Why DHA is Important for Your Child's Brain

Why IS DHA or Docosahexaenoic Acid Important for Brain Development?

Research shows that there exists a decided link between optimal brain development and essential fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid. Children with ADHD have lower concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood.

According to the DHA-EPA Omega-3 Institute,it was Dr. Brian Walker and his graduate student, Maxwell Lamptey, who pioneered work on essential fatty acids at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

Thirty years ago, they made the bold association between omega-3 enriched diets in mother rats and the superior learning capacity of their young offspring.

Walker and Lamptey also located the significance of docosahexaenoic acid in brain tissue, suggesting that high levels of this fatty acid is required for optimal brain function. Subsequent research has proven this to be a fact.

Researchers have long suspected that breast fed babies tended to be smarter than formula fed babies. A 1998 New Zealand study (Horwood and Fergusson, "Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes" Jan 1998 Pediatrics Vol. 101, No. 1 ) involving over 1000 children who were followed for 18 years showed that breast fed infants possessed higher intelligence and greater academic potential than formula-fed infants.

This particular study demonstrated that breast fed babies were 38% more likely to graduate from high school than their formula-fed counterparts. Other studies also show that breast fed babies' IQ is 3-5 points higher than that of formula-fed babies.

DHA is the ingredient responsible for this kind of cognitive enhancement. Found in breast milk, but not necessarily in formula, this essential fatty acid is crucial for neural development in children.