Baby Formula and Tap Water Can Expose Babies to Arsenic
Baby Formula and Tap Water Can Expose Babies to Arsenic – Arsenic, which is found in bedrock, is a common contaminant in well-water, and can cause cancer and other diseases. In new-born babies, arsenic exposure can decrease birth-weight and affect cognitive function.
Dartmouth College researchers studied infants’ urine to check for arsenic and found that those who had been fed baby formula had higher levels of arsenic than breast-fed infants. Urinary arsenic was 7.5 times lower for breast-fed than formula-fed infants. For the majority of the babies studied, both the powder and water contributed to exposure.
Lead author Professor Kathryn Cottingham says that the results highlight another health benefit of breast-feeding.
The Environmental Protection Agency has set a maximum contaminant level for public drinking water, but private well water is not subject to regulation and most people in rural US drink well water. The authors of the study recommend those drinking well water to get it tested for arsenic levels.
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