It is always interesting that studies focus on breastfeeding and not infant
formula.  It seems to me from the patent I came across called "Method for
Improving Vitamin D stability in liquid nutritional products" (Patent #
5456926) that some formulas have had a serious problem with Vitamin D.  This
patent is the result of the recognition that protein hydrolysate-based
formulas undergo significant Vitamin D degradation.  This has meant in the
past to over fortifying these formulas with Vitamin D.  This patent sets out
to correct this problem (Abbott is the assignee, 1995).  Maybe instead of
trying to defend breastfeeding, we should be asking the infant formula
industry if they have corrected their vitamin D problem???  Over
fortification of Vitamin D can have serious health consequences to infants.
And if vitamin D degrades, than maybe infant formula is producing ricket
cases, too. Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC


"In view of the problems with Vitamin D degradation in liquid nutritional
products having hydrolyzed protein or free amino acids as a nitrogen source,
and by this is meant that hydrolyzed protein or free amino acids comprise the
principal nitrogen source of the liquid nutritional product, some products in
the liquid nutritional product industry have been over fortified with Vitamin
D, apparently in an attempt to meet the label claims for Vitamin D content in
the long term. However, as has been mentioned above, acceptable upper limits
of Vitamin D concentration exist, since too much Vitamin D can cause
hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, urinary tract stones, extraskeletal
calcifications, and malfunction of the kidneys and other organs."

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html