Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The baby formula shortage puts your baby’s brain at risk

Marc Arginteanu, MD
Conditions
May 23, 2022
13 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

The baby formula shortage has morphed into a full-blown ongoing crisis. Many stores report that more than half of baby formula products are out of stock. Babies who are six months old or younger should only be fed breast milk or formula. Any substitute may be nutritionally incomplete and may cause babies to have permanent problems in brain development.

What are the essential brain ingredients in the leading baby formulas?

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid found naturally in cold-water fish (such as tuna and salmon), grass-fed meat, dairy products, or pasture-raised eggs. This long-chain fatty acid is found in cell membranes throughout the body and helps transmit messages between nerves. Of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain, 90 percent are DHA, which is especially concentrated in the brain’s gray matter.

According to a 2014 report, a deficiency of DHA in early childhood is associated with lower literacy ability. On the other hand, an adequate level of DHA correlates with improved memory and problem-solving skills.

Arachidonic acid (ARA) is an omega-6 fatty acid. ARA is one of the most abundant fatty acids in the brain. It is responsible for the fluidity and flexibility of neural (brain cell) membranes. In addition to being present in many of the same sources as DHA, it is found in seaweed. Similarly to consuming DHA, getting sufficient ARA in infancy is essential for the optimal development of babies’ eyes and brains.

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a substance that occurs naturally in human milk. Bovine (cow milk-derived) MFGM has been added to several brands of baby formula. In 2020, Californian scientists reported that consuming MFGM during infancy boosts babies’ language, cognitive, and motor development.

Lactoferrin is also found in human milk, and bovine lactoferrin has also been added to several brands of baby formula. Lactoferrin allows babies to absorb iron into the body from the intestine. Iron deficiency in human infants may result in a permanent alteration of brain anatomy (myelination of white matter (which prevents neurons from leaking electrochemical signals), changes in the striatum (part of the brain that modifies movement and emotion) and functioning of the hippocampus (part of the brain responsible for memory).

Marc Arginteanu is a neurosurgeon.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Don’t give up on intermittent fasting just yet

May 23, 2022 Kevin 1
…
Next

Will Smith’s slap is a trauma response [PODCAST]

May 23, 2022 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Neurology

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Don’t give up on intermittent fasting just yet
Next Post >
Will Smith’s slap is a trauma response [PODCAST]

More by Marc Arginteanu, MD

  • Why do smart doctors sink money into silly investments?

    Marc Arginteanu, MD
  • The ramparts of the neurosurgeon’s mind were unassailable

    Marc Arginteanu, MD
  • 2 questions you should ask when choosing a surgeon

    Marc Arginteanu, MD

Related Posts

  • Why the baby formula shortage happened

    Divya Srinivasan and Tejas Sekhar
  • The risk physicians take when going on social media

    Anonymous
  • Why is there a formula shortage? 

    Michelle Haggerty, DO, MPH, Jessica Madden, MD, Sonal Patel, MD, and Nithya Natrajan, MD
  • Patient autonomy in times of shortage

    Deepak Gupta, MD
  • We are on the brink of a crisis-level physician shortage in the United States

    Jamie Katuna
  • International medical graduates ease the U.S. doctor shortage

    G. Richard Olds, MD

More in Conditions

  • The endless waves of chronic illness

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Surviving and thriving after life’s most difficult moments

    Rebecca Fogg, MBA
  • The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

    William Lynes, MD
  • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

    Greg Smith, MD
  • 5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

    Kevin Jones, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Abortion Is Not Murder in the Eyes of the Law
  • Introducing Allergenic Foods Early Tied to a Reduction in Later Allergies
  • Isotretinoin REMS Still Needed, But Its Burden Could Be Reduced, FDA Staff Says
  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery
  • High Out-of-Pocket Costs Tied to Less Follow-Up After Initial Mammography

Meeting Coverage

  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery
  • Advances in Diagnosis and Management of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions
  • Orismilast Clears Skin in Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis
  • New Combinations Promising in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma
  • No Survival Benefit With CRT Versus Chemo for Locally Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...