DHA supplements increase omega-3s in breast milk
Breast milk: DHA increases its Omega-3 levels
Women who take DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) supplements during breastfeeding show an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in their milk. This beneficial effect is also observed in the infants' blood, where the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio is reduced.
This is reported by a study published in the journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, conducted by researchers at Abbott Nutrition in Columbus (USA).
DHA is fundamental for brain development
The composition of human breast milk reflects the mother's nutritional status and diet during breastfeeding, especially regarding essential nutrients such as omega-3 and omega-6. DHA is a polyunsaturated fatty acid extensively studied over the last 20 years during pregnancy and breastfeeding for its role in infant brain growth. It represents over 10% of the fatty acids in the brain and is essential for infant development. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended and very important during the first 6 months of life. During this period, the infant's brain doubles its weight, much of which is attributed to the growth of gray matter, corresponding to the formation of neuronal synapses rich in DHA.
DHA supplements increase omega-3 in children's plasma
The study involved 89 breastfeeding women who, 4-6 weeks after delivery, took either a placebo or a supplement of 200 or 400 milligrams of DHA for six weeks, while continuing their usual diet. Fatty acids in the milk and maternal plasma were measured at the start and end of the study, while infant plasma fatty acids were measured only at the end.
Dr. Sherry and her team found that DHA concentrations in milk and maternal plasma were significantly higher in women who took 200 and 400 mg DHA supplements compared to those who received the placebo, with increases of 50% and 123% for breast milk and 71% and 101% for plasma. Moreover, analyses showed that the infant plasma ratio of arachidonic acid (an omega-6) to DHA was significantly higher in the placebo group compared to the two groups of babies breastfed by mothers who received supplements. In particular, these data were the first to show that infants of mothers who took low or high doses of DHA had an omega-6:omega-3 ratio 40% and 51% lower, respectively, compared to babies of women who took the placebo.
Some studies suggest that a low omega-6 to omega-3 ratio during neuronal development may lead to a higher accumulation of DHA in three important brain areas, and other research suggests that an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 in early life may cause irreversible changes in the hypothalamic region.
DHA improves neuronal development
According to Dr. Sherry and other coauthors, the results show that in a population with a low dietary intake of omega-3, supplements can increase DHA levels in maternal plasma and milk with a positive impact on infant brain development. Although results regarding the long-term cognitive effects of DHA supplementation during pregnancy remain uncertain, the importance of adequate intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids in infant diet for normal development is now established.
Many studies recommend at least 200 mg per day of DHA for pregnant and breastfeeding women, but data show that new mothers often consume about 25% of this amount, and nearly three-quarters of pregnant women have omega-3 intakes far below European recommendations.
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Source: C.L. Sherry, et al. “Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in lactating women increases breast milk and plasma docosahexaenoic acid concentrations and alters infant omega 6:3 fatty acid ratio”; Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (PLEFA)
