Iron Boost in Infants May Lead to Parkinson’s

Exposure to levels of iron similar to those infants get from fortified baby formula may increase the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease later in life, according to a study released Thursday.

It has long been known that patients with the neurodegenerative disorder have increased iron levels in their brains. However, it is unclear whether this increase is a cause or an effect of the disease.

Efforts to correlate increased brain iron levels with adult dietary intake or occupational exposure have been inconclusive.

A team of researchers led by Julie Andersen at the Buck Institute in Novato, Calif., found that when mice were fed iron during the period of their development corresponding to humans’ first year of life, iron accumulated in their brains, and they developed signs of neurodegeneration as they aged.

The mice were given iron doses equivalent to the amount a human baby absorbs when fed iron-fortified formula, which typically provides 12 times more iron than breast milk, researchers said.

Iron is added to baby formula to ensure that infants have an adequate supply for proper blood and brain development.

“I don’t want to imply that people should stop using formula,” said Andersen, whose study was published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging. Instead, she said, her research suggests that epidemiological studies should be conducted in humans, and perhaps the levels of iron added to formula should be reevaluated.