Vegan News Online

There has been a great deal of research concerning omega-3 fish oil and pregnancy.  These studies have been reviewed by some doctors in order to arrive at dietary recommendations for their patients and others.  In particular, researchers have looked at the importance of DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid, although EPA and ALA are important, too.

There are two types of fats that must be present in the diet, throughout a person’s life.  They are called omega-3s and omega-6s.  Within those groups are a number of specific fatty acids.  For example, linoleic acid is an essential omega-6.

ALA is considered, by some, to be the only essential omega-3, as some conversion to EPA and DHA occurs within the body.  However, some studies indicate that DHA is essential, too.  Researchers have found that increasing a person’s ALA intake does not increase circulating blood levels of DHA.

Nutritionists say that a nutrient is “essential” when it must be present in the diet, because the body cannot create it.  But, there is a gray area concerning DHA, because in-body production is limited and varies from one person to the next.

Studies concerning fish oil and pregnancy began as a result of observational studies in which women’s diets were examined and the outcome of their pregnancies compared.  Since DHA and EPA are found only in seafood and some women do not consume it, it was relatively easy to see the effects.

First, it was noted that women with a higher omega-3 intake delivered babies with a higher birth weight.  They were also less likely to deliver prematurely.  Since there are different kinds of omega-3s, a later study compared the benefits of olive oil consumption, which provides only ALA, to the benefits of fish oil providing EPA and DHA, as well as other omega-3s.

Those results spiked more interest into fish oil and pregnancy, because the results in the olive oil group were not as impressive.  Other studies compared the outcomes of women taking a corn oil supplement, which provides primarily omega-6s.

In all comparisons, the children born to the women that took a supplement containing DHA scored higher on eye and hand coordination, mental processing tests and visual acuity.  These results have been duplicated in other studies, over and over again.

The bottom line is this.  DHA is essential for normal brain development and function.

Some groups have questioned the validity of the fish oil and pregnancy studies, because they believe that vegans are generally healthy.  A recent report from the American Dietetic Association agrees that this is true, but that supplementing essential nutrients, such as DHA is important.

For women that are vegan, a good option is a marine algae supplement.  That’s where the fishes originally get their DHA.  The amount in their fat grows as they eat other fishes, but so does the amount of contaminants like mercury, which is why it is very important to choose your supplements carefully.

Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily. Visit her site http://www.omega-3-for-health.com to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.