DHA Junior

DHA Junior

DHA Junior was developed as a delicious way to supplement a child's diet with the important brain nutrient, DHA. DHA is important for proper growth and development of the brain, eyes, nervous system and cell membranes. Great strawberry taste that children love! Contains naturally existing vitamins A and D. Soft gel can easily be swallowed or chewed by children over two years of age.

5 Ways Fish Oil Helps Children's Health

Stimulates young minds
Fetuses and infants must get sufficient omega-3 oils for optimal brain development, says William Connor, Oregon Health Sciences University. In one telling study of premature infants, those fed breast milk had 8 points higher IQ at age 8 than those fed standard infant formula. Connor credits breast milk's higher amounts of DHA for that superior intelligence. In infant rhesus monkeys deprived of omega-3-type oils, Connor found severely impaired visual acuity and behavior indicative of a neurological defect. Autopsies revealed abnormalities in brain cells. Connor advises pregnant women to eat fish a couple of times a week, especially during the last trimester, the time of greatest fetal brain growth. And breast-feeding is preferable to infant formula, he says.

Reduces Aggression
You are less likely to express stress-induced aggression if your brain is under the influence of fish oil, according to Japanese researchers. In a new double-blind test of 41 students, those taking DHA fish oil for three months did not become more socially aggressive at a time of severe mental stress: final exams. In contrast, students taking a dummy look-alike capsule showed significant jumps in social aggression, as measured by psychological tests. This effect on stress may help explain how fish oil prevents heart disease. Stress hormones triggered by hostility and anger can constrict arteries and accelerate the formation of blockages, research shows; fish oil may suppress the release of those hormones.

Influences Behavior
Children deficient in omega-3 oils may be more likely to have behavioral and learning problems known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, according to new research at Purdue University. John R. Burgess, assistant professor of foods and nutrition, tested the omega-3 blood levels of 96 boys, ages 6-12; about half had been identified as having ADHD. Clearly, Burgess says, "boys with lower levels of the omega-3 fat scored higher in frequency of behavioral problems," such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, anxiety, temper tantrums and sleep problems.

The big question: Does taking more omega-3 and other appropriate fats cure the deficiency and improve ADHD behavior? That's what Burgess is trying to find out in a follow-up study. He cautions that only 40 percent of kids with ADHD in his study had low omega-3, so obviously it wouldn't work in most cases. Burgess also says it's unclear how much of what type of oils each individual child may need. Whatever you do, he advises working with health professionals and not stopping other treatments or medications for ADHD without proper medical advice.

Omega - 3 Fatty Acids and Infant Visual Acuity
To determine the impact of Omega-3 fatty acids on infant visual development, infants were fed human milk (naturally rich in Omega-3), or corn oil based formula. At 4 months of age, both pre-term and full-term human milk-fed infants had significantly better visual evoked potential (VEP) and forced-choice preferential-looking (FPL) acuity than formula-fed infants. Acuity was correlated with a dietary Omega-3 sufficiency index from red blood cell membranes obtained at 57 weeks postconception. At 36 months, full-term human milk-fed children had significantly better random dot stereo acuity and letter matching ability than formula-fed children. Stereo acuity and performance on the letter-matching test were correlated with a dietary Omega-3 sufficiency index from red blood cell membranes obtained at 4 months. These results suggest that dietary Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in visual development.

References:
1. Birch E, Birch D, Hoffman D, Hale L, Everett M, Uauy R: Breast-feeding and optimal visual development. 2. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 1993 Jan-Feb 30:1 33-8 Volume 30/Issue 1. Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas.

Omega -3 Fatty Acids and Dyslexic and Hyperactive children
A recently published study from North Ireland (2002) shows positive results regarding the effect of Omega-3 on dyslexic and hyperactive children.Results could be seen after only 12 weeks of treatment (1).

The study included 41 children with dyslexia (reading difficulties) in addition to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). These conditions commonly occur together. The children were given either Omega-3 fatty acids or placebo. 22 children received a combination product consisting of Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils with vitamin E added, the rest being given placebo capsules. Treatment, comprising 8 capsules daily, continued for only 12 weeks. Immediately following the conclusion of the study the children receiving active treatment already showed significant improvement, in particular those with ADHD symptoms such as learning difficulties, anxiety and hyperactivity.

Previous studies of ADHD children were conducted using only the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA (2), and no certain effect was proven. The same applies to a study in which ADHD patients were given evening primrose oil with Omega-6 (3). Abundant quantities of Omega-6 fatty acids are available via our normal diet in the form of vegetable oils used in bread, margarine, cakes, crisps etc. It is therefore improbable that ADHD children suffer from a deficiency of vegetable fatty acids. On the other hand, we know from consumer surveys that we eat too little fatty fish. The authors therefore conclude that it is probably the combination of Omega-3 fatty acids from fish (EPA) and DHA that is important producing the positive effect.

It is estimated that approximately 4 % of American children suffer from ADHD. There have been considerable changes in our diet in recent generations. Among other things, we eat less fatty fish. Children with ADHD often display low values of polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish (4). The study in question shows that children with ADHD and dyslexia should eat more fatty fish - or alternatively take an Omega-3 dietary supplement to ensure their daily requirements are met.

References:
1) Richardson AJ and Basant KP. A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids on ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biol. Psychiatry 2002;26:233-239.2) Voigt RG, Llorente AM, Beretta MC, et al. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation does not improve the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Pediatr. Res. 1999;45:17A.3) Aman MG, Mitchell EA, and Turbott SH. The effects of essential fatty-acid supplementation by Efamol in hyperactive-children. J. Abnorm. Child Psychol. 1987;15:75-90.
4) Stevens LJ, Zentall SS, Deck JL, et al. Essential fatty-acid metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1995;62:761-768.

WARNING: Pregnant women should avoid freshwater sports fish, which may be contaminated with environmental chemicals. One of the safest and best for everybody: sardines.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.