A recent study demonstrated for the first time that early nutrition can significantly influence mental ability in later life. 1 Researchers found that premature infants who were fed a standard milk formula rather than a nutrient-enriched formula had reduced verbal IQ scores by the time they were seven to eight years old. The results were particularly evident in boys. Breast milk is a substance that is uniquely formulated to meet an infant's growth requirements.
Early nutrition can considerably influence mental ability later in life.
Initially, breast milk is high in fat and fatty acids, which are important to early development needs of the brain and the immune and nervous systems. Later, the fat content of breast milk decreases and is replaced with protein and carbohydrates, which support the rapid growth and development experienced during this age. Breast milk also has more iron, vitamins A and C, niacin, potassium and the right amino acids for growth than any natural or formulated substitute. One thing is certain, however, the essential fatty acids in breast milk are fundamental for an infant's neural development. They are necessary to the manufacture of structural components of cell membranes and important hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins.