Helping Your Child Excel in School... May Only Be a Supplement Away
Most mothers know that children need to eat right and get plenty of sleep in order to do well in school.
But, getting children to eat nutritionally rich food is one of the biggest challenges every mother faces. That's why health-savvy moms are now buying children's nutritional supplements, especially Omega-3 DHA.
Dr. Andrew Stoll of Harvard Medical School calls Omega-3 fatty acids "wellness molecules". And no wonder. Studies show that Omega-3 fatty acids are not only great for the heart, but they also may support a child's memory, focus, and learning.
Understanding the ABCs of Omega-3s
Before you run to your local health food store, there are some things you need to know about Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a class of fats that come in three "flavors": ALA (Alpha-linolenic acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid). Fish oil and cod liver oil are rich sources of the two most important fatty acids, DHA and EPA. The body converts the third kind-- ALA, which is found in flaxseed and various vegetable oils and nuts-- into DHA and EPA.
Omega-3s are essential fatty acids (EFAs). In common parlance,that means two things-- one, the body can't produce all the omega-3s from scratch so omega-3 has to be part of the diet, and two (and even more importantly) these fats are critical for staying healthy.
In the 1970's scientists started to study the health effects of Omega-3s when they suspected a connection between the low heart disease rate of the Greenland Eskimos and their diet of cold-water oily fish. But a healthy heart was only the beginning of the story. Numerous studies now indicate that the benefits of DHA and EPA are far more extensive than heart-health and play an important role throughout your child's life.
From Infancy to Early Adulthood Your Children Need Omega-3 Fatty Acids
As infants, DHA plays an important role in the development of their brain, eyes, and nervous system. This isn't too surprising since the retina of the eye consist largely of fatty tissue and DHA makes up 20 to 30 percent of the brain.
When children are toddlers, EPA and DHA can help improve their vision and cognitive and behavioral development. Once your children enter school, DHA remains a key component to their success as it supports their memory, focus, and cognitive development. Virtually every study of behavioral and cognitive problems in children- and, for that matter, in adults- has shown an association with low levels of omega-3's.
Of course, as teens and young adults, DHA continues to play an important role. Recent studies have found that it may support hormonal and sexual health, help mood disorders like depression, and protect their heart.
New studies are under way to confirm whether or not EPA and DHA are effective in preventing, or reducing symptoms of, asthma, the leading chronic illness in children, and ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, affects at least 4.4 million children.
Getting Enough DHA Into Your Children's Diet
Children are fussy eaters, so it's easy for them to become deficient in DHA and EPA. The typical American diet doesn't help either. It's loaded with Omega-6 fatty acids (vegetable oils such as corn and sunflower, and animals raised on grain, instead of green vegetation), trans-fatty acids from fried foods, and hydrogenated oils, all of which interfere with the ability of the body to convert ALA to the much needed EPA and DHA. Since omega-3's and omega-6's are building blocks for all sorts of hormones and other important compounds in the body, it's critical that they be in balance. Nutritionists believe that the ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 in the diet is somewhere between 1:1 and 4:1. Currently, most Americans consume a ratio of 20:1 or higher.
One possible solution is to buy Omega[3 fortified food products. There's certainly a wide variety to choose from; eggs, dairy products, cereals, cereal bars, peanut butter, and infant formulas. But do they contain enough Omega-3s? There is no U.S. recommended daily allowance, but most experts recommend getting anywhere from 500 mg (1/2 gram) up to a couple of grams a day of EPA and DHA, So while fortified foods may contribute, they don't contain nearly enough omega-3's to make up for a diet that's low in this important nutrient.
The easiest and most effective way to get your children to consume enough Omega-3 fatty acids is with a dietary supplement. For a number of years health food stores have carried fish and flaxseed oil in liquid and capsules; okay for adults, but the unpleasant taste and smell makes them unsuitable for children.
New Omega-3 DHA brands made exclusively for children are hitting the market. They come in kid friendly flavors, like fruit punch and lemonade. Barlean's makes a fruit-flavored chew called Kid's Omega Burst, which actually tastes (and looks) like Starbursts candy and is virtually guaranteed to please even the pickiest of kids and teens.
