3 Reasons To Supplement Your Child’s DHA Needs

Many products on supermarket shelves now boast of containing Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and Arachidonic Acid (AA) in their formulations, but what do these abbreviations mean?

All of these letters signify essential fatty acids that our brains need for development. DHA is short for docosahexaenoic acid, the most abundant fatty acid in our brains. Together with EPA and AA, these fatty acids play important roles in the functions of our brains, eyes and nervous systems. EPA and AA help transport messages through our nerves, while DHA is responsible for many regulatory and building functions in our bodies, some of which are highlighted below.

According to a study published by the U.S. National Institute of Health, DHA helps improve the memory functions of healthy young adults. The study landmarks the first time significant positive results are seen in the general population, thanks to the findings of serious improvement in working and long-term memories in men and women.

For men, short-term memory, like remembering phone numbers and carrying out complex tasks, improved greatly, while Women showed better signs of improvement when it comes to retaining long-term memories like dates and occasions.

It’s not just adults though. For children, DHA is important because it aids their still-developing brains, eyes and nervous systems. But also, a study has shown that DHA helps children sleep an extra good full hour.

Sleep is important in children because it is the time when their brains can process the things they learned in their waking hours, and their rapidly developing bodies can catch up. Without good quality sleep, children tend to slow their development, physically, mentally, and socially.

Having an abundant supply of DHA in their brains shows that children experience fewer sleep disturbances, even if they have clinical-level sleep problems. The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study also reported a full 58-minute addition to the children’s average sleep time, with fewer wake episodes and night wakings.

DHA not only helps physical development, but it also impacts mood and mental health.

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) published a study that shows a direct link between DHA and reduced risk of depression. In another study that is randomized and placebo-controlled, it also greatly reduces aggression and impulsivity. This study showed a significant change in healthy young males in terms of their proclivity to violence toward another person, as well as a huge jump to lesser impulsivity from otherwise aggressive individuals once they are put on a DHA-supplemented diet.

DHA is also said to help in managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), helping children decrease their attention problems by at least 15%.

Our bodies cannot make these key essential fatty acids, so ensure that you and your child are getting adequate amounts, make sure to take Efamol Efalex Brain Formula Capsules.

Free from sugar, gluten, milk derivatives, and artificial colours and flavours, Efalex is an advanced combination of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that make sure that your brain gets all the nutrients it needs.

Welma Stonehouse, Cathryn A Conlon, John Podd, Stephen R Hill, Anne M Minihane, Crystal Haskell, David Kennedy, DHA supplementation improved both memory and reaction time in healthy young adults: a randomized controlled trial, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 97, Issue 5, May 2013, Pages 1134–1143, https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.053371
University of Oxford. (2014, March 6). Higher levels of omega-3 in diet are associated with better sleep, study shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 15, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140306103931.htm
Ginty, A., Muldoon, M., Kuan, D., Schirda, B., Kamarck, T., Jennings, J., Manuck, S. and Gianaros, P., 2020. Omega-3 Supplementation And The Neural Correlates Of Negative Affect And Impulsivity.