In response to Morgan's statement, " Returning it to the main point, adding fish oils to formula is better
than having no DHA in the formula at all," I must say that this is not necessarily true. Research has shown that there is little evidence to support any beneficial effects in cognitive, motor, or visual functioning from the addition of these fatty acids. In the US fish oil is not used but a combination of DHA from fermented microalgae and ARA from soil fungus is added to the formula, increasing the cost by as much as 30%. This has been a windfall for formula manufacturers not a breakthrough in nutrition for babies. These fats are not handled by the body in the same way that natural DHA/ARA is. They are carried differently on the triglyceride molecule, begging the questions are they actually utilized by the body in a way that could increase the risk for overweight or obesity, or do they actually get incorporated into the brain. If they do, what effect do they really have on brain functioning? Mostly, these fatty acids have provided a vehicle to advertise to mothers that this formula is equivalent to breast milk. The clever ads dupe mothers into purchasing the product thinking that their baby will see better or be smarter.

Supplementing the mother with DHA pills has also not been shown to result in any long term benefits to the baby. Preliminary research has started to ask if supplements with large concentrations of DHA offset the production of naturally made medium chain fatty acids, disrupting the natural fatty acid concentration of all fatty acids in breast milk. Could unnaturally high levels of long chain fatty acids and unnaturally low levels of medium chain fatty acids be present in the milk of mothers consuming these supplements? Supplementing the mother during pregnancy with DHA pills could have a long term effect due to the fatty acids being stored in maternal fat and released postpartum into the milk, further disrupting the natural fatty acid balance.

According to the Institute of Medicine, these ingredients are not being properly tested before reaching the market. Infant formula is now and in the future going to be a cocktail of poorly tested ingredients with future babies continuing to be used as guinea pigs. Here is what is not on the label:

bacteria (from probiotics)
viral DNA (from genetically engineered corn and soy)
yeast (oligosaccharids)
microalgae (DHA)
soil fungus (ARA)
and in the future
hormones (leptin)
lactoferrin (cows)
inulin (from sucrose to fortify with fiber)

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA
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