Omega-3 supplements and infant/child development

This article is not intended as medical advice. You should always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before beginning any diet regimen.

You are probably reading this article because you’ve heard that Omega-3 fatty acids can help with pregnancy and infant development. Pregnant or nursing mothers may want to consider adding Omega-3 supplements to their diets. Some parents consider giving Omega-3 supplements to their children. Omega-3 supplements may have considerable health benefits for infants and children. These supplements are generally regarded as safe by the US FDA and side effects, if any, are usually mild. You should, however, be aware of a few things before adding Omega-3 to your diet to help with pregnancy, child development, or any other reason. You should also be sure to consult with an obstetrician and/or pediatrician, as appropriate, before adding Omega-3 supplements for any pregnancy or infant development reason.

Up to 97% of Omega-3 fats in the brain and 93% of Omega-3 fats in the retina consist of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The heart also contains large amounts of DHA. Large amount of DHA are also found in the heart. Babies are incapable of making DHA and other essential fats on their own; they depend on their mother’s diet during pregnancy and on breast or bottle feeding after birth to get these crucial nutrients.

There is evidence that increasing the amount of Omega-3 in the diets of babies can give them a developmental edge. Pregnant mothers who consume plenty of Omega-3 can give their infants the same advantages. Some of these benefits are:

• Longer attention spans well into their second year. Attention is one of the components of intelligence. DHA is important for brain and nervous system development, as well as long-term heart health. DHA accumulates in children’s brains during the first two years.

• Two-month developmental lead over babies born to mothers with lower levels of Omega-3 during the first six months.

• Omega-3 may also play a role in developing visual acuity. Babies born to mothers with high level of Omega-3 scored better on test that measure visual learning at 12 and 18 months of age.

• Breast milk is best for infants; however, bottle-fed infants should consume formulas rich in DHA for proper development.

250mg per day may be an ideal dose of DHA for pregnant mothers, however the actual dosage requirements are presently unknown. Omega-3 is particularly important during the last trimester of pregnancy when the fetus’s brain is experiencing rapid growth. Given the typical American diet that is overloaded with Omega-6 , the concern is that pregnant mothers are not getting nearly enough Omega-3.

Fish-based DHA can be contaminated by mercury, dioxin, PCBs and other toxins. These toxins are a large concern since they are linked to cancers and birth defects. The contamination problem poses a dilemma because the best sources of DHA may also be the most contaminated.

MOXXOR contains Omega-3 from contamination-free New Zealand green lipped mussels that are grown in the pristine waters of New Zealand. 70% of the New Zealand coast is protected from environmental harm, compared to only about 2% of the Mediterranean coast.

Be sure to consult your obstetrician and/or pediatrician for advice on Omega-3 during or after pregnancy.

Anthony Hernandez

Anthony Hernandez is a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Business Association Coach and author of Guerrilla Marketing Success Secrets with over 20 years of successful self-employment experience. He is proud to be a co-founding member of the MOXXOR WORKS Team. Visit MOXXOR WORKS Team web site to learn more about the MOXXOR WORKS Team and our home-based opportunity.

Sources

• Journal of Perinatal Medicine
• Mayo Clinic
• Medical News Today
• Science Daily
• University of Connecticut
• WebMD