The Importance of Omega-3 and DHA For Students
DHA is the primary structural component of brain tissue, so it stands to reason that a deficiency of DHA in the diet could translate into a deficiency in brain function. In fact, research is increasingly recognizing the possibility that DHA has a crucial influence on neurotransmitters in the brain, helping brain cells better communicate with each other. Asian cultures have long appreciated the brain-building effects of DHA. In Japan, DHA is considered such an important “health food” that it is used as a nutritional supplement to enrich some foods, and students frequently take DHA pills before examinations.
Why DHA is important for brain development
- Infants who have low amounts of DHA in their diet have reduced brain development and diminished visual acuity.
- The increased intelligence and academic performance of breastfed compared with formula- fed infants has been attributed in part to the increased DHA content of human milk.
- Cultures whose diet is high in omega 3 fatty acids (such as the Eskimos who eat a lot of fish) have a lower incidence of degenerative diseases of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis.
- Experimental animals whose diets are low in DHA have been found to have smaller brains and delayed central-nervous-system development.
- Some children with poor school performance because of ADD, have been shown to have insufficient essential fatty acids in their diet. (See A.D.D. - A Nutritional Deficiency?)
NUTRITIP: Fat Food for Growing Brains
While a baby is in the womb, the brain grows more rapidly than in any other stage of infant or child development. And during the first year after birth, the brain continues to grow rapidly, tripling in size by an infant's first birthday. So, it would make sense for a pregnant and lactating mother to supplement her diet with brain-building nutrients, primarily the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and flax oil (one tablespoon of flax oil daily, four ounces of tuna or salmon three times a week). In fact, some nutritionists recommend that pregnant and lactating women take 200 milligrams of DHA supplements a day.
Smart fats
Besides being found in human milk, DHA appears in high levels in cold-water fish: sardines, salmon, and albacore tuna. Besides fish oils, vegetable oils (primarily flax seed, soy, and canola) are also rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids, with flax seed oil being the best. The two F's: fish and flax, are the top brain-building foods for growing children, and adults.
Dumb fats
Avoid factory fats, which are biochemically-altered fats recognized by the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" in the fine print on the package label. The hydrogenation process produces trans fatty acids which may affect brain function and health in two ways. The trans fats enter the cells of the central nervous system where they may compete with the action of natural fats, so that the nerves in the brain don't function as well as they were designed to. Also, hydrogenation turns unsaturated fats into saturated fats, in which the fat molecules pack together tightly like lard. Brain researchers worry that the same type of packing could occur in blood vessels, compromising the blood flow to the brain. Avoiding hydrogenated fats is especially important for the growing brains of children; since children who fill up on these undesirable fats are likely to eat less of the omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the brain. (For more about the effects of hydrogenated fats on health and well-being, see Hydrogenated Fats)
NUTRITIP: Feeding Senior Brains
Once upon a time, it was believed that the brain doesn't grow as people get older. New research, however, has shown that the brain cells continue to branch out and make connections throughout the entirety of a person's life. Eating the right diet can help the brain make the right connections - at all ages.
- Consider vitamin supplements. Studies indicate that schoolchildren whose diets are supplemented with vitamins and minerals to insure that they received the standard recommended dietary allowances showed improved learning and scored higher on intelligence tests. Here are some of the vitamins which have been shown to affect behavior and learning:
- Vitamin C is required by the brain to make neurotransmitters. In fact, the brain has a special vitamin C "pump" that draws extra vitamin C out of the blood and concentrates it in the brain.
- Vitamin B12 is vital to maintaining healthy myelin, the tissue that covers and insulates nerve tissue.
- Vitamin B6 deficiency causes hyper-irritability and fatigue.
- Folic acid deficiency seems to affect neurotransmitter function, resulting in symptoms associated with depression.
- Insure enough iron. The symptoms of iron deficiency include irritability and diminished mental alertness. Studies show that when the iron level of students increases, they concentrate better and learn better. Iron is necessary for healthy brain tissue and for adequate neurotransmitter function.
- Care about calcium. Calcium is not only important to growing bones, but also to growing brains. Children with calcium deficiency may show impaired behavior and learning. In his book Feeding the Brain: How Foods Affect Children (Plenum, 1989), Dr. C. Keith Conners reports that children who were more hyperactive had significantly lower calcium intakes than less hyperactive children. Other studies have shown that school children in the habit of skipping breakfast exhibit calmer behavior when given milk in the morning. (See Brainy Breakfasts to Improve School and Work Performance.)
- Don't forget fiber. An apple a day may keep the A.D.D. doctor away. While fiber is not directly involved in brain function, it does influence how other nutrients affect the brain. Soluble fiber, such as fruit pectin, helps lower the glycemic index of foods, thereby having a stabilizing effect on blood sugar. As we discussed above, the more stable the blood sugar, the better the brain functions. A bowl of bran for breakfast and an apple as a mid- morning snack keep brains working at top form until lunchtime.
For more information about omega-3 and DHA for students, check out The Omega-3 Effect, by Dr. Bill and Dr. Jim.
Dr. Sears, or Dr. Bill as his “little patients” call him, has been advising busy parents on how to raise healthier families for over 40 years. He received his medical training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the world’s largest children’s hospital, where he was associate ward chief of the newborn intensive care unit before serving as the chief of pediatrics at Toronto Western Hospital, a teaching hospital of the University of Toronto. He has served as a professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California School of Medicine, and University of California: Irvine. As a father of 8 children, he coached Little League sports for 20 years, and together with his wife Martha has written more than 40 best-selling books and countless articles on nutrition, parenting, and healthy aging. He serves as a health consultant for magazines, TV, radio and other media, and his AskDrSears.com website is one of the most popular health and parenting sites. Dr. Sears has appeared on over 100 television programs, including 20/20, Good Morning America, Oprah, Today, The View, and Dr. Phil, and was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine in May 2012. He is noted for his science-made-simple-and-fun approach to family health.