The Toxic Truth about Breastmilk and Formula
All mothers, and all women who want to become mothers, want to nourish their babies in the best possible way. Some may opt for breastfeeding, while others may take the formula route. Regardless of which option you choose, I feel it is my obligation to inform readers about both. All women deserve to know that the way we live our lives can affect the breastmilk we provide to our babies through toxicants in our environment that we live, breathe and eat. And for those moms who are unable to breastfeed, or who do not wish to, there will be a section in this post about harmful chemicals in formula, and the best options on the market that are the least threatening to your babies health. There is a stigma that breast is best, because it is more nourishing to infants. However, some women are unable to, so everyone should be able to be aware about alternative options to breastfeeding. Formula is a great alternative, but there are some downsides to it. I believe it’s important for women to know what chemicals are prevalent in formula, and which brands are safer alternatives.
I think I became inspired to write about this because every mom wants the best for their child, and when I become a mother, I will too. Just as anyone out there, I would want to know about anything and everything I can do in my power to ensure a healthy baby. In the world we live in, economic gain continues to trump human health and the environment, making us exposed to harmful toxicants and chemicals every day. Because of the irresponsible choices of big businesses and corporations, our health is being placed on the backburner when chemicals are either being released into the market without testing for potential impacts to human health, or the production of goods we consume require the release on chemicals that affect air and water quality around the world. These chemicals then make their way into our bodies and affect not only the milk mothers produce, but also make their way into babies bodies while developing in the womb, later making them born “pre-polluted”.
There are ways to mitigate our activities so that we, and more importantly, our babies, can be less affected by harmful pollutants and chemicals in our environment. But where does one start? So many think that in order to protect both ourselves and our babies we have to do a complete 180 or live in a bubble to hide ourselves from the chemicals present in our outside world. In reality, little mitigations to our daily life activities can go a long way when making an effort to decrease exposure to harmful chemicals that can show up in breastmilk. The more women can know about the harmful chemicals that can present themselves in breastmilk, the more aware they will become of how they can make efforts not only to mitigate behavior, but also advocate for change within their state or country. Knowledge is power in a situation like this, and the more we are aware, the more power we have to demand change.
What are common chemicals or contaminants that women, and later on their children, are exposed to? Before discussing ways to mitigate behavior in our lives, I think it would be beneficial to review different chemicals that are of the most prevalent in our environment, and thus in our bodies.
First I would like to talk about polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs, which are used commercially as flame retardants that can be found in the environment, household products, and unfortunately, ourselves. PBDEs can be found all over our household: in our matresses, furniture, carpet or even our computers. When we use these items over and over again, PBDEs, because they are not chemically bound to the original objects they are put in, can eventually make their way into household dust that we later are more likely to breathe in. PBDEs unfortunately are highly lipophilic, meaning that they easily dissolve into fat and thus can end up in breastmilk (a very fatty substance), that eventually are passed to nursing infants. There have been different studies done an animals that confirm that PDBEs not only affect the physical well-being of animals (they are a proven carcinogen), but also affect their neurodevelopment.
If we know how PBDEs are affecting animals health, why are there so little studies about the effects of PDBEs on human health?? What’s even more frustrating is there is even less is known about health effects of PDBE consumption by nursing infants. But from the studies that have been conducted, there has been an association found between breastmilk with higher concentrations of PDBEs and increased levels of anxiety in children at 36 months of age and that influence of prenatal exposure to organhalogen compounds (OHCs), which include flame retardants, that have been proved to have “…neurotoxic effects on the developing brain, on motor, cognitive and behavioral outcome in healthy children of school age…” and found the flame retardants to have adverse effects on neurological performance such as worse “…fine manipulative abilities and worse attention” (Roze, 2009). We need to implement monitoring programs into society, especially in countries that have little to no regulation for PBDEs (Such as the United States) because they can be truly insightful and provide information to the public about their exposure to other persistent organic pollutants (POPS). POPs are particularly threatening to the human population because apart from being endocrine disruptors, they are very persistent in our environment and are hard to get rid of. We will get back to POPs, as the next chemicals I will talk about is one of the most common POPs in the United States.
So what can we take away from the studies done on PBDEs and other OHCs? The companies that want to sell us products that are more resistant to fire, need to come up with something less harmful than PBDEs. There needs to be safer alternatives to these harmful chemicals so families can at least be prevented from exposure inside the home.
If you want to learn more about flame retardants and how they appear in common household dust, check out the following link for more information:
So is there such thing as a natural flame retardant? And if so what are some? My preferred safe alternative is wool, but you can also look for products that cotton fillings or even latex. Why the heck wasn’t natural flame retardants used from the beginning?! Why do any companies choose to harm us whether its voluntary or involuntary? In many cases like these, when big businesses can make save money, they do.
