Contents:
- Medical Video: How to Give Omega 3 to Children
- What is fish oil?
- What are the benefits of fish oil for children?
- 1. For people with ADHD
- 2. Prevent anxiety and depression
- 3. Helping diabetics
- 4. Treatment of asthma
- Is consuming omega-3 in the form of fish oil supplements safe?
Medical Video: How to Give Omega 3 to Children
Have you ever or often given fish oil to children? Or even you experience it yourself, drink fish oil as a child? If your child does not like eating fish several times a week, giving him fish oil in the form of supplements is highly recommended. Actually, it's better if your child gets nutrients such as protein and vitamin D, directly from food. But if your child does not eat enough fish to meet the body's nutrition, supplements can also be relied upon.
Before you choose fish oil supplements for children's consumption, you should first consult with experts. There are several forms of omega-3 supplements, some of which are liquid, easy to chew, soft gel, and artificially made to mask the smell of fish oil.
What is fish oil?
Fish oil comes from oily fish tissue. The content contained in fish oil is omega-3 fats such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The best choices of fish with omega-3 content are salmon, salted fish, sardines (not packaged), and herring.
Omega-3 fatty acids are very important for the eyes so they can work well and are useful for some parts of the brain that are used to remember, learn, and consider. Lack of omega-3 can make some of these functions weaken.
What is omega-3? Omega-3 is the fatty acid needed for the body to work properly. One of the most important benefits of omega-3 is the anti-inflammatory effect. Diseases associated with the inflammatory process are heart disease and arthritis. According to David C. Leopold, MD, director of integrative medical education at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, San Diego - quoted by webMD, omega-3 can reduce body inflammation and prevent some chronic diseases.
What are the benefits of fish oil for children?
In fact fish oil is not only beneficial for your child, but also for all people, including you. The following are diseases that can be overcome with fish oil in children:
1. For people with ADHD
Children with ADHD - less attention, hyperactivity, not easily tired, and impulsive - may lack omega-3 levels in their normal body. According to researchers quoted by draxe.com, 60% of the brain consists of fat with omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition to fish oil, you can also find it in dark leafy vegetables, walnuts, and flaxseeds. According to some small studies, when ADHD children consume fish oil, this will change behavior, reduce hyperactivity, and help increase attention to children under 12 years of age.
2. Prevent anxiety and depression
European Journal of Neuroscience publish studies that show fish oil can overcome anxiety and depression induced in mice. It is important to give fish oil to children so that anxiety and depression will not develop in the future. A small 2006 study cited by webMD also showed that fish oil helped reduce depressive symptoms in children aged 6-12 years.
3. Helping diabetics
Brain Research published by several researchers shows that fish oil helps reduce the risk of diabetics from decreased cognitive development. Fish oil helps keep hippocampus cells from damage. The study also provides information that oxidative stress - one of the root causes of type 2 diabetes - can be lowered with fish oil.
4. Treatment of asthma
The benefits of omega-3 are reducing inflammation in the respiratory tract. This is the reason why fish oil is also beneficial for asthma. A small study involving 29 children with asthma found that symptoms decreased for those who consumed fish oil for 10 months, compared with those who did not consume it. However, other studies reveal that there is no consistent evidence whether fish oil can really help.
Is consuming omega-3 in the form of fish oil supplements safe?
Fish oil supplements are safe for consumption. However, for patients with bleeding disorders or who are taking drugs that affect bleeding, need to consult a doctor first before consuming fish oil.
The content of omega-3 in fish oil is not an alternative medicine, but is a companion drug. The effect of prescribing other drugs will be stronger if accompanied by omega-3. Omega-3 also cannot replace drugs for depression and arthritis, but with omega-3, you can reduce the dose of the drug. In addition, you also have to balance the needs of omega-3s and 6s.
An imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 can cause several problems. Omega-6 is not bad, but if you take it in large quantities, without omega-3, it will cause inflammation which can cause chronic disease. The reason you lack omega-3 is eating fried foods, fast food, and packaged foods that contain vegetable oil; soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil. These things contain omega-6 which can reduce the body's ability to process omega-3 fatty acids.
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