Higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with improved health and protection from disease. Clinical studies show that this protection is based primarily on the intake of the long chain marine fatty acids eicosapentaenoic (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)). These long chain fatty acids are beneficial to the health because they can be converted to series 3 eicosanoid and docosanoid hormones, which have beneficial effects at inhibiting inflammation and platelet aggregation. However, these long chain fatty acids may have other functions, which make them beneficial to the health. In particular, DHA may be required for long term development of the central nervous system and brain. In this regard, DHA has been shown to improve pregnancy outcomes in both the long and short term. Increasing intake of DHA are therefore recommended for pregnant women. However concerns over the safety of fish have resulted in the recommendation for pregnant women not to consume large quantities of fatty fish.
However, an alternative to fish is available commercially. Algal sources of the long chain fatty acids have been manufactured and the pollution within such supplements can be excluded by feeding the algae in large tanks under controlled conditions. The efficacy of such supplements has been tested and shown to be beneficial during pregnancy. For example, in one study, researchers fed 600 mg per day of algal source DHA from less than 20 weeks of gestation to birth1 to pregnant women, while a control group received a placebo tablet. The results showed that following compliance tests, the mean intake of DHA for the pregnant women was 469 mg per day compared to zero for the placebo. The DHA supplements resulted in higher maternal and umbilical cord red blood cell-DHA concentrations. The supplemented group also experienced a longer gestation period and their infants had greater birth weights and larger head circumferences, as well as shorter hospital stays, compared to the placebo group.
These results suggest that a supplement of 600 mg per day of DHA in the second half of pregnancy can significantly improve pregnancy outcomes. It is interesting that this study used the algal source of DHA because it suggests that fish and their oil are not required to take advantage of the benefits of DHA. Fish after all acquire their own DHA from consumption of the original source, algae. Removing fish from the equation and going directly to marine algae for a supply of DHA is particularly beneficial because it removes the impact of consuming pollution along with the fish. The fact that the algae are grown in tanks in laboratories, under pollution free controlled conditions assures that the DHA will not be contaminated. While fish bioaccumulate DHA in their tissues from eating algae, they also bioaccumulate polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBS), dioxin, mercury and other heavy metals. Avoiding such pollution is of paramount importance during pregnancy as these substances can be passed to the infant and inhibit brain development.
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