To check out more natural flame retardants, click on the following link:
https://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-non-toxic-alternatives-to-flame-retardants.html
As I mentioned earlier, POPs or persistent organic pollutants can remain prevalent for years even after being banned. Another unfortunate fact about POPs, is that they have the ability to bioaccumulate, meaning they can accumulate in a particular organism and then be transferred from one being to another. And this is exactly what happened in the United States with probably the most well-known POP that we have yet to rid the environment (and ourselves) of.
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane more commonly referred to as DDT, before its ban was one of the most widely used pesticide for insect control in agriculture.
For those who don’t know much about DDT, it became a really big deal in the US when it started affecting Eagle populations, as the chemicals contributed to the thinning of eagle eggs and in turn drove the population down significantly. Destroy one of the many symbols of America?! I think not! Thus, DDT was banned in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1972. At least they did their job for the case of DDT, other chemicals, not so sure about.
You would think that since it was banned so long ago, it wouldn’t be a problem anymore. That is not the case. DDT EXISTS IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US. Granted, levels of DDT in humans aren’t as high and they were before, but they still are prevalent in the tissue of humans around the world.
How do we know DDT is still in humans you may find yourself wondering. By looking at breastmilk. Yep. Researchers are able to see the way levels of DDT has varied across the world by measuring it in lactating mothers breastmilk.
Since DDT was banned years ago and is no longer used as a pesticide, how does it end up in breastmilk?
Although DDT was banned in fact banned, it can still be found in soil and has made its way into waterways from runoff and then eventually make its way to mothers’ breastmilk. Apart from finding DDT in waterways, it has also been found in shellfish and other marine life in these contaminated waterways. By consuming contaminated found and drinking water with DDT, women are unknowingly increasing the concentrations of DDT in their bodies that eventually make it to their offspring from breastfeeding.
Because of these alarming rates of DDT found in human milk, is it being urged to continue studies like these to monitor for concentrations of DDT, as well as secure support and funding from governments for improved environmental policy that promote the study of common POPs like DDT. DDTs are one of the many endocrine disrupting chemicals that can be found throughout our environment, and thus also found in women in their human breastmilk and adipose tissue.
To get more of the rundown of DDT and effects it has on humans, animals and our environment, check out the following link:
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/ddtgen.pdf
Moms and future moms, I know what you’re thinking: does this mean that I should not breastfeed or should stop breastfeeding?
Although infants are being exposed to harmful chemicals and toxicants that can affect their overall mental and physical health, there are many benefits of breastfeeding, and it has been concluded that overall, the benefits outweigh the costs.
It is recommended that newborns be fed exclusively breastmilk until they are at least 6 months of age and be continued until about 2 years of age, and that “Unless the mother has high-level occupational exposures, extreme dietary exposures, or unusual residential exposures to hazardous or toxic chemicals, breastfeeding is overwhelmingly the preferred choice compared with formula-feeding” (Schreiber, 2001).
Yes, women are exposed to harmful environmental pollutants, but by being informed women can mitigate their exposure to these chemicals that become prevalent in their breastmilk. All in all, the benefits of breastmilk, especially when considering the prevention of infectious disease such as “…diarrhea and respiratory infection” (Horta and Victoria, 2013) and “…acute life-threatening illnesses are great compared with the well-documented risks of infant mortality and morbidity associated with infant formula” (Schreiber, 2001).
Moms who are unable to breastfeed or who want to use formula, don’t be discouraged, there is a section further down exclusively about formula, a common chemical you can find it in, and great alternatives that are ideal for a healthy baby. So don’t be discouraged by the last statement above!
A common question many moms or mothers to be ask “What things in my life will affect the purity of my breastmilk?” So let’s go over a couple of helpful tips about ways to mitigate exposure to harmful chemicals that can leech into breastmilk.
1. Keep your house clean and dust free!
As mentioned earlier, often at times you can find PBDEs or flame retardants in common household dust, as they are not chemically bound to the product they are intended for. So by cleaning your house and keeping dust levels low, you are decreasing your exposure to PBDEs and other harmful chemicals that become prevalent in household dust.
2. Opt for more natural cleaning products and personal beauty products.
By switching from traditional cleaning and beauty products (that are high in harmful chemicals) you can reduce your exposure greatly inside your home to toxicants that can affect you and your babies health. We don’t realize how much we breathe in the junk in these products that is harmful for us, so by switching to more natural products that are free of chemicals we are able to limit our exposure through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact.
Here is a helpful link to some homemade products that are less harmful to your health, and can still clean your home:
https://wellnessmama.com/6244/natural-cleaning/
The following is a link to good natural beauty products to swap your old ones out with:
https://blog.bulletproof.com/best-natural-beauty-products/
3. For the sake of you and your babies health, eat organic!
Yes, this is probably the most obvious recommendation, but by lowering your exposure to pesticides, you can really decrease the toxicity of your breastmilk. Organic food does spoil faster and is more expensive, but the good thing is you don’t have to go 100% organic to reduce your exposure to pesticides. By following the “Dirty Dozen” guide, you can reduce your exposure to pesticides by nearly 90%!
