Micronutrients & recovery
Supplementing infant formula with preformed DHA and AA, rather than just precursors, significantly improves mental development scores and visual acuity in infants compared to formulas containing only precursors.
If you are formula-feeding your infant, choose a formula that explicitly lists DHA and Arachidonic Acid (AA) as ingredients, not just alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The paper indicates that preformed DHA and AA are necessary to support optimal mental and visual development, as infants cannot efficiently convert plant-based precursors into these critical fats.
Recent studies realised in these conditions show that the score of mental development determined at the age of 18 months is better in children receiving supplements in AA and DHA, at concentrations of 0.72% and 0.36% of total milk fatty acids, and that their visual acuity at the age of 1 year is 5/20ths higher as compared to children never receiving a supplement (but receiving the two precursors in an equilibrated proportion)
Why this rating
Based on multiple controlled studies cited in the review, though the review itself aggregates data rather than presenting a single new RCT.
Source
Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the central nervous system: evolution of concepts and nutritional implications throughout life
Jean‐Marc Alessandri et al. · annales de biologie animale biochimie biophysique · 2004
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