[A new milk formula: iron bioavailability and effect on prevention of iron deficiency in infants]

Abstract

Iron bioavailability from a modified cow milk, formula (LPM) (which included additional iron as 5 mg/l ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid, 50 mg/l) was examined in 11 adult women using the extrinsic radioactive tag method. The geometric mean absorption from LPM was 13% (reference dose absorption = 26%). The effect of this formula on iron nutrition of infants was studied in 43 healthy term infants weaned spontaneously before 3 months of age which were given LPM until 9 months of age. Another 45 infants (controls) were fed full fat, non fortified powdered cow's milk (LP) as delivered through the National Complementary Food Program (PNAC-Chile) and additional 45 infants were given fortified a cow's milk formula (LF) with ferrous sulfate (iron: 15 mg/l and ascorbic acid: 100 mg/l). Solid foods (vegetables and meat) were introduced to all these babies from age 4 months. At 9 months of age 4% infants fed LPM had evidence of anemia vs. 2% and 20% of infants given LF and LP formulae respectively. This results suggests that LPM is effective in preventing iron deficiency anemia in infants.