EFSA: DHA helps proper brain development

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for proper brain function at all ages and contributes to normal brain development in infants and children. To ensure an adequate supply of this Omega three, infant foods should provide 100 mg of DHA per day, while those for children aged 2 to 18 years should guarantee a daily intake of 250 mg. These are the statements issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in a new document.

The communication was prepared by a group of EFSA experts following a request made through the competent authority of the United Kingdom by a company active in health and nutrition. Specifically, EFSA was asked to provide a scientific opinion regarding the health claim linking DHA to normal brain development.

DHA is fundamental in early years

The Omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA are essential substances for health. The human body can synthesize them from the precursor alpha-linolenic acid, but this conversion is limited; conversion rates are very low: only 6% for EPA and 3.8% for DHA. DHA is the main structural lipid of brain tissue and the central nervous system. Membrane lipids of retinal cells also contain high concentrations of it. Besides its structural role, it also has a functional role. Therefore, in early life, the nervous system needs to accumulate large amounts of DHA.

DHA and brain function: EFSA confirms the link

The group issuing the statement based on scientific evidence considers DHA to be a sufficiently characterized substance and confirms its beneficial role in the brain through various studies. Its concentration can also be quantified in foods by established methods. According to the EFSA document, adequate DHA levels for brain development are important at all ages, although brain growth requires high concentrations especially during the first two years and throughout childhood. To meet these needs, foods for infants and children under 24 months should provide a daily intake of 100 mg DHA in one or more servings, while foods for children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 should provide a daily dose of 250 mg DHA in one or more servings. Earlier this month, EFSA experts also concluded that there are no risks associated with the consumption of DHA supplements extracted from algae, and they increased the safety level for their intake from 3 to 5 grams per day for the adult population.

DHA contributes to normal brain development

Based on scientific evidence, the expert panel concludes that there is a cause-effect relationship between DHA consumption and proper brain development. The EFSA document therefore confirms the health claim they were asked to assess: "DHA contributes to normal brain development." Considering this evidence, DHA is expected to be officially classified as a nutrient and added to official tables indicating reference nutritional values.

Source: EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to DHA and contribution to normal brain development pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 EFSA Journal 2014;12(10):3840