Why Pregnant or Nursing Women Must Take Omega 3

It has recently been recommended by the EU (European Union) that women who are pregnant and nursing should take daily omega 3 DHA fatty acid supplements.
The EU, is made up of more than 50 nutritional experts from the Perinatal Lipid Nutrition Group (PeriLip) and Early Nutrition Programming (EARNEST) and they have unanimously agreed that women who are pregnant and/or are nursing need to take at least 200 mgs/day of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) - a long chain omega 3 fatty acid found primarily in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and tongol tuna/
The committees decision was based on two major points and has been supported by seven international scientific organizations, the two points are outlined below:
One - studies conducted by the committee revealed that most western mothers did not eat enough fatty fish; two servings are generally recommended in order to supply the bare minimum of omega 3 DHA for a healthy pregnancy. The committee found that the average DHA intake of pregnant and lactating women in the U.S was less than 18 % of the recommended daily amount and only 2 % of these women meet their daily needs of DHA. Of course, if you are not eating enough fish oil to sustain your daily dosage of DHA then your baby isn't getting it either.
Two - Extensive research shows women with high dietary intake of omega 3 DHA have healthier pregnancies and higher weight, fully developed full term babies. The committee also found omega 3 DHA benefits extend beyond birth. Omega 3 oils, particularly DHA, also promote optimum brain and eye development and motor, thinking and language skills. They're also linked to a decreased risk of asthma, juvenile diabetes and ADD/ADHD.
Speaking for the committee, Professor Berthold Koletxco, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Munich, stated, "We reviewed a wealth of evidence on the benefits of DHA omega 3 and hope our findings will offer guidance for healthcare professionals on the optimum DHA omega 3 intake during pregnancy and nursing."
In addition, professor Koletzco also shared, "We also hope that new and expectant mothers will be able to use this specific information to ensure that they are getting enough DHA omega 3 to gain the nutritional benefits throughout their pregnancy and during nursing."
The EU committee recommended salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and tuna as the richest sources of omega 3 fatty acids. The committee also pointed out that even though they recommend 200 mgs/day of omega 3 DHA, studies have shown that as much as one gram/day of DHA can be taken without any adverse affect.
As far as fish toxicity is concerned, most experts agree that as long as pregnant and nursing women (and everyone else as well) avoid eating large predator fish such as shark and swordfish, two or three servings a week of one of the above fatty fish is perfectly safe. In fact, a recent Harvard University School of Public Health study concluded that fish oil health benefits far outweigh any threat of toxicity by as much as 500 to one. In other words, toxicity is not a threat.
So if you're pregnant, nursing or even just thinking about it and want to have a smart, healthy baby, start eating more fatty fish and taking omega 3 fish oil supplements ASAP. Your baby will be glad you did.

Article Source: HealthSnare.com

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Article Submitted By: HealthMe

Html View Total views: 23 Word Count: 604 Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2009 Time: 2:07 PM

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