 What are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) ?
EFA is an abbreviation for Essential Fatty Acid.
Fat is considered a taboo word and bad associations are often made, but EFAs are good.
Experts agree that 30% of our daily calorific intake should come from ‘good’ fats.
There are three main groups of naturally forming dietary fats:
- Saturated Fats
- Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs)
- Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs).
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are polyunsaturated fats.
There is another major classification of dietary fat – trans fatty acids – these are discussed below.
Saturated fats are the ‘hard’ fats that often come from animals. These are the ‘bad’ fats that we often wish to reduce in our diets. They are often associated with health risks such as high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries and contribute towards cancer and diabetes.
Choose lean cuts of meat and low fat or no fat dairy products to reduce your intake of these fats.
They are found in:
butter, cheese, lard, fat in meat, meat products (sausages & hamburgers), full fat milk, yoghurt, hard margarines and baking fats.
Monounsaturated fats are normally liquids (oils) rather than solid (fats). They can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol when used in place of ‘hard’ saturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are typically high in Vitamin E, the anti-oxidant vitamin that is normally in short supply in western diets. These together with polyunsaturated fats are good fats and preference should be shown to these over - saturated and trans fatty acids in our diets.
They are found in:
olive oil, rapeseed (canola)oil, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, avocados, olives and non-hydrogenated margarines.
Trans fatty acids are fats that have been hydrogenated; this means that they have been taken to a high temperature (between 250° to 400° C). Originally the main reason this process was used was to increase ‘shelf-life’ of products so that goods would survive longer, but no consideration was given to the effects on health. Even whilst cooking, when oils reach the smoking point, they become trans fatty acids and are no longer good for health. The process changes liquids to solids but quite often the process throws out all of the goodness, all of the nutritional value of the original oil is lost. It is now thought that these fats increase LDL (low density lipoproteins) bad cholesterol while reducing HDL (high density lipoproteins) good cholesterol. These ‘hidden’ fats are associated with high cholesterol.
These are the most consumed artificial chemicals.
They are commonly found in commercially packaged goods, vegetable shortening, some margarines, commercially fried foods such as french fries and onion rings.
What can you do to reduce your intake of trans fatty acids?
- Avoid fast foods
- Avoid foods that have ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘partially hydrogenated’ on the label
- Avoid baked goods such as biscuits & pastries, and greasy snacks such as crisps
- Be wary of most processed foods even peanut butter
- Use olive oil or rapeseed (canola) oil, or fat free spreads that are not hydrogenated
- Use spread that comes in a tub or is liquid
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), again liquid at room temperature (oils), they are often referred to as long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPs).
These are good fats.
These are further divided into two families:
- Omega-3 LCP’s (or n-3)
- Omega-6 LCP’s (or n-6)
Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are referred to as EFAs (essential fatty acids).
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
This group of polyunsaturated fatty acids, unlike all of the others, are essential for good health and normal growth. The body could not function without them on a minute-by-minute basis.
The ‘parent’ fatty acids in these two families are: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linolenic acid (LA). They cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained through the diet. It is for these reasons they are often referred to as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs).
The ‘essential’ fatty acids were given their name when researchers found that they were essential to normal growth in young children and animals.
Omega-3 fatty acids include:
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which the body can convert into longer chain versions: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and to a lesser extent docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The body is more able to use EPA & DHA.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
This ‘parent’ omega-3 fatty acid is a unique biochemical structure that cannot be produced within the body so it must be included in the diet. It is essential for healing the body and ensuring good health. It has been linked to protection against heart disease, improving the immune system, cancer prevention and male fertility.
Most people get their primary source of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of ALA, only 10% of the total dietary omega-3 fatty acid is consumed as EPA or DHA, thus relying heavily on the body’s conversion process.
ALA is converted, by enzymes, to steairdonic acid then eicosatetraenoic acid then eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) then clupadonic acid and finally docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Found in:
Flaxseed (linseed) oil, perilla oil, rapeseed (canola) oil, chia beans, soy beans, soy oils, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, purslane, walnuts and dark green leafy vegetables.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
'Functional' EPA has various anti-inflammatory actions, and in many trials, has been shown to have positive influences on mood.
