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Iron Deficiency & Milk Consumption

Jul 1, 2011 | By Julie Saccone
Iron Deficiency & Milk Consumption
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Introducing cow's milk to your infant during his first year of critical growth and development can place your child at high risk of developing an iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can range from having too little iron to completely depleted iron stores in your child's body that can cause serious and long-term health complications. By limiting milk consumption and ensuring iron-rich foods are part of your child's diet, you can help prevent the nutritional deficiency.

About Iron Deficiency

Iron is a mineral necessary for muscle and cell function and the formation of proteins and enzymes. Iron in your body is found in hemoglobin, a protein that forms part of red blood cells and helps carry oxygen to your body's tissues. Without enough iron, hemoglobin production slows and leaves your body with fewer red blood cells, a condition known as iron-deficiency anemia. The condition commonly occurs in infants 9 to 24 months old, according to Medline Plus, an online resource of the National Institutes of Health. Iron-deficiency anemia can cause fatigue, reduced endurance, mental, motor and behavioral development delays in children, and organ dysfunction or damage in serious cases.

Cow's Milk

Cow's milk is a common cause of iron deficiency in children during the first year of life. The milk interferes with a child's ability to absorb iron from other foods and is a poor source of the level of iron your child needs for growth and development. Rapid growth in a child's early life, coupled with inadequate dietary intake of iron, boosts your child's iron requirements. Most children absorb only 10 percent of dietary iron and need 8 to 10 mg of iron each day, Medline Plus notes. Cow's milk may also cause gastrointestinal bleeding, further depleting iron levels.

Fortified Milk

While consumption of cow's milk in infants under 1 year of age can lead to iron deficiency, scientific studies show fortified cow's milk can improve iron levels in children. A study by Ewa A. Szymlek-Gay and colleagues in the December 2009 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reported a 44 percent increase in iron levels among infants 12 to 20 months old who consumed cow's milk fortified with iron. What's more, researchers have found milk fortified with a combination of several micronutrients --- zinc, iron, selenium, copper, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E --- may have an even greater impact. According to a study in the August 2010 issue of the journal "PLOS," Sunil Sazawal and colleagues noted an 88 percent decrease in the proportion of children, 1 to 4, with iron-deficiency anemia who consumed milk fortified with the micronutrients. The researchers found children in the group also showed better growth improvements.

Expert Advice

Avoid feeding your infant cow's milk until 1 year of age. If possible, breast-feed your baby or use an iron-fortified formula. If necessary, do not feed your infant more than 24 oz. of cow's milk each day, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises. At 4 to 6 months, feed your child iron-fortified infant cereal or pureed meat. At 6 months of age, include foods rich in vitamin C in your baby's diet to help boost the absorption of iron. Once your child reaches 2, add iron rich-foods and lean meats to his diet, such as apricots, eggs, chicken, turkey, spinach, raisins, and dried beans and lentils. Alternatively, your doctor may recommend a daily iron supplement in the form of an infant vitamin drop, suggests Dr. Louis A. Kazal Jr. in the October 2002 issue of "American Family Physician."

References

Article reviewed by Sharon Last updated on: Jul 1, 2011

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