7 Benefits of DHA for the Brain, Eyes, Blood Vessels, and Gut

Aug 24 - 2023

DHA

Many people may have heard of DHA, but know very little about it. dha is an unsaturated fatty acid found in high concentrations in fish and seaweed oil.

Fish oil is familiar to everyone, but seaweed oil is still unfamiliar to most people. It can be extracted from artificially cultivated marine unicellular algae, and is a pure plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids related to the human body are mainly DHA, EPA and ALA.dha certification

So, DHA is so popular, what is the role of DHA? Let's take a look at the 7 functions of DHA

1. Taking care of the development of the brain

Human brain and retina are rich in DHA, infant cerebral cortex and retina average DHA content of 8% and 12%, respectively, the average contribution rate of DHA to the gray matter of the adult brain is as high as 18%, while the contribution rate of EPA is only <0.05% and 0.1%.sialic acid market Supplementation of DHA can have a positive impact on the brain's neurotransmission, signal transduction and cell function.

2. Protect the fragile eyes

In addition to the brain, our eyes also need DHA. lack of DHA impairs vision due to dysfunction of photoreceptor cells, but this damage is reversible, so for those who are deficient in DHA, proper supplementation may improve the loss of vision caused by DHA deficiency.food ingredients asia

3. Enhances Happiness

Studies have shown that happiness is significantly correlated with serum DHA and EPA. Not only that, the ratio of EPA and DHA also affects its effect. When EPA/DHA > 2, enhancing happiness is effective and can be considered as an adjunctive treatment for depression.

4. Ward off Alzheimer's disease

In this also world, every three seconds one more person suffers from Alzheimer's disease (AD), Alzheimer's disease has no cure, and DHA in seaweed oil can help ward off the arrival of AD by helping. Studies have found that higher levels of DHA in the body reduce the risk of all-cause dementia by 47 percent and the risk of AD by 39 percent.

In addition, DHA levels in the brains of AD patients were significantly lower than those of non-AD patients, which researchers believe is related to the fact that DHA affects the processing of amyloid b and regulates the formation of neuronal membranes.

5. "Inflammatory" Enemies

As life expectancy increases, so does the prevalence of age-related diseases. Inflammation plays an important role in these age-related diseases, and DHA and EPA can partially inhibit inflammation, including decreasing leukocyte chemotaxis, inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines, and decreasing the reactivity of T helper 1 lymphocytes.

6. Blood vessel "scavenger"

DHA protects against blood clots, atherosclerosis and arrhythmias. One study found that consuming 4g of DHA, EPA or olive oil per day for up to 6 weeks resulted in a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as heart rate, suggesting that DHA may also play a role in lowering blood pressure.

Clinical studies have shown that daily intake of 1000mg of algae DHA, for 8 weeks, can make fasting triglyceride levels on average reduced by 21.8%, which means that DHA also has a role in lowering blood lipids.

7. Regulate intestinal flora

After applying antibiotics, most of the sensitive bacteria and normal flora are inhibited or killed, while drug-resistant bacteria are able to reproduce in large numbers due to the selective effect of antibiotics, which results in dysbiosis and symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation.

Dietary supplementation with DHA can significantly alter the intestinal flora, as evidenced by an increase in Bacteroides odorata and a decrease in Bacteroides anthropophilus. Previous studies have shown that B. anthropophilus significantly enhances intestinal inflammation through the release of pro-inflammatory zinc-dependent metalloproteinase toxins, while B. odorata is involved in the production of short-chain fatty acids, which promote the growth of probiotics. Thus, DHA may regulate the intestinal flora by promoting or inhibiting some of the intestinal bacterial populations.

By:Ariel