Youngevity Urges FDA to Require Selenium in Infant Formula

SAN DIEGO, Jun 24, 2013 -- Youngevity Essential Life Sciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of Youngevity International Inc., announced that is has filed official Comments in response to the FDA's Proposed Rule, "Infant Formula: The Addition of Minimum and Maximum Levels of Selenium to Infant Formula and Related Labeling Requirements."

The Proposed Rule would require inclusion of selenium in infant formula, which has now been confirmed by the FDA to be "an essential trace element for humans" adding that selenium deficiencies "may be of greatest concern in infants and children" especially to those that are entirely fed through formula.

In support of the Proposed Rule, Youngevity and its distributors filed official Comments reiterating selenium's integral role as part of a healthy diet. Youngevity's Comment also relied on an evaluation by noted researcher, chemist, and scholar Dr. G.N. Schrauzer, Ph.D. who also serves on Youngevity's Scientific Advisory Board. Citing Dr. Schrauzer's expert opinion, Youngevity recommended that the FDA require the use of an organic form of selenium, selenomethionine, which provides greater health benefits to humans than does the mineral's inorganic form, sodium selenate.

Youngevity has long been a strong advocate of providing the public with important, truthful information about such health benefits and this is only the latest measure taken in support of health derived from supplementation. Youngevity has already successfully petitioned the FDA to allow such claims concerning the consumption of certain omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and of the consumption of selenium to reduce the risk of bladder cancer in women as well as prostate and thyroid cancers.

Youngevity CEO, Steve Wallach, stated, "My father, and Youngevity founder, Dr. Joel Wallach, has been at the forefront of Selenium research for nearly 40 years and the Proposed Rule would only amplify the importance of mineral supplementation, especially to children who rely on infant formula as their only nutrient source."

The FDA will continue to accept comments on its Proposed Rule until July 1, 2013.