- Essential for the moment-to-moment regulation of brain functioning, such as cell signaling and neuronal blood flow
- Raw material for prostaglandins, these are hormones that assist in anti-inflammatory and the immune system
- Inhibits enzymes that attack other highly unsaturated fatty acids
- Proven to assist in mental health and with an apparent role in enhancing mood
- Strong evidence that it can assist in learning and concentration
EPA is crucial from early childhood and throughout life, particularly for optimum brain function.
Found in:
Oily cold-water fish such as halibut, herring, mackerel, sardines & wild salmon (not farmed)
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
DHA is the primary structural component of brain and nerve tissue and the retina of the eye in fact it is most abundant in the grey matter in the brain. DHA is the end point of the essential fatty acid to long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid conversion chain.
- Part of the structure of neuronal membranes
- Crucial for early visual development, during pregnancy and infancy. Studies have shown links between baby's DHA intake, and increased visual acuteness
- DHA does not have a role in creating prostaglandins
- No real effects have been seen from using pure DHA in children with learning difficulties
- Benefits have been seen in similar trials using a combined EPA and DHA supplement
DHA is important during pregnancy and early infancy.
Found in:
Oily cold-water fish such as halibut, herring, mackerel, sardines & wild salmon (not farmed) Organ meats such as brain & liver
Oils such as flaxseed (linseed) oil, rapeseed (canola) & soy
Omega-6 fatty acids include:
Linoleic acid (LA) which the body can convert into long chain versions: gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA)
Linoleic acid (LA)
This ‘parent’ omega-6 fatty acid has a unique biochemical structure that cannot be produced within the body so it must be included in the diet. It is a precursor to substances like prostoglandins. Conjugated linoleic acid provides raw materials that help with blood clotting, blood pressure, inflammation, body temperature, and other body functions. It has also been shown to reduce body fat. It is particularly required for the proper growth and development of infants. LA is converted, by enzymes, to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) then dihomogamma linolenic acid then arachiddonic acid (AA) then adrenic acid and finally docosapentaenoic acid.
Found in:
Avocados and oils such as: borage (starflower), corn, evening primrose, rapeseed (canola), sunflower, sesame, soybean & walnut.
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
This omega-6 fatty acid is known to also have anti-inflammatory actions, and to play a role in regulating hormonal balance.
It is converted to hormone-like substances known as prostagladins found in vertebrate tissues where they act as messengers involved in reproduction and in inflammatory response. They have been shown to be beneficial for: arthritis, high blood pressure, skin conditions and improve immune system function.
Found in:
Borage (starflower) oil, blackcurrant seed oil, evening primrose oil and fungal oils.
Arachiddonic acid (AA)
This is an omega-6 fatty acid that can play both structural and functional roles in the brain, it is equally as important as DHA in the proper brain development in babies. It is used to synthesize regulatory molecules such as prostaglandins (hormone like chemical messengers) and thromboxanes (involved in platelet aggregation and blood clotting). It is a crucial part of membranes and is believed to play a role in the laying down of memory.
Found in:
Egg yolks, meats (organs in particular) and other animal based food items
The Essential Fatty Acid Conversion Process (EFA Pathways)
It is very important to remember that these essential fatty acids cannot be produced in the body and that they must be converted from the ‘parent’ fatty acids LA and ALA. This whole chain of conversion relies on the activity of delta-6-desaturase for conversion of LA into GLA and finally AA, and, for conversion of ALA into EPA & finally DHA. If the action of this enzyme is adversely affected it could restrict the conversion of all longer chain varieties. This restriction can cause blockages and limit the body’s ability to convert down the important fatty acids DHA and AA.
There are a number of factors that can interfere and slow down the role of this important enzyme. For more information on EFA pathways and blockages. Click here
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compete with each other for the enzymes that are key to this conversion process so it is also important to ensure that the balance of these fatty acids in our intake is correct. Click here
Even with a well balanced diet, complete with the correct balance of essential fatty acids it is possible that the conversion process can be limited or blocked, leaving a deficiency.
