Guest guest Posted January 31, 2003 Report Share Posted January 31, 2003 Reuters All Reuters News ---- ---------- Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms' Vegan Diet January 30, 2003 01:40:42 PM PST, Reuters The breast-fed infants of two mothers who did not eat any animal products, including milk and eggs, developed brain abnormalities as a result of a vitamin-B12 deficiency, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( news - web sites) (CDC) reported Thursday. The primary sources of vitamin B12, which is essential for brain development, are animal products like meat, dairy products and eggs. Since the mothers ate little or no animal products, too little vitamin B12 was transmitted to their children through breast milk, according to the CDC's Dr. Maria Elena Jefferds. Jefferds added that these cases serve as a reminder to parents and pediatricians to ensure that both pregnant women and mothers who breast-feed their infants consume enough B12, either through diet or B12-containing supplements. " You have to make sure you're getting it, " she said, in reference to vitamin B12. And don't abandon breast-feeding altogether, Jefferds cautioned. Breast-feeding has many advantages, and mothers who choose to not eat animal products should still continue to breast-feed their infants. " Vegetarians should absolutely breast-feed, there's no question about that, " she said. In the January 31st issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Jefferds and her colleagues describe the cases of two babies who showed signs of brain abnormalities as a result of a deficiency in vitamin B12. In one case, doctors examined and diagnosed the deficiency in a 15- month-old child with slow growth and mental development. Her mother said she had avoided consuming all animal products for many years, and had breast-fed the baby for 8 months after birth. After receiving supplements of vitamin B12, the child began to improve, but was still below her age group in speech and language at 32 months of age. Jefferds explained in an interview that many children fully recover from vitamin-B12 deficiencies but that, in some cases, a prolonged period of low consumption of vitamin B12 can cause irreversible damage. " I think it really depends on how severe the deficiency was, and how long it was taking place for, " she said. She added that while both children described in the report showed lingering symptoms of low vitamin B12, over time, those impairments may disappear. The initial symptoms of low vitamin B12 in infants are often vague and not obvious, Jefferds noted. She recommended that doctors keep the possibility of a deficiency " on their radar screen, " and ask mothers if they eat animal products or take supplements that contain enough vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin. Vegans eat only plant-based foods, using grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables to fill all their dietary needs. Vegetarians, on the other hand, typically avoid meat, but may eat some animal products, such as milk, eggs and possibly fish. SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2003;52:61-64. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 31, 2003 Report Share Posted January 31, 2003 It's crucial for a lactating woman to increase everything in her diet to accomodate the vitamins and minerals depleted by feeding a child (and for the child). Making sure you're getting adequate B12 should be a major consideration. Not only for the baby, but for yourself. I am very happy that this article advocated breastfeeding like it did. It in no way presented 'dangers' of breastfeeding, merely cautions to diet. Warmly, Allison --- " nuvegetarian <nuvegetarian " <nuvegetarian wrote: > Reuters All Reuters News > > ---- > ---------- > > Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms' Vegan Diet > January 30, 2003 01:40:42 PM PST, Reuters > > The breast-fed infants of two mothers who did not > eat any animal > products, including milk and eggs, developed brain > abnormalities as a > result of a vitamin-B12 deficiency, the US Centers > for Disease > Control and Prevention ( news - web sites) (CDC) > reported Thursday. > The primary sources of vitamin B12, which is > essential for brain > development, are animal products like meat, dairy > products and eggs. > Since the mothers ate little or no animal products, > too little > vitamin B12 was transmitted to their children > through breast milk, > according to the CDC's Dr. Maria Elena Jefferds. > > Jefferds added that these cases serve as a reminder > to parents and > pediatricians to ensure that both pregnant women and > mothers who > breast-feed their infants consume enough B12, either > through diet or > B12-containing supplements. > > " You have to make sure you're getting it, " she said, > in reference to > vitamin B12. > > And don't abandon breast-feeding altogether, > Jefferds cautioned. > Breast-feeding has many advantages, and mothers who > choose to not eat > animal products should still continue to breast-feed > their infants. > > " Vegetarians should absolutely breast-feed, there's > no question about > that, " she said. > > In the January 31st issue of the Morbidity and > Mortality Weekly > Report, Jefferds and her colleagues describe the > cases of two babies > who showed signs of brain abnormalities as a result > of a deficiency > in vitamin B12. > > In one case, doctors examined and diagnosed the > deficiency in a 15- > month-old child with slow growth and mental > development. Her mother > said she had avoided consuming all animal products > for many years, > and had breast-fed the baby for 8 months after > birth. > > After receiving supplements of vitamin B12, the > child began to > improve, but was still below her age group in speech > and language at > 32 months of age. > > Jefferds explained in an interview that many > children fully recover > from vitamin-B12 deficiencies but that, in some > cases, a prolonged > period of low consumption of vitamin B12 can cause > irreversible > damage. > > " I think it really depends on how severe the > deficiency was, and how > long it was taking place for, " she said. > > She added that while both children described in the > report showed > lingering symptoms of low vitamin B12, over time, > those impairments > may disappear. > > The initial symptoms of low vitamin B12 in infants > are often vague > and not obvious, Jefferds noted. She recommended > that doctors keep > the possibility of a deficiency " on their radar > screen, " and ask > mothers if they eat animal products or take > supplements that contain > enough vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin. > > Vegans eat only plant-based foods, using grains, > legumes, fruits and > vegetables to fill all their dietary needs. > Vegetarians, on the other > hand, typically avoid meat, but may eat some animal > products, such as > milk, eggs and possibly fish. > > SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report > 2003;52:61-64. > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2003 Report Share Posted February 2, 2003 Does anyone know if B-12 survives the pasturization process in Dairy? Is yogurt loaded with B-12? I hope so. I ate it everyday while pregnant, but ate no meat. Suzanne Allison Nations <allyanne2001 wrote: It's crucial for a lactating woman to increaseeverything in her diet to accomodate the vitamins andminerals depleted by feeding a child (and for thechild). Making sure you're getting adequate B12should be a major consideration. Not only for thebaby, but for yourself. I am very happy that this article advocatedbreastfeeding like it did. It in no way presented'dangers' of breastfeeding, merely cautions to diet. Warmly,Allison--- "nuvegetarian <nuvegetarian"<nuvegetarian wrote:> Reuters All Reuters News > >----> ----------> > Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms' Vegan Diet > January 30, 2003 01:40:42 PM PST, Reuters > > The breast-fed infants of two mothers who did not> eat any animal > products, including milk and eggs, developed brain> abnormalities as a > result of a vitamin-B12 deficiency, the US Centers> for Disease > Control and Prevention ( news - web sites) (CDC)> reported Thursday.> The primary sources of vitamin B12, which is> essential for brain > development, are animal products like meat, dairy> products and eggs. > Since the mothers ate little or no animal products,> too little > vitamin B12 was transmitted to their children> through breast milk, > according to the CDC's Dr. Maria Elena Jefferds.> > Jefferds added that these cases serve as a reminder> to parents and > pediatricians to ensure that both pregnant women and> mothers who > breast-feed their infants consume enough B12, either> through diet or > B12-containing supplements.> > "You have to make sure you're getting it," she said,> in reference to > vitamin B12.> > And don't abandon breast-feeding altogether,> Jefferds cautioned. > Breast-feeding has many advantages, and mothers who> choose to not eat > animal products should still continue to breast-feed> their infants.> > "Vegetarians should absolutely breast-feed, there's> no question about > that," she said.> > In the January 31st issue of the Morbidity and> Mortality Weekly > Report, Jefferds and her colleagues describe the> cases of two babies > who showed signs of brain abnormalities as a result> of a deficiency > in vitamin B12.> > In one case, doctors examined and diagnosed the> deficiency in a 15-> month-old child with slow growth and mental> development. Her mother > said she had avoided consuming all animal products> for many years, > and had breast-fed the baby for 8 months after> birth.> > After receiving supplements of vitamin B12, the> child began to > improve, but was still below her age group in speech> and language at > 32 months of age.> > Jefferds explained in an interview that many> children fully recover > from vitamin-B12 deficiencies but that, in some> cases, a prolonged > period of low consumption of vitamin B12 can cause> irreversible > damage.> > "I think it really depends on how severe the> deficiency was, and how > long it was taking place for," she said.> > She added that while both children described in the> report showed > lingering symptoms of low vitamin B12, over time,> those impairments > may disappear.> > The initial symptoms of low vitamin B12 in infants> are often vague > and not obvious, Jefferds noted. She recommended> that doctors keep > the possibility of a deficiency "on their radar> screen," and ask > mothers if they eat animal products or take> supplements that contain > enough vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin.> > Vegans eat only plant-based foods, using grains,> legumes, fruits and > vegetables to fill all their dietary needs.> Vegetarians, on the other > hand, typically avoid meat, but may eat some animal> products, such as > milk, eggs and possibly fish.> > SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report> 2003;52:61-64. > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.http://mailplus.contact owner: -owner Mail list: Delivered-mailing list List-Un: - no flaming arguing or denigration of others allowedcontact owner with complaints regarding posting/list or anything else. Thank you.please share/comment/inform and mostly enjoy this list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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