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Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (or LCPUFAs) in a baby's infant formula have been shown to reduce blood pressure later in life. Breast is best when it comes to infant feeding, but it's not always possible and there are nagging doubts in some quarters about just how adequately infant formulae replace mothers' milk. One set of nutritional factors which is thought to be deficient in milk formulae are called long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids or LCPUFAs. Fish oils contain LCPUFAs too. These fatty acids are part of the shrink wrap round nerves and the cells lining arteries. It seems that long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in infant formulae can produce lower blood pressure later in life. Three groups of babies were followed into childhood. For the first four months of their lives, one set had been breast fed, one formula fed and the third group had formula plus long chain supplements. Surveyed at six years old, the children who'd been breast fed or LCPUFA supplemented, had significantly lower blood pressure than those getting just ordinary formula. The theory is that their risk of heart disease may have been fundamentally changed by their dietary experience as babies and the implication is that LCPUFA supplementation for non breast-fed babies should be seriously considered.
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