DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid is an essential polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid that is found throughout our body. It’s an important structural fat in our brain and retinal structure, that accounts for up to 95 percent of the available omega-3 fats levels in the brain and up to 90 percent of the same substances in the retinal structure. It’s also an essential component of our heart functions. Numerous studies has confirmed that people, from newly born infants to older adults, can benefit from a proper supply of DHA. It should be naturally found in our body and it’s most abundant in our heart, eyes and brain. DHA is a very critical for our healthy eye and brain development. It is already shown to strongly support our heart health from the period infancy through late in adulthood. This substance should serve as an essential building block for internal organs. Just as essential minerals like calcium, DHA is also essential for constructing strong bones. DHA should ensure that any part of our nervous system can function properly.
DHA is also naturally found in mothers’ breast milk and it is essential for mothers to properly consume an adequate amount of DHA when they are in pregnancy. DHA can support her to reach well-being and regain the health of their infant. DHA is essential for existing brain growth and physical developments in children. It should also be very important for their heart functions throughout their adult life. Our body will continue to require higher amount of DHA throughout our lives. So, it’s important to properly replenish the levels of DHA in any person. While our body can make DHA from available precursor fatty acids from food, this process can be inefficient and may vary in many persons. It’s therefore essential for children to get a proper amount of DHA right from our diet.
During our early childhood period (from ages 2 to 6), our brain and eye structures experience very significant growth. Actually, our human brain volume can increases approximately 3.5-times in total mass and DHA level may increase from only 1 gram to about 4.5 grams.
There are ongoing researches that explore the possible roles of this substance in various neurological functions. There are promising results obtained from animal models as well as human-cell models. It is suggested DHA could play a huge role in lowering the risks of common neurological diseases. Researches in human patients are needed to properly evaluate the actual effects of DHA supplements to prevent or treat these debilitating neurological disorders. Further studies are also needed to define the exact mechanisms of action.
DHA should also be the key factor of any cardiovascular system in healthy individual. In the past decades, there have been hundreds of studies of the possible cardiovascular effects caused by the regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. Although the actual relationships between DHA and our cardiovascular system should be studied more; observations and interventions can help us define association between proper DHA intake and strong cardiovascular health.
