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Is DHA Safe?

Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is an omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids are designated as essential fatty acids that are safe and significantly important to the health of human beings. DHA is an active component in fish, found in cold water fish and used in fish oil supplements that also contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Although the body can produce small amounts of DHA, the amounts aren't sufficient to provide DHA's full health benefits. So it's important to incorporate DHA into the diet.

  1. Significance to Health

    • DHA is crucial for the development of the central nervous system and retina in infants. It's also important for the brain of adults, as its deficiency causes cognitive decline. It's the most abundant and effective polyunsaturated fatty acid in the brain. In addition to DHA's many important functions in the brain, DHA lowers the risk of heart disease and is effective for treating existing heart conditions as well.

    Sources

    • Fish is the best source of DHA. Salmon, bluefin tuna, shellfish, herring, mackerel and sardines are cold water fatty fish that provide an abundance of DHA. The Food and Drug Administration recommends several servings of fish per week. North Americans are encouraged to strengthen their efforts to incorporate fish into the diet because unlike other regions of the world, the intake of omega-3 fatty acids is lower in North America due to a lack of fish in the diet. Vegetarians can get DHA from seaweed or from high-quality fish oil supplements.

    Breast Milk

    • Breast milk contains high amounts of DHA. However, many substitute baby formulas don't include DHA at all, so mothers are encouraged to read formula labels and search for brands that include it Obviously, the DHA level in breast milk is higher if the mother's diet includes sufficient amounts of fish.

    Heart Disease Treatment

    • DHA is used to prevent heart disease and has been used to treat existing heart disease. The omega-3 fatty acids of fish oil help to lower blood pressure, decrease the fats in the blood, improve the health and functioning of the arteries, and reduce the risk of blood clots.

    Psychological Uses

    • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychological disorder that may be present in children and adults. Because omega-3 fatty acids are so crucial and influential to the development of children's brains, DHA at high levels is used to reduce ADHD symptoms.
      Medical research continues to examine DHA's effect on depression. Fish oil has been found to reduce some symptoms of depression, although it has not been officially concluded that the positive effects are from DHA and not EPA.

    Other Medical Uses

    • Fish oil is used to reduce symptoms and inflammations of rheumatoid arthritis (though it cannot be used to cease the advancement of the disease). It can also be taken regularly to reduce menstrual cramps, as well as the symptoms of Raynaud syndrome. Fish oil has also been found to reduce the joint pain and fatigue associated with lupus.

    Considerations

    • Patients should consult a physician before taking fish oil supplements if currently taking blood pressure medication, blood thinners, diabetes medication or cyclosporine. Some coronary artery disease can be treated with a combination of fish oil and aspirin, but this also increases the risk of bleeding under certain circumstances.

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