too much iron equals an even lower IQ score in ff infants

[Can Dance]

I am pretty sure I read a study recently out about this, as the iron in formula is not as easily absorbed and it sounds as though it can also inhibit brain development.
I did not pull this out of my butt, but I am having trouble finding a source for it. wasn't there a study that came out last fall about it?



oh and JUST for your reading pleasure, while I was trying to find this, I ran into the "infant formula research councils" website. and this article. I would like you ALL to observe the language of this article:
and then be steamed at their audacious bx
http://www.infant formula.org/research_200807022_f.html

[krystyn33]

The link didn't work for me--tried directly & copy & paste...

[IceyTheBatmom]

There's a space between 'infant' and 'formula,' take it out, and it should work.

http://www.infantformula.org/research_200807022_f.html

[StoriesInTheSoil]

Did those researchers ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, the FF infants had iron levels that were TOO HIGH?!

For cripes sake.

[krystyn33]

They'll (formula manufacturers) stoop to anything. This one's playing on a common fear that's out there already--why so many doctors push the iron fortified rice cereal so early.

[julie128]

Actually, there have been a number of studies that have found that babies that are exclusively breastfed for longer than six months tend to have low blood iron. Iron fortified rice cereal is a terrible source of iron, btw, as only 4% of the iron is absorbed, the same percentage as formula. The problem is that babies older than six months have used up their iron stores from before birth, and their iron needs increase, so they need to start eating iron rich foods to get more iron. It's not as critical as is commonly believed, however, because a) having low iron is not the same thing as being anemic, and b) it's rare for such babies to actually become anemic.

Thanks for bringing this website to our attention. It's good to keep watch on the enemy. (I'm not saying that formula is the enemy. Formula companies are the enemy.)

Adding: I took a look at the home page and noticed that one of the four baby pictures was a black baby. Two things about this. 1) Black mothers are more likely to formula feed than white and hispanic mothers. 2) A lot of breastfeeding websites and books have no pictures of black babies or mothers, thus adding to the problem. Just an observation, totally ot.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

Originally Posted by julie128

Actually, there have been a number of studies that have found that babies that are exclusively breastfed for longer than six months tend to have low blood iron. Iron fortified rice cereal is a terrible source of iron, btw, as only 4% of the iron is absorbed, the same percentage as formula. The problem is that babies older than six months have used up their iron stores from before birth, and their iron needs increase, so they need to start eating iron rich foods to get more iron. It's not as critical as is commonly believed, however, because a) having low iron is not the same thing as being anemic, and b) it's rare for such babies to actually become anemic.

Thanks for bringing this website to our attention. It's good to keep watch on the enemy. (I'm not saying that formula is the enemy. Formula companies are the enemy.)

Adding: I took a look at the home page and noticed that one of the four baby pictures was a black baby. Two things about this. 1) Black mothers are more likely to formula feed than white and hispanic mothers. 2) A lot of breastfeeding websites and books have no pictures of black babies or mothers, thus adding to the problem. Just an observation, totally ot.

But what I consider to be *the* BFing book- The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, has LOTS of racial diversity in it's pictures so to LLL!

[MonkeysRUs]

http://www.ibreastfeeding.com/pages/archive_issues.html

Click on the June 2008 newsletter for info about iron and IQ.

[Can Dance]

perfect!! thanks!