This is one of the main reasons for taking omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids, EPA, DHA, GLA & AA; supplements can bypass any potential blockages by direct input rather relying on the conversion process.
Some supplements have been particularly tailored for different stages of development.
For more information on essential fatty acid (fish oils) supplements. Click here
Why are EFAs so important...Their role?
Complete health of the human body depends on the presence of the following:
- 2 types of essential fatty acids
- At least 8 essential amino acids
- 13 vitamins
- 20 or 21 minerals
- Water
- Energy (calories)
- Oxygen
- Light
If any of these are deficient then full health cannot be ensured.
Essential Fatty Acids
These essential fatty acids are the raw materials used to make special fats in the brain, ears, eyes, testes, ovaries, adrenals and the membranes that surround and protect every cell in your body. At the cellular level they play a crucial role within the human body, both of the important families omega-3 and omega-6 are components of nerve cells and cellular membrane throughout the body, they facilitate the transmission of bioelectric messages from cell to cell.
We simply could not function without these essential fatty acids. Your body and your baby’s body has billions of cells, all of them need essential fatty acids. Keeping up levels of essential fatty acids should be a priority before, during and after pregnancy.
While you are pregnant your growing baby uses over half of the nutrients you eat.
8 out of 10 pregnant women are deficient in essential fatty acids; this could lead to both mother and baby being in short supply of the longer chain variants such as AA, DHA, EPA & GLA. This shortage could affect optimum development of his brain and its linkages. Without these essential fatty acids signals from the brain could be either; reduced, misdirected or even lost.
In addition, your baby’s metabolism is not mature enough to start performing these conversions on his own until at least 4 months after birth. He is therefore dependent on obtaining them from breast milk or EFA enriched formula foods, otherwise he will remain deficient during his early development when his visual pathways and brain cells desperately need them.
The development of your baby’s brain needs very different nutritional building blocks than those of the rest of his body. Bones need mainly minerals, muscles and tissues need mainly protein, while the nervous system and brain have the most need for fats – especially essential fatty acids.
The most important fatty acids from these groups are:
DHA, or Docosahexaenoic Acid. This is an omega-3 fatty acid that is an element in the structure of cell membranes of the eye and brain. (10% of the dry weight of the brain is made up of DHA, which usually comes from oily fish)
AA, or Arachidonic Acid. This is an omega-6 fatty acid that can play both structural and functional roles in the brain. It is a crucial part of membranes and is believed to play a role in the laying down of memory. In the diet, AA is usually derived from meat and dairy products.
EPA, or Eicosapentaenoic Acid. Another omega-3 fatty acid, but unlike structural DHA, 'functional' EPA has various anti-inflammatory actions, and in many trials, has been shown to have positive influences on mood. EPA is derived from oily fish.
GLA, or Gamma Linolenic Acid. This omega-6 fatty acid is known to also have anti-inflammatory actions and to play a role in regulating hormonal balance.
Most fish oil supplements concentrate on DHA & EPA because AA (which is a derivative omega-6 fatty acid) is normally more readily available in the western diet.
From baby’s perspective:
EPA & DHA omega3 fatty acids are critical for building brain tissue and visual development particularly during early development.
It is vital that you should have the correct balance of fatty acids. Although changing your diet may re-dress the balance slightly it is highly possible that your body’s natural conversion process may not be operating effectively and thus cause deficiencies. Supplementation with fish oils bypasses these blockages and can provide enough fats of the right sort to assist in the development of healthy fetal brain cells.
Before, during and after pregnancy (whilst breast feeding) keeping up levels of EFAs is critical.
