Omega fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding

All the more reason to consume omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy.

Pregnant women who consume high levels of omega-3 fatty acids from fish help their children develop a healthy microbiota and maintain a normal body weight throughout life, recent research in mice has shown.

Research has found that balanced levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in mothers during pregnancy or breastfeeding have a positive effect on the gut health of their offspring. Namely, the offspring of mice with a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids during lactation maintained optimal body weight much more easily later in life.

ANDwho is if the mother consumed too many omega-6 fatty acids during pregnancy or breastfeeding, inflammatory phenomena occurred in the blood of their offspring. The offspring also had a greater amount of unhealthy bacteria in their intestines, which ultimately led to an increase in their body mass.

On the other hand, if the mother had a balanced and optimal level of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids during breastfeeding, the intestines of her offspring were healthier, with an abundance of desirable bacteria. The influence of maternal fatty acid levels on the health of the gut microbiota of the offspring it stretched even until the offspring reached adulthood.

The obtained data gave the scientists new information about another way in which body mass grows and metabolic diseases occur, and this can be influenced already during the mother's pregnancy and by her proper diet.

Source: BMC Microbiome

Consequences of low levels of omega-3 fatty acids

Lack of EPA and DHA responsible for premature birth?

Pregnant women with low levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in their plasma during the first and second trimester have an increased risk of premature birth, recent research has shown.

A team of researchers analyzed blood samples from 376 women who had given birth prematurely and blood from 348 women who had given birth at term. Blood samples were taken from all women during the first two trimesters of pregnancy.Blood analysis showed that women with low levels of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid (less than 1.6%) had a 10-fold increased risk of preterm birth compared to women with high levels of EPA and DHA (greater than 1.8%)..

By further studying the data of women with persistently low levels of EPA and DHA in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, the researchers observed as much as a 48 times higher risk of preterm birth compared to women who had persistently high levels of EPA and DHA.

Scientists emphasize that pregnant women with low plasma levels of EPA and DHA should consume more fish or take fish oil as a dietary supplement to reduce the risk of premature birth.

Source: EBioMedicine

Pregnant women, omega-3 fatty acids and anemia in newborns

At birth, larger reserves of iron in the body were shown.

A new study by Spanish and British researchers has shown that taking supplements with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, during pregnancy can help prevent the development of anemia in newborns, and thus potentially support the child's cognitive development during the early stages of life.

110 healthy pregnant women participated in the study and were divided into two groups.Starting from the sixth month of pregnancy, one group took a daily preparation with DHA from fish oil, while the other received a placebo. Both groups had a balanced diet that included regular consumption of fish.

After analysis of placental samples taken immediately after birth, it was observed that DHA supplementation affected gene activity in the placenta in such a way that it improved iron transport through it. Thus, newborns of mothers who received DHA showed higher iron reserves in the body at birth.

Therefore, it is assumed that taking fish oil, that is, dietary supplements with DHA during pregnancy can protect against the undesirable consequences of too low iron status in children - such as low birth weight and improper cognitive development during the late fetal period and early stages after birth.

Source: Journal of Functional Foods

Taking DHA during pregnancy improves attention in children?

The differences should be visible when children start school.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an important component of the brain, so there is a biologically justified belief in its potential benefits.

The results of the POSGRAD research (Prenatal Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Child Growth and Development) suggest an association between prenatal intake of dietary supplements at a dose of 400 mg DHA per day and improved attention in children aged 5 years.

The research included 1,094 Mexican women who were randomly assigned to two groups: one group received DHA and the other placebo, in the period from 18 to 22. weeks of pregnancy until the birth of children.The scientists evaluated the data of almost 800 children aged 5 years.

The results showed that, although there was no significant difference in basic cognitive functions and behavior between the groups, a significant improvement was observed in children whose mothers took DHA during pregnancy. The authors point out that the evidence of the impact of improving the mother's diet on the child's cognitive abilities during the first 1000 days of life does not come to the fore before the children start school and feel the challenges of the environment. The long-term significance of these findings and the impact of the POSGRAD intervention on cognitive and biobehavioral functions during education have yet to be determined.

The shortcoming of this research is that the scientists did not measure the status of omega-3 fatty acids in both mothers and offspring.The research would gain significance if it were known whether all children of mothers who took dietary supplements had a higher DHA status and whether greater benefits were achieved in children with a higher DHA status. It was concluded that all future research involving intervention with omega-3 fatty acids should also include measurements of omega-3 fatty acid status.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Author: Vitaminoteka d.o.o.