According to new research, that's if the suckling infant has a certain version of a gene that helps process fatty acids
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April 30, 2010
"What's critical about this paper is that we haven't known entirely what are the mechanisms by which breast-feeding supports higher IQ," says Joseph Hibbeln, lead clinical investigator at the Unit of Nutrition in Psychiatry at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "This really helps to dissect one of those mechanisms: that is…, if your body can't make [fatty acids] efficiently, you better get it through the breast milk to support optimal IQ."
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2 Comments
Add CommentInteresting article, I had noticed that those I know who were not breast fed seemed to have more allergies, indicating that breast milk may have something to do with setting up a properly functioning immune system as well.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBeautiful example of nature *and* nurture. One of my pet peeves is either-or conceptualizing being applied to more complex discussions. Such black-and-white, right-or-wrong pigeon holing erodes critical thought.
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