Improving eyesight: for children, help from Omega-3 DHA
Omega 3 eyes: Omega 3 DHA can also improve vision in children
It is possible to improve children’s vision by adding Omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to infant formula. This is the result of a clinical study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which found that a percentage of this fatty acid ranging from 0.32% to 0.96% of the formula components is sufficient to improve visual abilities in infants.
According to the authors, led by Eileen Birch of the Retina Foundation of the Southwest in Dallas (USA), adding DHA to infant formula has no side effects.
DHA and infants: experts’ opinion
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has included DHA among the essential nutrients during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is also recommended as a supplement for children aged between 7 and 24 months. Experts advise that pregnant women or those breastfeeding their children take 200 milligrams per day of this Omega-3.
For children, the recommended daily intake is 100 milligrams. According to EFSA, DHA can contribute to the normal development of the eye in fetuses, newborns, and children. In young children, this fatty acid also participates in the development of visual abilities.
Omega-3 from the first days of life
The research by Birch and colleagues represents the first comprehensive study on the effect of DHA on the development of visual abilities. A total of 244 healthy infants aged between 1 and 9 days were involved. All infants, fed with infant formula, were randomly assigned to one of four groups corresponding to receiving formula without DHA or with DHA added at levels of 0.32%, 0.64%, or 0.96%.
In all cases where formula was supplemented with DHA, the product also contained arachidonic acid at 0.64%. At one year of age, the researchers evaluated the children's visual abilities. It emerged that DHA intake improves visual acuity compared to infants who did not receive Omega-3 through their diet. However, no difference in effectiveness was demonstrated among the three different DHA doses.
DHA, Omega-3 without side effects
Another important finding of this study is that adding DHA to infant formula does not increase the incidence of side effects compared to traditional formulations. The authors commented that the safety and tolerance of DHA doses up to 0.96% is explained by the fact that such levels can also be found in human milk. If the mother’s Omega-3 stores are well supplied, breast milk can be an immediately available source of DHA.
However, not all infants can be fed with breast milk, sometimes due to the mother’s health reasons, other times for purely logistical issues. For researchers, adding DHA to infant formula is a safe and effective alternative, although further studies will be needed to determine the long-term effects beyond the first year of life of DHA intake.
Source
1. Birch EE, Carlson SE, Hoffman DR, Fitzgerald-Gustafson KM, Fu VL, Drover JR, Castañeda YS, Minns L, Wheaton DK, Mundy D, Marunycz J, Diersen-Schade DA, “The DIAMOND (DHA Intake And Measurement Of Neural Development) Study: a double-masked, randomized controlled clinical trial of the maturation of infant visual acuity as a function of the dietary level of docosahexaenoic acid”, Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Apr;91(4):848-59. Epub 2010 Feb 3
