DHA supplementation during lactation

During breastfeeding, there are many things to pay attention to. For example, because the body lacks nutrition during breastfeeding, some vitamins need to be supplemented. DHA is a very important ingredient and an element that the fetus must consume in the placenta. The baby also needs to supplement DHA after birth to prevent postpartum depression. It can also prolong the pregnancy period of women at risk of premature birth. It can be eaten during pregnancy or after giving birth.

The role of DHA

The DHA needed by the fetus must be supplied by the mother through the placenta. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the DHA level in the mother's body decreases rapidly, and DHA needs to be supplemented in time. A large number of experimental studies have shown that DHA is very important for both pregnant women and fetuses during pregnancy and lactation. Let’s take a closer look at the effects of DHA supplementation during lactation.

1. Promote the development of fetal brain cells, retina and psychomotor skills (such as hand-eye coordination);

2. It can prolong the pregnancy period of women at risk of premature birth;

3. It can help reduce the incidence of postpartum depression.

Experiments have also proven that adequate DHA supplementation during pregnancy and lactation is likely to significantly improve the cognitive abilities of breastfed infants before they are 18 years old.

Effects of DHA deficiency during lactation

DHA is an important nutrient in the development of nerve cells in infants and young children, and is closely related to their responsiveness during growth. Lack of DHA during breastfeeding will have an adverse effect on the development of brain cell membranes and retina of infants and young children. The baby's learning ability will decline, language ability will deteriorate, and the chance of developing neurological diseases will also be higher. Studies have shown that the visual and language development indexes of children of breastfeeding mothers who supplement DHA are significantly higher than those of other children. Therefore, it is necessary for breastfeeding mothers and babies to supplement DHA in moderation.

Does pine pollen have weight loss effects?

How to supplement DHA during breastfeeding

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, breastfeeding women should supplement at least 200 mg of DHA per day. Supplementing DHA through diet during lactation, thereby increasing the DHA content in breast milk, is a beneficial way to increase the intellectual development of infants. Studies have shown that DHA in breast milk accounts for more than 0.8% of the total fatty acid content in breast milk, which shows that DHA supplementation during lactation is very necessary.

So how do you supplement DHA during breastfeeding? DHA can be supplemented during breastfeeding in two ways. On the one hand, you can supplement it through food, and on the other hand, you can take DHA supplements. It should be noted that the addition of supplements must be under the guidance of a doctor and should not be abused at your own discretion.

Foods that can supplement DHA for breastfeeding mothers include:

Fish: Fish with high DHA content include tuna, bonito, salmon, mackerel, sardines, horse mackerel, swordfish, tuna, yellow croaker, saury, eel, hairtail, and crucian carp. The DHA content in every 100 grams of fish can reach more than 1000 mg. As for a certain type of fish, the part with the highest DHA content is orbital fat, followed by fish oil.

Dried fruits: such as walnuts, almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, etc. The α-linolenic acid contained in it can be converted into DHA in the human body.

Algae.

Supplements for breastfeeding mothers to supplement DHA include:

There are currently two types of DHA on the market, one is extracted from deep-sea fish oil, and the other is extracted from algae. The former comes from fish fat. The EPA content in fish oil is too high, which can make the proportion of DHA too low, which is quite different from breast milk and does not meet the physiological needs of children.

In comparison, algae have outstanding advantages. DHA algae oil is a pure plant-based DHA raw material extracted from artificially cultivated marine microalgae. It is not passed through the food chain and is currently the purest and safest source of DHA in the world. It is particularly worth mentioning that the DHA concentration in DHA algae oil is much higher than that in fish oil extract, and it is of high purity, strong stability, not easily oxidized, and odorless, making it especially suitable for mothers and babies.