{"id":30613,"date":"2022-06-14T01:21:27","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T01:21:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=30613"},"modified":"2022-06-14T01:21:31","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T01:21:31","slug":"prenatal-dha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/prenatal-dha\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Take A Prenatal DHA Supplement?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’ve ever looked at the back of your favorite\u00a0fish oil supplement<\/a>, you may have noticed the ingredient DHA, but aside from that, DHA has maintained a relatively low radar in the nutrition world, despite its importance in your health at almost every stage of life. Instead, you’ve probably heard more about omega-3 fatty acids<\/a>, of which DHA is one type. <\/p>\n\n\n

More research is pointing to the significance that DHA plays in supporting a healthy pregnancy. As such, prenatal<\/a> DHA and prenatal vitamins with DHA are becoming increasingly popular. But what is DHA in prenatal vitamins? Read on for more about this key ingredient, including the health benefits of DHA, sources, dosing, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n

What is DHA in Prenatals?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"what<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

DHA stands for docosahexaenoic acid. It\u2019s a long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

About 40 years ago, researchers started investigating the wide range of DHA health benefits. The beginning research on DHA found its cardioprotective benefits to be promising. Since then, experts have uncovered more ways that it can promote healthier lives, including DHA for pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n

Health Benefits of DHA<\/h2>\n\n\n

DHA can significantly support your overall health from the beginning stages of pregnancy\u2014for you and your baby\u2014into older adulthood.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

DHA in Pregnancy\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n

One of DHA’s most well-known functions is its important role during pregnancy. <\/p>\n\n\n

This omega-3 actively supports the growth of baby\u2019s brain in the womb. Specifically, DHA works by aiding neural cell growth, function, and signaling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Although brain development is carried out through the first two years of life, the most vital development happens in the first weeks of pregnancy. Then in the last trimester, DHA will accumulate in baby\u2019s brain.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Researchers<\/a>\u00a0believe that children with \u201cDHA-rich frontal lobes\u201d are more likely to exert high-level cognitive activities like planning and problem solving. For context, the frontal lobe is the part of the brain responsible for memory, focus, and information processing.<\/p>\n\n\n

In addition to fostering cognitive function, DHA also supports visual development. In particular, DHA plays a big role in visual acuity which is a person\u2019s ability to distinguish shapes and details from a given distance. A\u00a02003\u00a0study found that prenatal supplementation of DHA has a strong influence on an infant\u2019s visual acuity response<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

DHA & Healthy Aging<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to be pregnant to reap the benefits of DHA, so it can also be a great supplement to continue postpartum<\/a> and beyond. As with all omega-3s, DHA can help improve many areas of your overall health, especially as you age.<\/p>\n\n\n

Brain function<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n

As mentioned earlier, DHA can help with brain development during pregnancy. However, it can also help keep your brain healthy in adulthood. In fact,\u00a0a review<\/a>\u00a0found that supplementing fish oil can help preserve memory function as you get older. In addition, low DHA levels are associated with age-related cognitive disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n

Heart health<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n

Researchers suspect that DHA may help lower the risk for different heart conditions by decreasing blood triglycerides. However, a\u00a0meta-analysis<\/a>\u00a0of the effect of DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids did not find strong evidence to support this.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Despite the mixed evidence, DHA\u2019s action on blood triglycerides can still help support your heart by maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Plus, the\u00a0American Heart Association (AHA)<\/a>\u00a0maintains the significant cardioprotective benefits that omega-3s can have.<\/p>\n\n\n

Joints<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n

Omega-3 fatty acids like DHA are effective at treating inflammatory conditions. As a result, DHA can be helpful for people with stiff or aching joints\u2014a common discomfort that can come with age.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

It\u2019s suggested that omega-3s can\u00a0reduce the amount of arachidonic acid<\/a>\u00a0in the joints which can provide significant relief and a reduction in inflammatory markers.<\/p>\n\n\n

How Much DHA During Pregnancy is Needed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"how<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

For pregnant women, a daily\u00a0minimum of 300 milligrams<\/a>\u00a0of DHA is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating 8 ounces of seafood per week. This roughly amounts to two servings of fish. Two servings of fish should provide a daily average of 250 mg of EPA and DHA (combined).<\/p>\n\n\n

If you have a known risk for coronary artery disease, the\u00a0AHA<\/a>\u00a0recommends 1 g of EPA and DHA (combined) daily.<\/p>\n\n\n

Sources of DHA<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

Because the body is unable to make DHA on its own, we must get DHA from dietary sources.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Animal vs Plant Sources of DHA<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n

Seafood is a primary source for DHA. Oily fish are among the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids like DHA.<\/p>\n\n\n

Here are the top\u00a0food sources of DHA<\/a>, based on a typical 3 ounce serving:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n