This Martek patent is about the need for adding DHA to infant formula:

patent #5397591

"DHA is thought to be essential for the proper brain and vision development
of infants because, as noted above, it is the most abundant long chain PUFA in
the brain and retina. Although a metabolic pathway exists in meals for the
biosynthesis of DHA from dietary linolenic acid, this pathway is bioenergetically
unfavorable [Crawford, P. AOCS. Short Course in Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
and Eicosanoids, pp. 270-295 (1987)] and mammals, like fish, are thought to
obtain most of their DHA from dietary sources. In the case of infants, the most
likely source would be human milk. Indeed, DHA is the most abundant C22 omega-3
PUFA in human milk. Generally, however, DHA is absent from infant formulas.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,285 does disclose an infant formula containing
omega-3-fatty acids. However, the acids utilized therein are obtained from egg or fish
(Talapia) oil and have associated therewith the unpleasant characteristics
previously described. Furthermore, fish oils generally contain another omega-3-fatty
acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an undesirable component in infant
formulas because of its prolonged anticoagulant effects and its depression of
arachidonic levels in infants. This has been correlated with reduced rates of infant
weight gain (Carleson et al. INFORM 1:306.) Indeed, EPA levels are very low in
human milk (less than one-forth that of DHA). "

"DHA is the most abundant C-22 omega-3 PUFA in human milk."  No mention of
deficiency here, instead they talk of abundance.  One might believe from this
patent that human milk is the gold standard for DHA and even a company that
makes artificial DHA for use in infant formula seems to understand this.  The
other reason fish oils are not being used for infants is that they are
contaminated with toxins and the toxins accumulate in the fat of the fish.

Most of the research on DHA and AA was and is funded by Mead Johnson and
Martek.  Many of the researchers have patents on this research.  How much of this
DHA deficiency in breastfeeding mothers is an attempt to fully exploit the
market?  If they can't get ya to formula feed by golly they can get ya to down
their supplements when you are breastfeeding.  So your choice if you believe all
of this, is to either use fish oil (with the risk of accumulating various
toxins) or use something genetically engineered.  Of course there is another
alternative to all of this, and that is to maintain a healthy diet and skip the
supplementation.  But who the heck is going to make money, if we all decide on
doing that?
Valerie

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