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Iron balances in infant nutrition
Insights
Infant iron retention varied significantly based on diet. Breast-fed infants retained iron well, while those on standard formula lost iron. Iron-fortified formula led to substantial iron retention in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Infant Metabolism
- Mineral Balance Studies
Background:
- Establishing optimal infant nutrition is crucial for healthy development.
- Understanding iron absorption and retention in early infancy is vital for preventing deficiencies.
- Different feeding methods, including breastfeeding and formula feeding, impact nutrient bioavailability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare iron balance in term male infants fed breast milk, standard infant formula, or iron-fortified infant formula.
- To quantify iron intake and retention across different feeding regimens from 3 to 17 weeks of life.
- To evaluate the efficacy of iron-fortified formula in promoting iron retention during early infancy.
Main Methods:
- Conducted home-based iron balance studies in 17 full-term male infants over 5 periods between the 3rd and 17th week of life.
- Utilized three 24-hour collections per period to measure iron intake and excretion.
- Compared three feeding groups: breast-fed (n=10), standard formula (P1, 1.1 mg iron/L, n=3), and iron-fortified formula (P2, 10.35 mg iron/L, n=4).
Main Results:
- Breast-fed infants retained 0.09 mg iron/kg body weight/day.
- Infants on standard formula (P1) showed negative iron retention (-0.01 to -0.5 mg/kg/day).
- Infants on iron-fortified formula (P2) exhibited significantly higher iron retention (1.13 to 3.66 mg/kg/day), 12 to 40 times more than breast-fed infants.
Conclusions:
- Standard infant formula (P1) is associated with poor iron retention in early infancy.
- Iron-fortified infant formula (P2) significantly enhances iron retention compared to both breast milk and standard formula.
- Dietary iron content plays a critical role in determining iron balance during the first months of life.
Abstract:
Iron balance studies were performed in 17 full term male infants from their 3rd until their 17th week of life. The balance studies were made in the infant's home and comprised 5 periods with an interval of 3-4 weeks, each consisting of three 24-hour collections. Ten infants were breast-fed, 3 received an adapted infant formula (P1, iron content 1.1 mg/l) and 4 were given the same formula enriched with iron, copper and zinc (P2, iron content 10.35 mg/l). From the 3rd to the 17th week of life the breast-fed infants got a mean iron intake of 0.2 mg/kg body weight X 3 days and they retained 0.09 mg/kg b.w. X 3 days. The P1 group received 0.48 and 0.47 mg/kg b.w. X 3 days and retained -0.01 and -0.5 mg iron/kg b.w. X 3 days, while the P2 group had an intake from 5.04 to 6.38 mg b.w. X 3 days and retained between 1.13 and 3.66 mg iron/kg b.w. X 3 days. Comparing the 3 groups it can be concluded that the P1 group retained definitely less iron than the breast-fed group, whereas the P2 group retained 12 to 40 times more iron than the breast-fed babies.