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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. If you’re pregnant or nursing, you may be considering adding Omega-3 supplements to your own diet. 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. Still, there are some things you need to know before taking Omega-3 for pregnancy or child development (or any condition). Consult with an obstetrician and/or pediatrician before taking Omega-3 for any reason having to do with pregnancy and/or child development.
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 depend on their mother’s diet and breast milk or formula for their DHA and other essential fats; their bodies cannot make it on their own.
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. These benefits include:
• Better attention spans into the 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. Children’s brains accumulate DHA during their 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. The fetus’s brain grows rapidly during the last 3 months of pregnancy, making Omega-3 particularly important during that period. The average American diet contains far too much Omega-6 and there is concern that pregnant mothers are not getting enough Omega-3s.
Fish is a great source of DHA; however, contamination from mercury, dioxin, PCBs and other toxins. These toxins are a large concern since they are linked to cancers and birth defects. This presents a possible Catch-22 in that the best foods may also be the most harmful.
MOXXOR contains Omega-3 from contamination-free New Zealand green lipped mussels that are grown in the pristine waters of New Zealand. Third Party Logistics . New Zealand is one of the world’s leaders in ocean protection with 70% of its coastline protected from environmental harm. By contrast, only some 2% of the Mediterranean coastline is under protection.
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




July 25th, 2011 at 9:01 pm
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