Smart Babies

DHA Supplementation During Pregnancy

New research reaffirms that DHA supplementation during pregnancy improves cognitive function in infants and children. A study published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that infants born to mothers who consumed DHA from fish oil (300 mg/day) demonstrated better problem solving abilities than those who consumed a corn oil placebo.
This data supports earlier work published in 2003 that showed children born to mothers who supplemented with 2 tsp Cod Liver Oil daily during pregnancy and lactation had higher IQs at age four when compared to children of mothers who consumed placebo.
Maternal DHA intake during pregnancy is far below the currently recommended amount (minimum of 300 mg/day), which may be contributing to the unprecedented incidence of neurological and behavioral problems that face children today.
During the last trimester of pregnancy, mothers selectively transfer DHA to the fetus to support the growth of the brain, eyes, and nervous system. Without sufficient intake, mothers become
depleted of DHA and increase their risk of suffering major depressive symptoms in the postpartum period. In fact, population studies have shown that lower intakes of DHA are associated with higher rates of postpartum depression. It is well established that the essential fatty acid, DHA, is a critical component to a healthy pregnancy. However, a recent survey of expecting mothers showed that in 68% of the women surveyed, their doctor never mentioned DHA, and half of the women surveyed had never heard of it.


Dr. Zach's Comments:

• Omega 3 fatty acid of which DHA is one are essential to good health. Understand that they ARE NOT just another supplement to boost your health, but are molecules your body absolutely needs. In fact, your body will malfunction without them. Here's a list of conditions that have been associated with deficiencies of Omega 3 fatty acids: ADHD, Depression, Post Partum Depression, Alzheimer's, Heart Disease, Heart Arythmias, Skin Disorders, and many more.


• Why are Omega 3 fatty acids so important? Because they are in a class of molecules called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Essential means you have to have them and you have to get them through your diet because you body will not create them on its own. Fatty acid refers the to components of the molecule: an amino acid (protein) and lipid (fat) combination. EFAs make up the outer membrane of nearly every cell in your body. That's important because the outer membrane is the cells "filter" and regulates what can or cannot get into the cell. If the cell cannot properly regulate what goes in or comes out of it, it cannot regulate it's health, and if it cannot regulate it's health...disease sets in.


• Where do Omega 3's come from. You can get Omega 3 fatty acids from the following: Wild game and fish (especially marine animals), grass fed meets (beef, bison) and free range poultry, flax seeds and oil, and supplements (fish oil, cod liver oil, flax oil). You cannot find Omega 3s in Grain fed beef or bison, grain fed poultry, farm raised fish.


• The fact that Omega 3s are so very important to our lives and our bodies is what keeps me an Omnivore and not a Vegetarian. There is no way our ancestors and therefore the Human race could have survived without Omega 3 fatty acids from animal sources, and they certainly did not run around chewing on flax seeds.


• Get your Omega 3s. Period. The easiest, most effective, safest way is through a pharmaceutical grade fish oil.