Dear Lactnetters,
I have been following the discussion on "organic formula" closely. I agree with Nikki Lee, wholeheartedly. It is largely a scam and marketing tool. I didn't get the link to your article though, was it the one by cornucopia?
When formula supplementation is necessary, I believe that parents and infants deserve the best breastmilk substitute that can be possibly produced. However, instead what is currently being produced is not the best that we can give these infants. It seems to be based less on science, than on science fiction and marketing. As a country, we feel that cows milk sounds healthy so that is what we base these formulas on, not that it is nearly the best substitute milk for infants, as it begins with the completely opposite proportion of proteins to carbohydrate ratio of human milk.
Instead, it seems that often manufacturers of infant formulas are putting ingredients in these formulas, not based on scientific research, but on marketing. What sells is more important than what works. LCPUFA's are a great example of this. Many parents of often surprised to hear that major brands of formula such as Similac are more than 60% corn and soybean products. The very cheapest ingredients that we can produce in the USA. DHA and ARA used in these formulas has never been shown to actually have any benefits to infants, but allows manufacturers to sell their product at a higher price point, with a very high profit margin and often with target marketing directed to the very lowest income segment of the population.
I am now increasingly seeing the problem of patients often thinking that "organic" infant formula is somehow comparable to breastmilk. Because of this increasingly common problem in our office, I recently researched the subject of infant formula in an attempt to make a better recommendation to those parents who needed supplementation, and were unwilling or unable to use donor human milk.
I have included my research as an attachment. I don't know if it will post to Lactnet or not. I would be very interested in any opinions on the article. Including any errors, or additional information to include. If the attachment won't send, please email me privately and I will forward it.
Thank you,
Tricia Shamblin, RN, IBCLC
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