DHA pill - DHA benefit in vision and brain function - DHA research - DHA and EPA are found in fish oils
DHA is an omega-3 fatty acids are made from a fatty acid
called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is found predominantly in flaxseed oil (also
known as linseed) and hemp seed oil. Green leafy vegetables, soybeans, walnuts, and canola
oil have small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial because
they provide fluidity to cell membranes and improve communication between brain cells.
Omega-3s also reduce the clotting ability of platelets, thus potentially decreasing the
incidence of heart attacks and strokes. Two very important omega-3 fatty acids are
eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). They are found in seafood,
especially mackerel, salmon, striped bass, rainbow trout, halibut, tuna, and sardines.
Supplements of fish oils that contain EPA and DHA are sold over the counter.
DHA is also
sold by itself. In the body, DHA is found mostly in the brain, retina, and in sperm. DHA
plays an important role in vision.
You may also consider reading about
krill oil or to buy
Krill-Oil.
DHA Benefits
Fish and fish oils may be beneficial in reducing the risk for
heart disease, heart
arrhythmias, mental decline, and may also help reduce symptoms of arthritis and several
autoimmune conditions. Eating fish and perhaps taking fish oil supplements may also help
reduce the risk for macular degeneration.
Fish oils are found in sperm, and these oils may support healthy sexual
organ function.
Dr. Malcolm Peet of the Swallownest Court Hospital in Sheffield, England
and his colleague found that depressed patients who received a daily dose of 1 gram of an
omega-3 fatty acid for 12 weeks experienced a decrease in their symptoms, such as sadness,
anxiety and sleeping problems.
DHA -- Seeing is Believing
The rods and cones of the retina in the eyes are very rich
in DHA. Hence, a deficiency in dietary fish oils will reduce the photoreceptor activity of
retinal cells, and thus reduce visual acuity. On the other hand, supplementation with fish
oils (or flaxseed oil) could lead to visual improvement with enhanced color perception.
Since levels of DHA in the brain decline with
age, it is likely that the levels of DHA also decline in the retina. Is it possible that
daily intake of fish oils can improve
vision in older individuals? Hopefully future
research can give us some answers. A healthy
diet with fish and vegetables
that contain lutein and zeaxanthin can improve vision.
Reduce the risk of sudden death with omega-3s
An editorial in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association
suggests that increasing dietary omega-3 fatty acids, which come from fatty fish or
flaxseed oil, and decreasing omega-6 fatty acids, found in plant seed oils such as corn,
safflower, and sunflower, is a way to reduce the risk of sudden death from irregular heart
rhythms or heart attacks. One cause of sudden death is ventricular
fibrillation, in which the heart contracts in a fast and chaotic rhythm that makes it
unable to pump blood to the rest of the body. A number of factors including cigarette use,
fasting, diabetes, hyperthyroidism or heart attack can trigger the release of fatty acids
from adipose tissue.
Fats that we eat are stored in adipose (fat)
tissue. When these fats are released from their storage sites, they become free fatty
acids. But not all fatty acids are equal in their propensity to cause arrhythmias. High
levels of omega-6 fatty acids may encourage arrhythmias if their levels aren’t
balanced by omega-3 fatty acids.
Comments: a year ago the American
Heart Association revised its dietary recommendations to include advice to eat two meals
of fatty fish – such as salmon or halibut – per week. I recommend those who
don’t eat fish to take 3 to 5 fish oil capsules or a teaspoon of flaxseed oil per day
and to try reducing their intake of omega-6 oils.
DHA and Dementia
High blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid
docosahexaenoic acid DHA may protect against the development of dementia
and perhaps Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Ernst J. Schaefer, of Tufts University, Boston and colleagues examined
associations between blood DHA levels and dementia risk in 899 men and
women free of dementia at entry into the Framingham Heart Study. They had
their blood fatty acids measured at an average of 76 years old.
After 9.1 years of follow-up, 99 subjects had developed dementia.
Seventy-one of the cases were classified as Alzheimer's disease.
After controlling for other risk factors for dementia including age,
gender, genotype, and elevated homocysteine, the team found that men and
women with the highest DHA levels had a 47 percent reduction in risk of
developing dementia and a 39 percent reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's
disease compared with those with less DHA.
The high level was probably achieved by
consuming 3 fish meals per week or about 200 milligrams DHA
per day. DHA can also be obtained in fish oil capsules, and one capsule
usually contains 100 to 150 mg. Archives of Neurology, November 2006.
Dietary supplementation of arachidonic and
docosahexaenoic acids DHA improves cognitive dysfunction.
Neurosci Res. 2006 Oct;56(2):159-64. Epub 2006 Aug 14. Department of
Neurosurgery, Minami-gaoka Hospital, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.
Age-dependent increase of peroxidation of membrane fatty acids such as
arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ) in neurons was
reported to cause a decline of the hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP)
and cognitive dysfunction in rodents. Although supplementation of ARA and
DHA can improve LTP and cognitive function in rodents, their effects in
humans are unknown. The present work was undertaken to study whether ARA
and DHA have beneficial effects in human amnesic patients. The subjects
were 21 mild cognitive dysfunction who were supplementated with 240 mg/day
ARA and DHA, or 240 mg/day of olive oil. It is suggested from these data
that ARA and DHA supplementation can
improve the cognitive dysfunction due to organic brain damages or aging.
Smart Eating for a Smarter Baby
The brain is largely made of fat, and the types of fat we consume can have an
influence on how well our brain functions. Most studies show that fish oils (DHA
and EPA) are essential to optimal brain function. But does maternal diet
influence brain development of the child? There is a growth spurt in the human
brain during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first postnatal months,
with a large increase in the cerebral content of DHA. The fetus and the newborn
infant depend on maternal supply of DHA. Sometimes maternal intake of DHA during
pregnancy and lactation is marginal. Researchers at the University of Oslo in
Norway examined the effect of supplementing pregnant and lactating women with
cod liver oil on mental development of the children, compared with maternal
supplementation with corn oil. The study was randomized and double-blinded. A
total of 590 pregnant women were recruited in week 18 of pregnancy to take daily
10 mL of cod liver oil or corn oil until 3 months after delivery. The cod liver
oil contains DHA and EPA. The corn oil contains linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic
acid. All infants of these women were scheduled for assessment of cognitive
function at 6 and 9 months of age. As part of the protocol, 135 subjects from
this population were invited for intelligence testing with the Kaufman
Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) at 4 years of age. The K-ABC is a
measure of intelligence and achievement designed for children aged 2.5 years
through 12.5 years. Children who were born to mothers who had taken cod liver
oil during pregnancy and lactation scored higher on the Mental Processing
Composite of the K-ABC at 4 years of age as compared with children whose mothers
had taken corn oil. Comments: Women who are pregnant may consider
eating more fish, taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements in consultation
with their obstetrician.
Expectant mothers who eat enough omega-3 fats late in pregnancy give their babies a brain-power boost. Among 109 Inuit infants, those whose umbilical-cord blood was higher in DHA docosahexaenoic acid, did better in tests of infant brain and eye development at the ages of 6 and 11 months. DHA is one of the major omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish like salmon, sardines and tuna. Because of the fat's vital role in brain development, pregnant women should get at least of 300 milligrams of DHA daily. Journal of Pediatrics, March 2008.
DHA questions
Q. I am 33 weeks pregnant and started taking DHA and EPA softgels (through fish
oil sources) from week 31. Mostly I have read that DHA should have been started
since week 18. As I have started so late, will it help in my baby's brain
development? Also, I have my c-section scheduled at 38 weeks. Is it safe to
continue with DHA softgels for the operation (I have read it thins the blood, so
should be stoped before any surgery)?
A. It's difficult to say what the benefit of a DHA supplement would
be when started late in the pregnancy. As long as only one capsule is being
used, continuing DHA should be fine, but it is best not to exceed one capsule
and it may be even a good idea not to take any for a few days before since there
is the possibility of thinning the blood.
DHA suppliers
Email received in November 2007 - We produce high quality goods under ISO
standards since 1996, and we are currently selling products as following:
1. Fish Oil-Ethyl ester (EE), High DHA
DHA75% + EPA 7%
DHA70% + EPA 8%
DHA60% + EPA 12%
DHA50% + EPA 20%
DHA40% + EPA 20%
DHA40% + EPA 10%
DHA35% + EPA 25%
2. Fish Oil, Ethyl ester (EE), - High EPA
EPA50% + DHA 20%
EPA36% + DHA 24%
EPA33% + DHA 22%
3. Fish Oil, Triglycerides (TG)-purely nutrual
DHA33% + EPA 17%
DHA28% + EPA 17%
DHA23% + EPA 17%
4. DHA powder, Ethyl ester (EE)
DHA 10% + EPA 2%
DHA 15% + EPA 3%
DHA powder, Triglycerides (TG)
DHA 8% + EPA 4%
5. DHA powder (algaes)
DHA powder DHA 7%
6. Arachidonic Acid (derived from Mortierella alpina)
ARA powder ARA 10%
ARA oil ARA 40%
If you are interested, pls contact us freely, thanks.
Deyang Rishon Biochem Co., Ltd
7th Fr, B-Bishuige Building, 155#, North Emei Road,
Deyang, Sichuan, P.R.China, 618000
Tel: +86(838)6661-786,
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