The MILK study: Investigating intergenerational transmission of low-calorie sweeteners in breast milk

Authors

Brooke Langevin, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, USA.
Mathangi Gopalakrishnan, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, USA.
Janae Kuttamperoor, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.
John Van Den Anker, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington D.C., USA.
Jeanne Murphy, School of Nursing, The George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.
Kathleen F. Arcaro, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, USA.
Dina Daines, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.
Allison C. Sylvetsky, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-2023

Journal

Contemporary clinical trials communications

Volume

36

DOI

10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101212

Keywords

Acesulfame-potassium; Intergenerational transmission; Low calorie sweeteners; Pharmacometrics; Sucralose

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Forty-four percent of lactating women in the United States consume beverages containing low calorie sweeteners (LCS), and the presence of LCS in the food supply has continued to increase in recent years. While LCS are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are believed to be safe for human consumption, intergenerational LCS transmission and the health impacts of early life LCS exposure are severely understudied. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In a tightly controlled, single site, prospective interventional study, mothers' plasma and breast milk, and infants' plasma will be collected from 40 mother-infant dyads over the course of 72 h, with rich sampling following maternal ingestion of a LCS sweetened beverage containing sucralose and acesulfame potassium (ace-K). Concentration-time data will be used to build maternal and infant pharmacokinetic models for future simulations and analysis. CONCLUSION: This study aims to measure LCS concentrations in breast milk, maternal plasma, and infant plasma, to gain insight into infant exposure and inform recommendations for LCS consumption during breastfeeding.

APA Citation

Langevin, Brooke; Gopalakrishnan, Mathangi; Kuttamperoor, Janae; Van Den Anker, John; Murphy, Jeanne; Arcaro, Kathleen F.; Daines, Dina; and Sylvetsky, Allison C., "The MILK study: Investigating intergenerational transmission of low-calorie sweeteners in breast milk" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 3517.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/3517

Department

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences