DHA
is very important for the young. In the formative years, DHA (omega-3) is
crucial for the proper
development of the brain and vision. The brain and retina of the eye, the most
membrane-rich tissues in the body, use DHA as building blocks, impacting
not only the size of the brain and improve the
ability to learn, judge and concentrate. Children, especially in their first six
years, gain immense benefit from adequate levels of DHA.
Research
has revealed that pregnant American women do not get enough LCP's in their
diet. This is especially true for vegans and those eating lots of fat-free
foods. Vegan diets generally contain plenty of essential fatty acids
(EFAs), which are LCP precursors, but not enough are converted into LCPs.
Therefore, adopting a low-fat diet without considering the kind of fatty
acids eaten will likely not supply enough of the proper LCP's required for
optimal fetal brain development.
Before
conception, during pregnancy and in the first 12 to 18 weeks after birth
are the most critical times for a woman to consume the EFAs her body will
ultimately convert into the LCPs her baby cannot yet make on its own. DHA
is passed from the mother's blood through the placenta, and regulates the development of
the baby's brain. While still in the womb, the more DHA that is transferred from the
mother, the better the influence will be on the brain, and vision development of the infant.
Although
LCPs from both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are needed, the omega-3
EFAs are often in short supply because of dietary trends. DHA is an
omega-3 fatty acid essential to fetal development and is the end point of
the EFA-to-LCP conversion chain.
Fatty-acid
nutrition is crucial to developing full cognitive and visual potential and
deterring common conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
retinitis, poor night vision and dyslexia. Even a marginal DHA deficiency
can have long-term effects on visual development. Because of the rapidly
growing fetus, a mother's need for LCPs escalates during pregnancy and her
own bodily stores are mobilized to provide DHA and AA. Since AA is more
readily provided from the mother's diet, most of the recent research has
focused on the need for increasing DHA levels during pregnancy and
lactation.
To
ensure breast milk contains enough DHA and AA, and to ensure their babies
have the best chance at optimal mental function, nursing mothers must eat
ample amounts of foods containing these two fats. Leading researchers have
therefore recommended nursing mothers increase their consumption of
DHA-rich foods or take a DHA supplement, especially if they do not eat two
or three servings of cold-water fish weekly.
In
the interests of those who can't breast-feed, a number of physicians and
nutritionists at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center (has formed a
group, "Pregnant Physicians for DHA," to educate people about
the importance of breast-feeding) encourage a mandate that DHA be added to
infant formula in the United States. Adding DHA to infant formulas,
although instituted in 50 other countries and approved by the expert panel
of the World Health Organization, has not yet been adopted in the United
States.
The
University of Milan, Italy, report that infants whose formula contains
long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially DHA) have better brain development than children
who don't receive DHA in their formula. Their study supports earlier findings of a
correlation between the DHA concentration in red blood cells of infants and their visual
acuity. Researchers recommend that babies should be breastfed since breast milk contains
the fatty acids necessary for brain development, or they should be fed a DHA-enriched formula.
The World Health Organization also recommends that baby formulas contain DHA -
40 mg. per kg. of infant body weight, according to their 1995 report Fats and
Oils in Human Nutrition.
Ensuring
optimal amounts of these LCPs (DHA and AA) in pregnant and lactating women
and in infant formula can go a long way toward giving the next generation
the best chances for health and success.
