• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

DHA in Infant Formula: Is it Safe?

Photo by abbybatchelderDHA in infant formula causes diarrhea

DHA in infant formula causes diarrhea

I am guilty of being swayed by news of miracle supplements such as DHA.  DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils touted for benefiting nervous system development and prevention of heart disease.  I give my five-year-old son with verbal apraxia fish oil supplements, but the use of DHA in infant formulas has come under scrutiny lately for causing “severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and gastrointestinal pain”  In fact, the Cornucopia Institute is calling on the FDA to place warning labels on DHA containing infant formula.

While many scientists doubt the benefits of manufactured DHA and ARA oils, little doubt exists that at least a subset of the infant population experiences severe side effects, including watery, explosive diarrhea, severe vomiting, and gastrointestinal distress serious complications in this vulnerable population. Manufactured DHA and ARA fatty acids are structurally different from those found naturally in breastmilk. This structural difference may be one of many possible reasons why some infants experience such severe side effects.

Of course the breast is best, but many parents, for whatever reason, use formula and think DHA makes it more like breastmilk.  Parents only want to do what is best for their child, but unfortunately, parents aren’t informed of the risks of DHA and are swayed by info that it will make their children smarter. Consumer Federation of California explains:

If you believed a certain baby formula would make your child smarter, would you buy it?

Infant formula manufacturers are banking that you would. That’s why, since 2002, several companies have fortified their products with synthetic versions of DHA and ARA, long-chain fatty acids that occur naturally in breast milk and have been associated with brain development.

The oils are produced by Martek Biosciences Corp. from lab-grown algae and fungus and extracted with hexane, according to the company’s patent application. Hexane is a neurotoxin.

This is not breaking news, and the verdict is still out on the benefits of DHA.  Reading to your child, talking to your child, providing social and emotional stability, eating healthy foods, etc… this is what will make your child smarter.

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Critiquing Educational Initiatives Instead of Exploring Fundamental Questions About the Purpose of Schooling
Before and After: Breastfeeding and Your Boobs (Someone Please Tell Kendra Wilkinson) »

Comments

  1. gerti says

    February 23, 2010 at 8:13 pm

    Formula that makes your child smarter, electronic books that teach your child reading, videos that teach you child how to count…what happened to hoping for a healthing, happy and normal child?

    Reply
  2. Sandi says

    February 24, 2010 at 8:04 am

    Good post. I never fell for all that DHA marketing. And I agree that it’s not just the milk that children drink that makes them smart or not. It is a variety of factors. I explore the science of issues like these on my blog at http://www.savvysciencemom.com. Check it out!

    Reply
  3. Stephanie - Green SAHM says

    February 24, 2010 at 5:02 pm

    Makes me glad I’ve always been able to breastfeed. No having to sort through wild claims. You’d really think they would need better proof that their artificial DHA has the same benefits as the natural stuff.

    Reply
  4. InformedMom says

    March 12, 2010 at 1:08 pm

    Hi!

    Thankyou for your article! I am very disturbed that I can only find one formula on the market that does not have the DHA in it. After doing some research, I did not want to feed my daughter those man-made oils. She is thriving and can see perfectly fine 🙂 What upsets me is that us Mom’s woth babies who are done bf’g really dont have a choice. Thank you for this article. I will link this to me new blog.

    Reply
  5. Cara says

    December 10, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    Sciencedaily has reported that the babies have shown better cognitive skills when using the formula. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090915100945.htm The number of babies who have a side-effect response to the additives are very small as far as I’ve been able to find, and the potential long-term side-effects seem higher. Finding a DHA/ARA free formula now is becoming more and more difficult because of that. I honestly think putting a ‘warning label’ on any formula is just a way to try and attack and guilt mothers who might have no other choice but to use formula. Iron causes upset tummies, so does soy, milk, and corn glucose, all things found in formula. But there’s no warning labels on them for those.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

Plants Over Plastics! Repurpose Compostable Home Products

Convenient Plastic Container Free Dropps Laundry & Dishwashing Pods

More from the archives!

Teaching Kids About Trash

Obama’s Daughters Sasha and Malia “More aware than I was of conserving our natural resources and thinking about the planet”

Not Enough Presents? Talking Yourself Down from Consumerist Roots

Green Schools: Irvine Unified Goes Solar!

Toxin Toxout: Getting Harmful Chemicals Out of Our Bodies and Our World

cbd salve joy organics

CBD Products that Actually Deliver: Joy Organics

wama hemp underwear

The Most Comfortable Underwear is Made of Hemp: WAMA Review

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy
home birth

Home Birth Equity: Stigmas, Medicaid, & Insurance

USDA Certified Organic certified organic herbal moisturizer Smoothes and soothes aging skin, promotes skin healing and healthy looking skin Reduces the appearance of fine line wrinkles Age defying beauty treatment for face, hands, neck and sun damaged areas Safe and nontoxic for sensitive skin.

Relief for garden hands: Vermont Soap organic hemp Green Gold Herbal Moisturizer

Baby Essentials That Aren’t 10: Bouncy Chairs and Inclined Sleepers Can Cause Death

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Activity

Baby Essentials That Aren’t, Part 2: Infant Car Seats

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Kid-Friendly, Vegetarian Recipes: Organic Pesto

nature happy

Want to be Happier? Spend 5 Minutes in Nature

Jennifer and Kristen Featured on the BBC's "World Have Your Say": Would You Stop Having Kids to Save the Environment?

Don’t wears shoes in the house!

gluten free

Gluten Free Ginny Bakes

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.