Babies will ‘draw off’ their mother’s reserves during pregnancy thus making mother potentially deficient of essential fatty acids. During the last trimester of pregnancy the developing baby’s brain undergoes a tremendous growth spurt and this period requires optimum levels are maintained. It has been estimated that the developing baby accumulates around 400mg per Kg of weight per day of omega-6 and 50mg per Kg of weight per day of omega-3 fatty acids during this period. The first 4 months after birth is also another critical period for EFAs supplies because your baby cannot perform the conversion of fatty acids. They are reliant on breast milk or other outside sources for EFAs during this period. Breast milk is not only the best source of food for your baby but it also contains the correct balance of these essential fatty acids and very important antibodies from mother's immune system. Click here for more information
Bottle fed babies may not get any omega-3 if their food is not enriched with the appropriate fatty acids.
An infant’s brain nearly triples in the first year of their life; human breast milk is high in nutritious saturated fats and low in body building fats (the opposite of cow’s milk).
On a more general perspective
During the past minute about 3 billion of your cells have been replaced. The body is continually regenerating, cells are constantly being renewed, essential fatty acids in particular play a crucial role in this process. Having an adequate supply of EFAs in your diet is the first step to ensuring that the natural processes of cell regeneration and development is not disrupted.
About 20% of the dry weight of the brain and 30% of the retina in the eye is made up of fatty acids, the majority being omega-3 DHA, and to a lesser degree omega-6 AA. These nutrients can only be supplied from the diet. Demand for these’s EFA’s are particularly high in the first few months of life and continues for at least the first two years when development and growth rates are at their greatest. A constant supply must be maintained during this period to ensure that deficiencies do not occur.
Deficiencies in omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids have been linked to such serious conditions as:
compromised immune systems, poor motor skills & co-ordination, miscarriages, impairment of vision, behavioural difficulties and epilepsy.
The correct balance of omega-3 to omega-6
The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in the brain is 1:1 but our diets are not !!
Another very important consideration is that most individuals will have a greater ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in their diet this is an imbalance, keeping the right ratio is very important.
There are many schools of thought in terms of the correct ratio but there is general agreement that the ratio should be no more than 5:1 (omega-6 to omega-3). But in many western countries this can range from as high as 10:1 to 30:1, because omega-6 is more readily available in their diets.
Although both families of essential fatty acids are needed, the omega-3 essential fatty acids are often in short supply because of dietary trends. Both DHA (omega-3) & AA (omega-6) are needed but since AA is more readily available from the mothers diet most research has concentrated on increasing EPA and DHA levels during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Omega-3 fatty acids produce chemical messengers called prostaglandins. These prostaglandins can kill breast, lung and prostate cancer cells.
Omega-6 fatty acids are essential for several key body functions but they can produce prostaglandins that are inflammatory and these can promote cancer growth.
It is therefore important to ensure that there is an appropriate balance in the diet as these two substances work together to promote health. Omega-3 acids help reduce inflammation and most omega-6 acids tend to promote inflammation. So an inappropriate balance of the fatty acids contributes to the development of disease while a proper balance helps maintain and even improve health.
One way of controlling the synthesis of omega-6 prostaglandins is the consumption of greater amounts of omega-3. This may prove difficult by purely dietary means because the amount of oily fish that would have to be consumed is far in excess of most recommended guidelines.
It is possible to redress the imbalance through dietary changes to reduce saturated fats etc & increase vitamin intake and supplementation of oils that contain more omega-3 fatty acids.
For more information on omega-3 and omega-6 ratios. Click here
For more information on essential fatty acid supplements. Click here
As a comparison consider the Mediterranean diet, which is a healthier balance of omega-3 & omega-6. It does not include much meat (which is high in omega-6) but has a stronger emphasis on such foods as whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil and garlic (all of which are rich in omega-3). It has been shown that people following this type of diet are less likely to develop heart disease.
There have been many studies in the USA and Europe confirming the benefits of increasing intake of essential fatty acids. Fish supplements containing EPA & DHA have been shown to reduce LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol and triglycerides.
Of particular interest is the fact that organisations such as the UK Department of Health and the British Nutrition Foundation recommend we all eat more than at least two portions of fish a week, of which one should be oily fish like salmon or mackerel. The main reason for this is because in addition to an excellent low-fat protein source, oily fish is also rich in long chain unsaturated fatty acids. In particular, the structural fatty acids play a role in the 'nutritional preparation' for pregnancy, since a diet that includes these can have positive outcomes for the developing baby and the expectant or breastfeeding mother. The US Food Standards Agency (FSA) also recommends that we should all eat at least two portions of fish a week.
