Community Corner
Too Much Iron A Bad Thing For Babies?
In a new Chile study, infants who already had high levels of hemoglobin proteins in their blood and were fed iron-fortified formula ended up with lower scores on tests of thinking and memory than those given low-iron formula.
Chile researchers wrote in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine that most infants didn't show any developmental harm as a result of fortified formula, according to Reuters Health. Those who started with low levels of hemoglobin, an iron-rich molecule in red blood cells, did better in the long run if they got the extra iron.
Iron deficiency is recognized as a global public health problem.
"We know that iron is essential for brain development. The last thing I would want is for people not to give their babies iron," Dr. Betsey Lozoff, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, told Reuters Health.
Know Your Baby's Status
Babies in the U.S. are recommended to get an iron test during the first year of life to check for deficiencies.
Based on the new findings, other nutrition experts said that if those levels are higher than normal, parents using formula might want to consider one that has some iron, but not too much.
Has your baby coped with the issue of iron deficiency? What was your experience? Share in the Comment Box below.
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