How to supplement zinc and iron deficiency in babies

For newborn babies, if they are deficient in zinc and iron, they should be treated through breastfeeding and the mother should eat more foods containing iron and zinc, such as spinach or liver. If the baby is weaned, mothers can add complementary foods to the baby, or use some zinc and iron oral solutions to supplement trace elements.

1. How to supplement zinc and iron deficiency in six-month-old babies

1. Adhere to breastfeeding

The iron contained in breast milk is the same as that in cow's milk, but the difference is that the iron in breast milk is easier to absorb. Generally speaking, the absorption rate of iron in breast milk is 50%, while the absorption rate of iron in cow's milk is only 10%. Therefore, babies who are breastfed are healthier than babies who are bottle-fed and are less likely to develop iron deficiency anemia. Therefore, if your baby develops iron deficiency anemia, you must insist on breastfeeding. This is an important way to improve your baby's iron deficiency anemia.

2. Choose formula milk powder

Babies who are bottle-fed can choose to use formula milk, because these formula milks are mostly fortified with iron and vitamin C, which can effectively prevent iron deficiency anemia. However, the price of formula milk is generally more expensive. Then you can also choose another method, which is to supplement iron under the guidance of a doctor or use edible iron for iron supplementation.

3. Add complementary food in time

Babies should start adding some complementary foods from 4-6 months old. You can appropriately increase the intake of some iron-containing foods, such as egg yolks, fish paste, liver paste, minced meat, animal blood, etc. At the same time, you also need to increase the intake of some fresh vegetables and fruits and other foods rich in vitamin C, so as to ensure the absorption and utilization of iron.

2. The effects of zinc and iron on babies

1. Iron deficiency anemia occurring during the critical period can damage the human brain, causing a decline in intellectual and behavioral abilities including intelligence, endurance, exercise, labor, psychology, temper, and personality. In addition, it will also affect the efficiency of blood in delivering nutrients to the human body. After the critical period, even if more iron is supplemented, the underdeveloped brain tissue will not redevelop to a normal level.

2. Children with high IQ have higher zinc content in their bodies, while children with lower intelligence have significantly lower zinc content in their bodies. This study further demonstrates that zinc plays a very important physiological role in promoting brain development and intellectual development. This is because the growth and development rate of a child's brain is regulated by growth hormone in the body.

The above is about the importance of zinc and iron for babies. Trace elements can generally be obtained from milk powder or complementary foods. This is necessary and cannot be lacking, otherwise it will affect growth and development. Iron is very beneficial to the human blood system. Zinc is very useful for human body's IQ.