-turned-editor with over 9 years of experience in content writing, editing, and content marketing. He did his bachelors in Science at St. Xavier's College, Hyderabad, and masters in Business Administration at Osmania University.

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Anindita GhatakB.Tech

Anindita Ghatak holds a B.Tech degree in Biotechnology from Amity University, Kolkata. During the course of her studies, she has worked on different research projects in the fields of Microbiology and Bioinformatics. Anindita has over three years of experience writing medical articles for journals.

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