Expectant mothers are besieged by information regarding dozens of fish oil supplements. As a result, many moms-to-be are considering taking DHA during pregnancy. However, there is a lot of confusion out there but the good news is fish oil can be an important addition to any ones nutritional plan. This article will discuss some high points of the subject.
Let me clear up a misunderstanding about omega 3 fish oil and DHA. There is a family of eight omega 3 fatty acids of which the two most important are DHA and EPA. If you take a properly balanced fish oil supplement, then you are already taking DHA during your pregnancy. You are also getting the other omega 3 that you and the baby need - EPA. Products that are enhanced with DHA are not needed. The quality supplements are better for you and more effective anyway. More about that later.
Why is it important that I take omega 3s at all?
Every cell membrane in the body contains them. DHA is particularly prevalent in the brain, nerve cells and retinas. It allows us to think and see. You are reading and understanding these words courtesy of the omega 3s found in fish oil.
The mountains of research on this has the U.S. Department of Defense considering adding omega 3s to rations for a variety of issues. One of them is to help pregnant female soldiers. Many D.O.D. nutritionists think that this type of preventive medicine would save millions of dollars in future medical bills.
The research that the military is using looks like this:
Estimates vary, but it is safe to assume that 85-90% of people in the West have an omega 3 deficiency. This is caused by our diets. We no longer eat wild game, leafy greens or wild cold water fish the way that we used to.
This has serious implications for your child. The fetus' need for these omega 3s is greatest during the third trimester of the pregnancy. Fetal brain cells are being created at a rate of 250,000 nerve cells per minute. Omega 3s can not be made from scratch by either mother or child. They must be outsourced. So if there is not enough DHA in the mothers body, then the fetus is guaranteed to have a deficiency.
On average, this will result in:
1] Lower IQ scores of 8-10 points.
2] Impaired vision - usually the equivalent of one line on an eye chart.
3] More depression, emotional swings and volatility of moods.
4] Coordination problems. EPA and DHA are part of all cell membranes. EPA in particular helps determine what goes in and out of the cells and how they relate to each other. This includes the muscles.
Another issue is that right after birth, moms DHA levels drop dramatically. Everything she has left goes to her breast milk. This lack of DHA is one of the main causes of postpartum depression in the mother.
How do we fix this?
Remember, the body can not make omega 3s so the only way to get these essential fats is by eating a lot of fish or by taking omega 3 fish oil supplements. The F.D.A. and others warn about eating too much seafood. The species that you need can also have mercury, PCB's or dioxins they absorbed from the natural food chain. These contaminants are harmful to everyone, but are especially dangerous to young children.
It comes down to this. Mom needs a lot of omega 3s. Supplements are the only way to safely and efficiently get them. There is no problem here. Fish oil is food, not a drug. Get one that has been purified and can prove it. This is done with independent lab reports. They should be available on the companies websites.
Finally, when taking DHA during pregnancy, remember the EPA. Good supplements have a significant amount of DHA, but they need EPA in order to properly function. They also need a life time commitment from you.
Author Resource:
Get my free five-part mini course on the benefits of omega 3, including critical information on why you should take omega3 fish oil .
To sign up for the course and get more tips on the importance of omega 3, visit my website: http://www.omega-3-guide.com/
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")