The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) advise that pregnant and breastfeeding women take at least 300 mg of DHA daily and infants at least 100mg of DHA a day.
But to achieve this level of intake of the required fatty acids you would need to eat a least one portion of fish per day (not two per week). But these bodies also advise caution because some oily fish can contain contaminats that could be harmful to your baby during pregnancy. Click here
The safest and possibly the most efficient way of achieving these levels of intake are by using supplements, and to ensure that these changes in intake are catered for some companies have formulated supplements that follow these guidelines. Click here
Essential Information about EFAs...Mother & baby needs EFAs
Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids are critical for optimum growth in the developing brain. These EFAs can only be obtained from the diet (the body cannot manufacture them). Because omega-6 is more readily available in most diets, emphasis is often placed on omega-3 intake to ensure a correct balance of these two fatty acid family groups. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the formation of new tissue and therefore are critical for development and growth.
We all have a requirement for long-chain fatty acids, but a lot of research is showing that the particular fatty acids DHA and AA are needed as building blocks for the cells that make up the eye and brain during pregnancy. So it is vital that pregnant women have an adequate input from their diet.
The World Health Organization recently warned that the growing trend towards following a low-fat diet means many pregnant women do not get all the essential fatty acids they need. Expectant mothers need to be vigilant of their EFA levels for their own health and the optimum growth and development of their baby. A healthy adult woman should have an intake of around 6 - 10g EFAs per day. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, these needs are increased to an average of 14g EFAs per day, or approximately 4,000 g per pregnancy. This is equivalent to 10 litres of soy oil over the course of her pregnancy!
Lack of essential fatty acids is common. Research in many countries, including the UK, US and the Netherlands, shows that even in normal pregnancy, a mother's EFA status is marginal. From these lowered levels, EFA levels can fall even lower with each successive pregnancy. EFA deficiency is especially likely with multiple pregnancies when the needs of two or more babies must be met rather than one.
Mother Nature gives the baby priority and when there are deficiencies in the mother and in her intake this can lead to baby taking from the most readily available stores, it effectively treats mother's brain as a food source, stripping away structural fatty acids, which are then carried across the placenta to help grow the baby's brain. This entirely natural process can result in the maternal brain shrinking by up to 3% during pregnancy. This shrinkage of mother’s brain could be linked to post natal depression, poor concentration, memory loss and fatigue that many women experience during the last few months of pregnancy and after the baby is born. Expecting mothers need to be fastidious about their fatty acid input, not only for their babys, but also for themselves. By boosting your dietary intake of the essential fatty acids, AA and DHA throughout pregnancy, you can help to optimize development of your baby’s brain and eyes.
EFAs are critical for all stages of your baby’s development:
Before conception – every cell in your body needs EFA’s it is necessary to ensure that levels are not deficient before embarking on the very important journey of pregnancy.
As stated previously 60% of the weight of your baby’s brain is made up of fat, up to 20% of brain weight being the long chain fatty acids (LCP’s) described earlier. It is therefore critical that your baby receives sufficient fatty acids for development of healthy brain cells. But, unfortunately 8 out of every 10 women can enter pregnancy already deficient in these very important fatty acids. Lifestyle, diet and previous pregnancies can all have effect on EFA levels.
During pregnancy – your baby needs adequate supplies of EFAs throughout pregnancy, from the moment that the blueprint of the first building blocks of the organs is laid down, through to the baby’s birth to ensure optimal development.
The two LCP’s, arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are vital for the development of normal brain and eye function, especially during the last 3 months of pregnancy a time of rapid brain growth where DHA & AA demand is the greatest. 70 % of the cells that make up the adult brain are formed during this period.
