Premium
A 3‐year longitudinal study of iron status in infants fed human milk (HM), casein‐ (CF), or soy‐based formula (SF)
Author(s) -
Hyun Taisun H,
Han YoungHee,
Yon Miyong,
Han Heonseok,
Kim KwangYup
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a1116
Subject(s) - transferrin saturation , hemoglobin , casein , transferrin , chemistry , zoology , iron status , serum iron , medicine , food science , iron deficiency , anemia , biochemistry , biology
Iron status was longitudinally assessed from birth to 36 mo in 41 infants who were exclusively fed HM (n=18), CF (n=8), or SF (n=15) during the first 5 mo of life. At 5, 12, and 36 mo, iron intake was estimated, and levels of serum iron, transferrin saturation, and hemoglobin were measured. Iron intake was estimated by weighing infants before and after feeding and determining milk iron level in the HM group, and by collecting intake records of formula with the nutrition information on the products in the CF and SF groups. All foods were also included to estimate iron intake. Mean daily iron intake was 1.4, 8.3 and 6.8 mg at 5 mo and 6.8, 3.7, and 5.8 mg at 36 mo in the HM, CF, and SF groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in mean serum iron and transferrin saturation among the three groups at 5, 12, and 36 mo. Mean hemoglobin level was significantly lower in the HM group (104 g/L) than those in the CF and SF groups (114 g/L, respectively) at 5 mo; but no differences were found among the three groups at 12 mo and 36 mo. The proportions of babies with low hemoglobin (<105 g/L at 5 and 12 mo, <115 g/L at 36 mo) were 28%, 0%, 0% at 5 mo, 11%, 0%, 7% at 12 mo, and 6%, 38%, 33% at 36 mo in the HM, CF, and SF groups, respectively. These results suggest that larger intake of iron in formula‐fed than breast‐fed infants does not give any benefit for long‐term iron status.