The transition of the vitamin K to the mother's milk - A study on Hikiwari Natto

In the 1980's, the incidents of hemorrhagic disease by vitamin K (VK) deficiency in the mother's milk nutrition-baby were higher than in the artificial milk nutrition-baby. The oral administrated VK syrup recommended preventing VK deficiency hemorrhagic disease. Therefore, this disease was decreased. But high concentrated VK syrup caused the pneumonia the digestive mucous lesion. For this reason, we provided the Hikiwari Natto (fermented soybean) for the breast feeding mother. Because the Natto is enriched VK by fermentation and has a lot of isoflavon which has similar effect of estrogen. The VK and isoflavon effect for the prevention of osteoporosis. In this present study, we examined that the VK rich food as Hikiwari Natto was given for the breast feeding mother. It would become one of the ways of preventing the VK deficiency hemorrhagic disease. The changes in VK1 and VK2 of the plasma and the mother's milk were measured. Our results indicate that：(1) The concentration of VK was not increased significantly in the plasma and the mother's milk, but the concentration of VK in the mother's milk was increased tendency day by day. (2) After oral administration of Hikiwari Natto, the VK increased about 2-3 hours into the blood, and after 1 hour shifts into the mother's milk from blood. (3) The amount of VK transition from the blood to the mother's milk was large difference. (4) The concentrated rate of VK2 from the blood to the mother's milk was higher than that of VK1. A small quantity of VK in the Hikiwari Natto shifted into the mother's milk. These results suggested that the oral administration of Hikiwari Natto would become one of the ways of preventing the VK deficiency hemorrhagic disease.