DHA Supplements – The Most Important Omega 3
Hectic and busy lifestyle of today has made health a big concern both for adults and children. This is one of the reasons why majority of people look for supplements to fulfill the nutritious requirements of the body.
DHA or (Docosahexaenoic Acid) is an essential compound that is naturally found throughout the body, but is more abundant in brain, eyes and heart. DHA is vital for proper functioning of your brain and eye. Its absence is known to cause deteriorated and interrupted brain function.
DHA supplements such as Omega Daily™ are also found to be quite effective in fighting heart diseases and are often prescribed to people who are either prone to or are suffering from cardiovascular disorders.
Until recently not many knew a lot about the importance of DHA supplements. However, absence of a nutritious diet has resulted in a steep increase in several life-threatening disorders. This is why many people today are looking for dietary supplements to meet the nutritional requirements of the body.
What is DHA?
DHA is an Omega - 3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), which is an essential supplement for our bodies. PUFA plays a major role in controlling the metabolic functions of our bodies. However, the problem is that they are not manufactured in sufficient amounts within us, so we need to intake them through our diet.
There are mainly two types of essential fatty acids - Omega 3 and Omega 6. DHA is a breakdown of the Omega 3 fatty acid. It makes for around 40 % of PUFA in brain and 60% of retina in the eyes.
DHA is vital for formation of the structural components of the brain. It accounts for 50% weight of the neuronal membranes in the brain. It is also required for structural and functional components of central nervous system and brain.
Role of DHA in Our Bodies
In our bodies, DHA:
- Promotes brain growth and development.
- Aids mental processing and psychomotor development in infants.
- Prevents attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Enhances academic performance and learning capability in school children.
- Reduces cellular and vascular inflammation in brain.
- Increases production of ‘feel good’ chemical ‘serotonin’.
- Increases levels of ‘memory boosting’ chemicals in brain.
- Facilitates anti-aging processes by neutralizing oxygen free radicals in the body.
- Reduces cardiovascular diseases by controlling blood pressure and coagulation.
Causes of DHA Deficiency
DHA deficiency affects normal transmission of signals across membranes in the brain. Its deficiency may speed up aging and cause various health problems, such as behavioral disorders, depression, hyperactivity, postpartum depression, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, cancer, and diabetes.
An optimal intake of DHA supplements can help in preventing these problems and inhibit several heart and neurodegenerative diseases.
Natural Sources of DHA
Naturally DHA exists in:
- Cold-water fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines, herring, trout.
- Walnuts and flaxseed oil.
- Sea food – most seafood can provide up to 200 to 2,300 mg in a 3.5 ounce serving.
Need to Intake DHA Supplements
Although DHA can be produced in our bodies from breakdown of Omega 3 fatty acid, many times this does not happen. There can be many reasons for it. Some of these are listed below:
Proportion of Omega 6 to Omega 3 – The optimum ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet should be 5-10:1. However, our dietary habits, cooking methods and lifestyle can affect this ratio by increasing the proportion of Omega 6 fatty acids and the ratio may change to10-30:1.
These figures are even worse in developing countries. High proportion of Omega 6 inhibits the breakdown of Omega 3 fatty acids and decreases the production of DHA in our body.
Age – Aging process decreases the ability of our metabolic processes to produce DHA efficiently from Omega 3 fatty acids.
Pregnancy and lactation – During early stages of life our body has very limited metabolic capability to produce DHA. This is why infants and fetus completely depend on supply of DHA from mother’s body.
Research claims DHA to be a wonder supplement that increases baby’s growth and brain development. Pregnant mothers who intake optimum dosage of DHA are known to have children with higher IQ and cognitive behavior. DHA also helps in lowering the risk of postpartum depression.
Vegetarians – Vegetarians particularly vegans (persons not eating eggs) should specially include DHA or Omega 3 supplements in their diet to sustain normal and healthy functioning of their brain and retina. However, if you don’t prefer fish oil supplements, you can consume algae-based vegan DHA supplements to fulfill your DHA requirements.
All these benefits show that it is essential to include DHA supplements in our diet. This useful supplement is required by people of all age groups, especially pregnant and lactating mothers.
Dosage of DHA for Pregnant Women
Breast milk of nursing mothers is found to have 0.07% to 1.0% of total fatty acids Pregnant and nursing women should have optimum dosages of DHA to support the required needs of fetus and breastfed infants. It is recommended that they should consume at least 2.6 grams of Omega 3 fatty acids and 100 – 300 mg of DHA.
Omega Daily™ – A Treasure of DHA Supplements
Although cold water fish and sea food are rich sources of DHA, they are often polluted with heavy metals, pesticides, and other toxins. DHA supplements, such as Omega Daily™ are manufactured and purified in state-of-art facilities to ensure that they are free from all these pollutants.
While choosing a DHA supplements, you must:
- Opt for a fish oil supplement, unless you are a strict vegetarian.
- Make sure that it is a combination dose of EPA and DHA of 650 – 3000 mg.
- Ensure that it comprises an antioxidant such as Vitamin E.
- Ensure that it has optimum proportion of EPA and DHA.
- Avoid relying on Flax oil supplements.
Omega Daily™, known as the miracle from the sea, is manufactured from extracts of the green-lipped mussel, which is naturally found in New Zealand. Omega Daily has been voted as the most effective Omega-3 oil, which is a rich source of various polyunsaturated fatty acids including DHA.
Omega Daily also contains Vitamin E, an oxidant that prevents oxidation of Omega 3 compounds and creation of harmful free radicals in the body. This highly beneficial supplement is safe for everyone including pregnant mothers and children.
One of the best features, of Omega Daily is that it almost has no side effects. In other words, it is one of the most tolerated natural supplements available today. It is a rich source of several useful nutrients, including DHA, that ensure you overall health and fitness.
There are innumerable testimonials of the product by its successful consumers. So adopt Omega Daily™ and make DHA, a part of your diet to ensure yourselves healthy sustenance and a happy life.
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