How to Choose the Best Omega-3 DHA Product
Omega-3 DHA products vary greatly in quality and the amount of DHA per serving so you should know what to look for. Here are some tips to help you select the best:
1) Buy only purified fish oil products that are "ultra-purified". Harmful levels of mercury, PCBs, dioxins, and other contaminants due to contaminated waters are removed. Mercury is a heavy metal that damages the nervous system and may increase heart attack risk. And, high levels of Dioxins and PCBs can cause a variety of cancers and can harm the immune system. PCBs are particularly harmful to children. All the fish oil products I recommend on this website are from boutique companies that do extensive testing and which I believe to be the purest available. Those are the ones I use myself.
2) Check the actual DHA and EPA content. A lot of fish oil is not made up of these two essential, important fats, so you could buy something in the drugstore that says 1000 mg of fish oil, but only 30 percent of it is actually DHA and EPA. You want those two fatty acids- DHA and EPA- to add up to at least 500 mg (preferably more) a day. They're usually in a ratio of about 3:2 with a little more EPA than DHA in most products. That's no problem at all. And since fish oil is delicate and can go rancid, some vitamin E or similar antioxidant is a frequent addition to the highest quality products.
3) Buy a fish oil that's packaged in a dark bottle and then refrigerate it. Omega-3 fatty acids are sensitive to heat, light and oxygen and go rancid very quickly.
4) When buying flaxseed oil get the freshest oil you can find. ALA can oxidize and become rancid.
Conclusion
Finding dietary supplements for children has never been easier. Stop by your local health food store and you're likely to see a section dedicated to them. The aforementioned Barlean's Omega Burst Chews passed the teenager test in our house, and they come in three kid-friendly flavors:Strawberry Blast, Orange Splash and Cherry Extreme. They also make Kid's DHA, a fruit flavored, 100 % pure, Cod Liver Oil that most definitely does not taste like cod liver oil.
My friend Robert Crayhon used to say that if he could wave his magic wand and implement one health policy for all of America it would be to have every pregnant woman taking omega-3 fish oils. That's how profoundly omega-3's can influence the growing baby inside you.
But the thing of it is, omegas continue to matter just as much once the kid is born. You can go a long way towards protecting them by seeing that they continue to get omega 3's in their diet- through food or the new kid supplements- every single day.
But, getting children to eat nutritionally rich food is one of the biggest challenges every mother faces. That's why health-savvy moms are now buying children's nutritional supplements, especially Omega-3 DHA.
Dr. Andrew Stoll of Harvard Medical School calls Omega-3 fatty acids "wellness molecules". And no wonder. Studies show that Omega-3 fatty acids are not only great for the heart, but they also may support a child's memory, focus, and learning.
Understanding the ABCs of Omega-3s
Before you run to your local health food store, there are some things you need to know about Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a class of fats that come in three "flavors": ALA (Alpha-linolenic acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid). Fish oil and cod liver oil are rich sources of the two most important fatty acids, DHA and EPA. The body converts the third kind-- ALA, which is found in flaxseed and various vegetable oils and nuts-- into DHA and EPA.
Omega-3s are essential fatty acids (EFAs). In common parlance,that means two things-- one, the body can't produce all the omega-3s from scratch so omega-3 has to be part of the diet, and two (and even more importantly) these fats are critical for staying healthy.
In the 1970's scientists started to study the health effects of Omega-3s when they suspected a connection between the low heart disease rate of the Greenland Eskimos and their diet of cold-water oily fish. But a healthy heart was only the beginning of the story. Numerous studies now indicate that the benefits of DHA and EPA are far more extensive than heart-health and play an important role throughout your child's life.
From Infancy to Early Adulthood Your Children Need Omega-3 Fatty Acids
As infants, DHA plays an important role in the development of their brain, eyes, and nervous system. This isn't too surprising since the retina of the eye consist largely of fatty tissue and DHA makes up 20 to 30 percent of the brain.
When children are toddlers, EPA and DHA can help improve their vision and cognitive and behavioral development. Once your children enter school, DHA remains a key component to their success as it supports their memory, focus, and cognitive development. Virtually every study of behavioral and cognitive problems in children- and, for that matter, in adults- has shown an association with low levels of omega-3's.
Of course, as teens and young adults, DHA continues to play an important role. Recent studies have found that it may support hormonal and sexual health, help mood disorders like depression, and protect their heart.
