Clever Brain

Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is most commonly found in cold water fatty fish and fish oil supplements, a vegetarian source could be sea weeds. It is an omega-3 fatty acid. DHA is an important constituent of infants. Docosahexaenoic acid helps in the day-to-day functioning of our brain as well as the development of the nervous system and growth of our visual senses. Studies have shown that DHA has a lot of uses and, if taken in the right proportions, Docosahexaenoic acid can help us overcome various diseases, illnesses and even prevent many ailments.

Some of its uses are documented below:

DHA and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD):

Supplements of Docosahexaenoic acid have been tested on patients with ADD and the results have varied with some patients having reduced symptoms of the disease at the end of the test while others didn’t go ahead and complete the test. All this being taken into account, there can be some positivity taken out of this as many people’s symptoms have reduced after getting supplements of DHA.

DHA and Brain Development:

As noted at the beginning of this article – Docosahexaenoic acid is very important for the functioning of the brain in our day-to-day life. Very few people know for a fact that our brain consists of 60% fat, yes that’s right, 60% fat. The problem with us isn’t that of not eating a great enough quantity of fatty acids in our food (We eat more than enough fat), but, we’re not eating the right kind of fat. This is where DHA comes into play. Docosahexaenoic acid is one of the fatty acids that can be found and consumed by us. Try including a little bit of seafood in your diet every week in order to have the right amount of DHA. If you’re a vegetarian then I suggest you have seaweed and vegetable oils such as flaxseed oil. Certain supplements containing Docosahexaenoic acid are very beneficial to our health as well.

DHA, Visual Senses and the Nervous system:

DHA plays a vital role in the initial development of an infant’s nervous system and visual senses. It is also important for a woman to take the right amount of DHA during her pregnancy for the same reasons.

DHA and Heart Ailments:

Regular intake of fish oil or other supplemental sources of DHA reduces the risk of getting any kind of heart diseases such as reduction in the clotting of blood, blood pressure and also improves the overall health of your heart.

DHA and Alzheimer’s Disease:

Alzheimer’s disease is found to occur mostly in adults over the age of 65 years. People suffering from the disease find it difficult to recall recent memories. A recent study has been conducted by the United States National Institute of Health in which doses of Docosahexaenoic acid were given to patients suffering from the disease and although it helped in the increase of blood levels of DHA, it did not help in the other tests that were conducted regularly on these patients with regard to their mental abilities.

DHA and the Fight Against Cancer:

The Omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, is said to have a restraining effect on cancer affected cells. Though, it has to be noted that enough research hasn’t been done to come to a definite conclusion.

DHA and Arthritis:

Studies that have been conducted show that symptoms of Arthritis have reduced although it does not restrict the progression of the disease.

The various sources of Docosahexaenoic acid are (Have too much of these and the next thing you know – you’re a member of Mensa):

It is commonly found in cold-water fish as mentioned before. To be more specific, they are found in fatty fishes such as Sardines, Tuna, Herring, Salmon, etc… Pregnant women are told to avoid swordfish, shark, mackerel and tilefish. Breast milk contains high amounts of DHA which is important for every infant.

Safety Measures:

Pregnant women must consult their doctors before they take any fish oil supplements and infants are told against taking any supplements that contain EPA. Docosahexaenoic acid can also cause diarrhea and cause discomfort around the abdominal region.

It is recommended that anyone who is going to take supplements containing DHA consult with their doctor to determine if Docosahexaenoic acid would be beneficial to you in the prevention of heart diseases, development of the nervous system, reduction of Arthritis and the various other benefits and that their are no risks to their health.