They are so important to your baby’s growing brain that the placenta extracts them from your own blood and concentrates them in your baby’s circulation, so his levels of AA and DHA are twice as high as your own. DHA is transported to your baby’s central nervous system and incorporated into brain cell membranes. It makes up to 10 to 15 per cent of the weight of your baby’s cerebral cortex. It is used in the manufacture of myelin; the myelin sheath is a fatty protective cover that increases the speed and reliability of electrical signals along the nerve fibres it protects.
DHA is also concentrated in the light-sensitive cells at the back of your baby’s eyes, where it makes up 50 per cent of the weight of each retina. It is not found in high concentrations in any other body tissues, with the exception of spermatozoa in the male testicles after puberty.
After pregnancy – breastfeeding mothers need to maintain DHA & AA intake levels for optimal brain and eye development in the early weeks after birth. For the first 4 months after its birth your baby cannot metabolise essential fatty acids, his body’s conversion process does not work he could therefore quite easily become deficient during this very important growth period. Infants that are breastfed should receive sufficient amounts of ALA. Essential fatty acids ALA, EPA & DHA are naturally found in breast milk; therefore, infants that are breastfed should receive sufficient amounts of these substances if the mother has an adequate intake of these fatty acids.
Babies fed on formula milk could be deficient in essential fatty acids during this critical period of growth after birth. Click here for more information
Studies have shown that the DHA content of breast-milk can vary from 0.5% in vegetarians to 1.4% in Inuit (Eskimo) women indicating the link between dietary intake and DHA content in breast-milk.The following benefits have all been linked to essential fatty acids
For Baby
- Improved development of eyes and brain
- Improved clarity of vision & visual acuity
- Improved brain cell growth
- Improved motor skills
- Improved digestion
- Increased IQ
- Reduced levels of obesity
For Mother
- Reduced risk of pre-term pregnancy
- Reduced risk of low birth weight
- Reduced fluid retention during pregnancy
- Reduced risk of memory loss etc.
- Reduced risk of itchy skin
- Reduced post natal depression
- Strengthening of immune system
- Reduced risk of cardio-vascular disease
- Improved brain function, bonding, mood, intelligence & behaviour
It is known that infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk of developing vision and nerve problems, and this deficiency has been linked to poorer brain development.
Babies are totally reliant on their mothers to provide adequate supplies of EFAs during pregnancy and, even after pregnancy through breastfeeding or via other fortified food sources.
Studies have shown that babies who were breastfed were reported to have a higher IQ than children fed on formula milk.
Children with poor motor skills often lack EFAs
Lack of EFAs have been linked to problems in later stages of the child’s development such as: impulsiveness, anxiety, temper tantrums and sleep problems.
A number of studies have shown that disorders such as hyperactivity (ADHD), autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia can benefit from increased EFA intake.
For strict vegetarians getting enough EPA & DHA can be problematic. Intake of oily fish, green leafy vegetables, certain nuts and flax oils seeds would need to be increased dramatically to compensate for any potential deficiencies.
Natural ‘blockages’ can occur that inhibit the bodies ability to convert EFAs from the diet, supplementation of essential fatty acids using fish oils can ‘by-pass’ these ‘blockages’
Supplementation can offer a practical and effective way of maintaining adequate EFA levels. Click here
What do you need to do?...Take Supplements
It is clear that essential fatty acids are a very important constituent part of our diet. But the benefits that they provide are often sometimes ignored because of the connotation that the word fat invokes.
The benefits for general health are acknowledged but their importance for mother and baby are also often overlooked.
It is also clear that by increasing your dietary intake of essential fatty acids throughout pregnancy you can help to optimise development of your baby’s brain and eyes.
Surveys suggest that many women entering pregnancy are already deficient in essential fatty acids.
The ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids is much higher because of our modern diets, so focus is often put upon increasing intake of omega-3 and decreasing omega-6 fatty acids.
To improve omega-3 essential fatty acid levels in your diet you can increase your intake of the relevant food types, such as oily fish, but this can often be impractical or problematic.
Oily fish (such as mackerel, herring, salmon, trout, sardines, pilchards) are the richest dietary source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, containing 10 to 100 times more DHA than non-marine food sources such as nuts, seeds, whole grains and dark green, leafy vegetables.
