Regarding your post "Childbirth Instructor's Magazine - back page is a
full page ad offering a free videotape about DHA and how "...moms get DHA
through their diet but the breast milk of American mothers typically
provides only 1/2 to 2/3 of the minimum DHA recommended by the WHO/FAO
Expert Panel..."

While that ridiculous ad...and a blatent attempt to stir fear and
manipulate hcps and parents...  What they don't tell you is that the there
is a little, but important concept called BIOAVAILABILITY.  They can rant
and rave all they want about how much DHA is contained in brstmlk, but they
say nothing about how much is absorbed and utilized.  This is a classic
example.  Let's say nutrient X is found in formula (or the special wonder
booster) in 100 mg per volume, but only 4% is bioavailable and absorbed;
baby only gets 4 mg.  However, breastmilk may ONLY have 20 mg per vol of X,
yet 50% is bioavailable and absorbed; thus, baby gets 10 mg per vol feed.

My point?  Until I see numbers on the bioavailability of the DHA in
breastmilk compared whatever they are suggesting substitute for brstmlk,
I'll put my dollar on breastmilk UNCONDITIONALLY.  Even if the
bioavailability isn't as high as they'd like, there may be some biological
co-factor that the "experts" are missing (This lack of complete knowledge
is one reason why we randomize subjects in RCTs--to even out the unknown
factors).  Whenever we try to duplicate nature, we somehow manage to cause
ripples of trouble down the line.

: )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC  email: [log in to unmask]   : )
: )HSR & Health Educational Consultant        voice/fax: 541 753 7340    : )
: )LLLLLLLLLLLLL**CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL : )