DHA and ARA are a moderately “new” addition to some formulas, the FDA having approved its use in 2002. DHA is docosahexaenoic acid and ARA is arachidonic acid. Both are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Your body can make them naturally, but they are also found in certain foods such as fish oil. They are also found in human breast milk which is why formula companies are so interested in adding them to their formulas.
I assumed that if it was in breast milk, it must be good for the baby and that everyone would want to run out and buy formula that contains these added substances. However, I was surprised to find that the jury is still out on whether or not your baby actually needs supplemental DHA and ARA in their formula.
It is well known that DHA is one of the most important fats for brain development. Some studies report that infants given formula with the added supplements have substantially better visual acuity. There are no studies that I have found that support the idea that DHA added to formula improves cognitive ability. However, it is thought that since DHA is a “building block of brain and visual development” it would in fact enhance the baby’s brain development.
While there are some studies that show enhanced development over babies that are fed formula without the additives, other studies show that there is no difference or that the difference is inconsequential. Furthermore, the FDA says that there are no known side effects but that formula companies are expected to continue longitudinal studies of the formulas supplemented.
What I found most interesting, however, was that over and over again I read statements that went something like this: “we think DHA and ARA added to formula is a good thing. . .but not that much is known.” In other words, adding these fats to formula is somewhat of an experiment. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t use a formula that contains DHA and ARA. . .but you should know that there is little known about it.
I also learned that you can buy DHA capsules and add them to your child’s formula once per day. Apparently, DHA capsules are found in most vitamin or health shops. Be careful to select DHA that is from sea algae instead of fish oil. Fish oil may contain harmful substances such as mercury.
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