Here is the link to EWG’s dirty dozen guide:
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
They also have a cool app you can download that rates both food and personal care products. To learn more about pesticides in your product check out their article that talks all about it:
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
4. Be wary of levels of toxicants in marine life.
Because of biomagnification, as pollutants make their way into small marine life that are later consumed by larger marine life, as you go up the food chain you can find higher concentrations of contaminants in some fish over others. That’s why you need to be extra careful when considering things like sushi with tuna or sushi with salmon.
Here is a link that specifies more about toxicants in marine life:
https://www.peta.org/living/food/toxins-fish/
One toxicant to be especially vary of is mercury, check out this site to see varying levels of mercury in different marine life:
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/seafood-mercury-whats-safe-to-eat-whats-not
Now that we’ve gone over some tips for mitigation, we can finally talk about formula.
For the women who are unable to breastfeed or do not have a desire to breastfeed, most will turn to formula as an alternative. Now that we’ve learned about the chemicals that can appear in women’s breastmilk, a seemingly “natural” substance, what can we expect to find in formula?
There are three main types of baby formula: cow milk protein-base, soy-base or protein hydrolysate formulas (which are intended for infants who do not tolerate the cow milk or soy base formulas), and can be found in powder, concentrated liquid and ready-to-use form. All of these types of formula, just like all other food products are subject to regulation by the FDA, and are required to meet their standards before being released into the market, which they consider to be no higher than 10 ppb.
But are there any harmful chemicals that make their way into formula that we are unaware about? One specific chemical that often finds its way into our soil, food, water and air is Arsenic. Arsenic is a natural element found in the earth’s crust but has been used by humans as a poison “…as early as fourth century BC…” (Smith, 2016). Because arsenic is colorless, odorless and tasteless, many people who are exposed to it are unaware, and areas must be tested for arsenic in order to identify its presence. The EPA sets the federal limit for the amount of arsenic that humans can be exposed to through drinking water is 10 ppb, but more often than not people are exposed to higher levels of arsenic through the food we eat and the air (as well as the dust) we breathe. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and exposure to higher amounts of arsenic can result in skin, bladder, kidney, lung or even prostate cancer. Arsenic can also inhibit diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Vahter, 2008). Arsenic, even at lower levels of exposure can still affect human health, in particular infants.
What are good baby formulas that are low in arsenic and other harmful chemicals to our babies?
These formulas have been rated highly for having significantly less toxicants such as arsenic, cadmium and lead. But moms must remember that when it comes to formula, organic, non-gmo and BPA free doesn’t necessarily mean its safer for our tiny humans. If you want to check out even more products for when your baby begins to transition to more solids including baby cereals and other food, here is a link from our friends at green label project that goes over some of the best (and worst) baby food brands:
https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/infant-formula-baby-food/
All in all, we are what we eat, we are what we breathe and we are, in end, the environment that we have created around us. We pollute, and unfortunately as a result of that we are comprised of pollutants. And I think that’s something important to consider when we want to live healthy lives, and provide a healthy life for our future generations. I know that there is hope for a better, cleaner society for our future generations, but where do we start? I believe the most effective way would be by advocating for more regulations and studies about the toxic environmental pollutants we have created. When we are more informed about harmful chemicals, we can organize ourselves in a more effective way to then advocate for a stronger environmental policy that supports and funds programs and research regarding toxicants and chemicals in our environment. Unfortunately the effects POPs like PBDE and DDT have on breastmilk and the harmful chemicals we can find in many different formulas are only one of the many ways in which we, and our future generations, are harmed. And although future generations will continue to be affected by our past and current choices, there is hope for mitigation, adaptation and eventually change.
References
Horta, Bernando, & Victoria, Cesar. (2013). A Systematic Review on the Benefits of Breastfeeding on Diarrhoea and Pneumonia Mortality. World Health Organization, 1–45.
Roze, E., Meijer, L., Bakker, A., Van Braeckel, K. N. J. A., Sauer, P. J. J., & Bos, A. F. (2009). Prenatal Exposure to Organohalogens, Including Brominated Flame Retardants, Influences Motor, Cognitive, and Behavioral Performance at School Age. Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(12), 1953–1958. http://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0901015
Schreiber, Judith. (2001). Parents Worried About Breast Milk Contaiminaton. Pediatric Clinics, 48(5), 1113–1127. https://www.pediatric.theclinics.com/article/S0031-3955(05)70364-3/fulltext#cesec7
Smith, R. (2016). Arsenic: A Murderous History. Dartmouth Toxic Metal Superfund Research Program. https://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/arsenic/history.html
Vahter, M. (2008). Health Effects of Early Life Exposure to Arsenic. Basic & Clinical Toxicology, 102(2), 204–211. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-7843.2007.00168.x
