Contents:
- Medical Video: Importance Of Folic Acid During Pregnancy - Manipal Hospital
- How much DHA is needed by the body?
- Who needs DHA supplements?
- What must be observed by pregnant women before taking DHA supplements
Medical Video: Importance Of Folic Acid During Pregnancy - Manipal Hospital
Various studies show the benefits of DHA for children's intelligence, even in the womb. It is not surprising that various food products for children, ranging from milk, porridge, biscuits, to supplements containing DHA are sold by parents. So even with DHA supplements for pregnant women that are widely available on the market. However, is this DHA supplement really necessary? What are the rules of use, and are there side effects?
How much DHA is needed by the body?
According to Michael J Fitzgerald from the University of Health Sciences, Chicago, Illinois, the more DHA content a child consumes, the better. There is no side effect of excess DHA. Even so, its use can be likened to drinking water.
Drink plenty of water is good. However, if you drink as much water as possible at one time, this can make the body sick, so the consumption must be adjusted to the acceptance of each person's body.
The recommended amount of DHA daily is around 220 mg a day. That amount can be obtained from breast milk, milk, eggs, and also fish.
In 2 pieces of chicken contained 39 mg DHA, while the tuna and salmon steak contains 0.21 - 1.1 grams of DHA and 1.1 - 1.9 DHA (per 85 grams of serving) which can meet the needs of DHA for the body for 3 day.
Who needs DHA supplements?
If the amount of DHA consumed by the body is minimal, then you can use an alternative DHA supplement containing 200 mg DHA. Make sure you see the list listed on supplements containing 200 mg of DHA not just containing DHA.
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA which are important to support the body's metabolism. For pregnant women, DHA supplements are recommended because they are claimed to be better than eating fish that are at high risk of containing mercury. Mercury can be stored in meat or fish protein, but cannot be contained in fats where fish oil or DHA supplements come from.
What must be observed by pregnant women before taking DHA supplements
DHA supplements generally contain omega-3 fatty acids which can be useful to help the development of the baby's brain and eyes. Supplementation of fish oil in pregnant women is also likely to increase the concentration of DHA in infants, which is thought to have a role in the development of the baby's brain and has the potential to prevent upper respiratory tract disease at birth later.
In addition, consumption of fish oil in nursing mothers is thought to increase energy levels in the mother. However, before pregnant women take DHA supplements, especially in the type of fish oil, it's good to find out first what type.
Omega-3 supplements made from fish bodies that are relatively safe for consumption by pregnant women. While supplements made from fish liver, such as cod fish oil, are not safe for consumption by pregnant women. Cod fish oil generally contains high levels of retinol, another form of vitamin A. The presence of vitamin A is actually considered to harm the baby.
Pregnant women are advised not to consume fish oil and any supplements that contain vitamin A. We recommend that pregnant women avoid the consumption of liver and products made from the liver. These foods contain too much vitamin A. When pregnant women consume too much vitamin A, there can be an increased risk of birth defects in infants.
In addition, you also have to check the levels of DHA and EPA content in it. Taking DHA supplements containing DHA and EPA as much as 450 mg a day is equivalent to consuming 1-2 servings of fish for a week.
DHA doses that are too high also risk causing bleeding. Therefore, it's a good idea to consult a DHA supplement first with your doctor or pharmacist before consuming it.
