Nowadays, many new parents tend to believe some unfounded rumors after their babies are born, such as the more DHA they give their babies, the smarter they will be. So what exactly is DHA that mothers are concerned about? What is its function?
First of all, DHA, the full name of docosahexaenoic acid, is an unsaturated fatty acid that is very important to the human body. It is a kind of fat and an important component of the brain and retina. It is also the main component that promotes and maintains the growth of nervous system cells. Secondly, its main function is to promote the development of the baby's brain and vision. Therefore, many mothers believe that if they supplement more DHA, their children will become smarter and smarter, but in fact, excessive supplementation of DHA may also bring other problems. For example, if DHA is excessively consumed, it will be oxidized into free radicals in the body, which will damage the health of the human body. Therefore, it is purely a rumor that the more DHA a baby supplements,dha algal oil powder the smarter he will be. Mothers must face DHA squarely. Let's first understand DNA.
DHA supplementation cannot be excessive
Excessive supplementation of DHA will not make children "smarter", because DHA is unstable and easily oxidized in the body. Excessive intake of DHA will oxidize into free radicals in the body, which will damage human health. Therefore, from the perspective of safety and health, DHA should be taken from food as much as possible, and DHA supplements should be taken according to the dosage. According to the recommendations of the Chinese Nutrition Society, pregnant women and nursing mothers should ensure that their daily intake of DHA is not less than 200 mg, and the daily intake of DHA for babies should generally reach 100 mg. Do not over-supplement.
DHA is not the more the better
Will the more supplements the child, the smarter? In fact, not necessarily. As the saying goes, too much is as bad as too little, which is the reason. Excessive supplementation of DHA will also have side effects, because it is unstable and easily oxidized. If excessive intake of DHA is taken, it will be oxidized into free radicals in the body, which will damage human health, such as causing low immunity, increased blood lipids and cholesterol, etc., and ultimately increase the burden on the body. Therefore, DNA is not the more the better, as long as it is appropriate.
Children's IQ is affected by many factors
Children's IQ is affected by many factors. In addition to the well-known congenital genetic factors, it is also closely related to the mother's breast milk, especially taurine, which has an important impact on intellectual development, which is 10 times higher than milk. According to a survey, children who grow up with breast milk have an IQ of about 3-10 points higher than those who grow up with milk substitutes. In addition, children who do not eat breakfast will be affected in intelligence. The protein, sugar, vitamins and trace elements consumed in breakfast are all important components for brain health.
So what should be given to babies to meet the demand for DHA?
For babies who are exclusively breastfed for 0-6 months, as long as the mother eats more DHA-rich foods in normal times, the DHA content in breast milk can be significantly increased, and the baby can get more DHA from breast milk. If the baby is formula-fed, you can choose formula milk powder with added DHA, which can also allow the baby to get enough DHA. After the baby is 6 months old, you can start to add baby rice cereal, fish, eggs, seaweed and other complementary foods containing DHA; if the baby does not like to eat fish or is allergic to fish, there may be insufficient DHA intake, which requires reasonable supplementation of DHA preparations for infants and young children under the guidance of a pediatrician. Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that if the baby is a premature infant with a birth weight of less than 1000g, the daily dose of DHA should be ≥21mg/kg, and for babies with a birth weight of less than 1500g, the daily dose of DHA should be ≥18mg/kg.
By:Beatrice