New studies are under way to confirm whether or not EPA and DHA are effective in preventing, or reducing symptoms of, asthma, the leading chronic illness in children, and ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, affects at least 4.4 million children.
Getting Enough DHA Into Your Children's Diet
Children are fussy eaters, so it's easy for them to become deficient in DHA and EPA. The typical American diet doesn't help either. It's loaded with Omega-6 fatty acids (vegetable oils such as corn and sunflower, and animals raised on grain, instead of green vegetation), trans-fatty acids from fried foods, and hydrogenated oils, all of which interfere with the ability of the body to convert ALA to the much needed EPA and DHA. Since omega-3's and omega-6's are building blocks for all sorts of hormones and other important compounds in the body, it's critical that they be in balance. Nutritionists believe that the ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 in the diet is somewhere between 1:1 and 4:1. Currently, most Americans consume a ratio of 20:1 or higher.
One possible solution is to buy Omega[3 fortified food products. There's certainly a wide variety to choose from; eggs, dairy products, cereals, cereal bars, peanut butter, and infant formulas. But do they contain enough Omega-3s? There is no U.S. recommended daily allowance, but most experts recommend getting anywhere from 500 mg (1/2 gram) up to a couple of grams a day of EPA and DHA, So while fortified foods may contribute, they don't contain nearly enough omega-3's to make up for a diet that's low in this important nutrient.
The easiest and most effective way to get your children to consume enough Omega-3 fatty acids is with a dietary supplement. For a number of years health food stores have carried fish and flaxseed oil in liquid and capsules; okay for adults, but the unpleasant taste and smell makes them unsuitable for children.
New Omega-3 DHA brands made exclusively for children are hitting the market. They come in kid friendly flavors, like fruit punch and lemonade. Barlean's makes a fruit-flavored chew called Kid's Omega Burst, which actually tastes (and looks) like Starbursts candy and is virtually guaranteed to please even the pickiest of kids and teens.
How to Choose the Best Omega-3 DHA Product
Omega-3 DHA products vary greatly in quality and the amount of DHA per serving so you should know what to look for. Here are some tips to help you select the best:
1) Buy only purified fish oil products that are "ultra-purified". Harmful levels of mercury, PCBs, dioxins, and other contaminants due to contaminated waters are removed. Mercury is a heavy metal that damages the nervous system and may increase heart attack risk. And, high levels of Dioxins and PCBs can cause a variety of cancers and can harm the immune system. PCBs are particularly harmful to children. All the fish oil products I recommend on this website are from boutique companies that do extensive testing and which I believe to be the purest available. Those are the ones I use myself.
2) Check the actual DHA and EPA content. A lot of fish oil is not made up of these two essential, important fats, so you could buy something in the drugstore that says 1000 mg of fish oil, but only 30 percent of it is actually DHA and EPA. You want those two fatty acids- DHA and EPA- to add up to at least 500 mg (preferably more) a day. They're usually in a ratio of about 3:2 with a little more EPA than DHA in most products. That's no problem at all. And since fish oil is delicate and can go rancid, some vitamin E or similar antioxidant is a frequent addition to the highest quality products.
3) Buy a fish oil that's packaged in a dark bottle and then refrigerate it. Omega-3 fatty acids are sensitive to heat, light and oxygen and go rancid very quickly.
4) When buying flaxseed oil get the freshest oil you can find. ALA can oxidize and become rancid.
Conclusion
Finding dietary supplements for children has never been easier. Stop by your local health food store and you're likely to see a section dedicated to them. The aforementioned Barlean's Omega Burst Chews passed the teenager test in our house, and they come in three kid-friendly flavors:Strawberry Blast, Orange Splash and Cherry Extreme. They also make Kid's DHA, a fruit flavored, 100 % pure, Cod Liver Oil that most definitely does not taste like cod liver oil.
My friend Robert Crayhon used to say that if he could wave his magic wand and implement one health policy for all of America it would be to have every pregnant woman taking omega-3 fish oils. That's how profoundly omega-3's can influence the growing baby inside you.
But the thing of it is, omegas continue to matter just as much once the kid is born. You can go a long way towards protecting them by seeing that they continue to get omega 3's in their diet- through food or the new kid supplements- every single day.
Jonny Bowden, PhD, C.N.S. is a nationally known expert on weight loss and nutrition and is the author of several best-sellers.
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