This highlights an important point that the amount of DHA reaching the babies of pregnant vegan women is lower than that in fish and meat eating women. But health bodies and environmentalists have raised concerns over the levels of pollutants such as methyl mercury, PCBs and dioxins in some fish.
Most national health bodies recommend a maximum intake for pregnant mothers of no more than two portions of oily fish per week (they also recommend that mothers avoid some large predatory fish completely). Click here
Salmon is often recommended because it is an excellent low-fat protein source that is also rich in long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The problem is that to achieve adequate intake levels of essential fatty acids during pregnancy mothers would need to eat more than one oily fish meal a day, not two per week.
Even if a diet looks to be well balanced and complete with the correct sources of essential fatty acids a metabolic pathway blockage can also lead to deficiencies. Blockages may inhibit the body’s natural processing of EFAs but supplements can ‘bypass’ natural blockages that occur, by giving direct input of the fatty acids further ‘down the chain’ and not relying on the bodies natural conversion process.
For more information on EFA pathway blockages -
Click here
Reputable fish oil supplements will ‘filter out’ the hazardous chemicals previously mentioned during the refining process and they also allow maximum efficacy (effect) and absorption.
These are a few of the many reasons for recommending omega-3 fish oil supplements. But some of the more practical reasons are related to the fact that people may not want to make drastic changes to their diet and taking supplements is simple and often the most effective solution. Supplements are convenient, quick, easy to take, portable and available from many different sources. There are also no known side effects known from taking EFAs in this form.
Do not confuse omega-3 & omega-6 essential fatty acid produced from fish oils with cod liver oil.
Avoid cod liver oil as it contains vitamin A & vitamin D, too much of which is not recommended during pregnancy.
It is also important to remember that other factors can help or hinder the metabolism of essential fatty acids.
Inhibitors of EFAs include:
- bodily problems and illness such as aging, diabetes, cancer, cholesterol, heat, radiation, viral infections
- intake such as alcohol, ferrous sulphate, saturated fats & saturated fatty acids and transfatty acids.
- low intake levels of zinc and vitamin C.
Helpers of EFAs:
- vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D & E
- minerals – magnesium, phosphorous, selenium & zinc
- polyunsaturated fats
It is clear for efficient metabolism of EFA’s a total approach should be considered, one that recognises the importance of balanced diet and nutrition.
Choosing the right supplement can be difficult as there are so many to choose from.
What should you look for in a supplement?
- high quality ‘natural’ oils, produced in triglyceride form (for better absorption)
- produced in natural processes, no added synthetic chemicals or additives (these can disrupt absorption)
- low in contaminants such as: heavy metals (mercury etc.), dioxins, pesticides and PCB’s
- meets international standards such as: EU, WHO or CRN
- low heat filtering process
- different delivery systems, for ease of use e.g. capsules or liquid
- different formulations, for different stages / needs
Some suppliers change the ratios of EFAs to suit the different stages of development from pregnancy through infancy to old age.
Equazen essential fatty acid supplements meet these exacting criteria. Click here
To buy Equazen quality fish oil supplements - Click here
When to take:
Before pregnancy – to ensure that prospective mothers do not enter pregnancy deficient in essential fatty acids
During pregnancy – to ensure that mothers reserves do not get depleted by the demands of the growing baby, and, to ensure adequate supplies are available
After birth, whilst breastfeeding - babies are not developed enough to manufacture their own essential fatty acids for at least four months, and so need this from breast milk
After birth, until 2 years old – once the infant is weaned supplementation up to the age of at least two years of age will insure that essential fatty acids are not in short supply during this very important phase of growth and development for the brain. A baby’s brain at birth is about 25% that of an adult. This means that 75% of the babies brain has still to grow after birth.
Of course supplementation should be continued beyond this period for optimum bodily health and functionality.
For more information and recommendations on particular supplements, Click here
To buy exceptional omega3 supplements, Click here
For more related essential fatty acid topics:
Balancing omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs Click here
Blockages to EFA pathways Click here
Brain development Click here
Diet and nutrition Click here
Food for brains Click here
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