LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Docosahexaenoic acid

DHA Fatty Acids May Reduce Postpartum Depression – (04-22-02)

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DHA Fatty Acids May Reduce Postpartum Depression

With all the hype in the past few months on postpartum depression with the Andrea Yates trial, this article is quite timely. This article cuts across so many issues related to the intake of DHA, an essential fatty acid, in the mother’s diet. Improvement of early infant development while nursing, lowered incidence of postpartum depression, heavy metal contamination of seafood and DHA deficiency during pregnancy (especially in light of a standard Western diet). Very important article for anyone dealing with pregnancy and infant development.

ACS Abstract: AGFD 28 (495307). April 8, 2002.

Several studies summarized at the 223rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society on April 8 suggest that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) fatty acid supplements given to nursing mothers may improve early infant development. DHA supplements may also reduce the incidence of postpartum depression.”We believe that the high incidence of postpartum depression in the United States may be triggered by a low dietary intake of DHA,” presenter David J. Kyle, PhD, from the Mother and Child Foundation and Advanced BioNutrition Corp in Columbia, Maryland, said in a news release. “The higher the intake of DHA, the lower the incidence of depression.”A 1998 study by Joseph Hibbeln of the National Institutes of Health found a significant inverse correlation between DHA intake and incidence of clinical depression, and a more recent study by Hibbeln found the same relationship between DHA levels in breast milk and incidence of postpartum depression. During pregnancy, the placenta pumps DHA from the expectant mother to the fetus, increasing the mother’s susceptibility to depression. Maternal diet influences the level of DHA in breast milk. “The DHA content of mother’s milk in the United States is among the lowest in the world,” Kyle said, noting that daily dietary intake of DHA is about 40-50 mg in US women, 200 mg in European women, and about 600 mg in Japanese women.DHA supplements of 200 mg daily double the DHA content of nursing mothers’ milk relative to those who received placebo, according to a study by Craig Jensen from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.”The toddlers who were nursed from the mums getting the extra DHA performed significantly better [on standard neurological motor function tests] than those toddlers nursed from mums who were getting the placebo,” Kyle said.Last year, the FDA approved the addition of DHA to infant formulas. Women who want to increase their DHA levels can take dietary supplements or eat more tuna, salmon, algae, and other foods rich in DHA. To avoid mercury contamination, however, current guidelines suggest limiting fish to 12 ounces of cooked fish per week during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and avoiding shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.

HEALTHY FATS PROTECT BRAIN CELLS FROM DEATH – (09-06-05)

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Docosahexaenoic acid: A positive modulator of Akt signaling in neuronal survival

While this may get a little too deep into biochemistry for most of us, the bottom line is that certain types of healthy fats are protective to our brain.  This is yet another reason to believe that many of our neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinson’s are indeed diseases of lifestyle.  Less intake of healthy fats over a lifetime leaves brain cells more susceptible to damage and cell death.

Read entire article here

EFFECT OF DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID ON LIPOPROTEIN SUBCLASSES – (04-25-05)

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Effect of docosahexaenoic acid on lipoprotein subclasses in hyperlipidemic children

A few important points here.  First, this study wisely looked at the subclasses of lipids, which is much more important than looking at just HDL, LDL particles.  Second, the results were quite dramatic–91% increase in LDL1 and 14% increase in HDL2 (both “good”) and a 91% decrease in LDL3 (“bad’).  Lastly, look at the dosages used–1.2 grams/day of EPA.  That’s quite a hefty dose considering that most, off the shelf supplements have between 100-200 mg.

All in all, remarkable results in this study with, in this group of patients, can have dramatic long-term preventative effects on these kids if the supplementation continues.

Read entire article here

GASTRIC CANCER RISK AND ERYTHROCYTE COMPOSITION OF DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID – (08-04-08)

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Gastric Cancer Risk and Erythrocyte Composition of Docosahexaenoic Acid with Anti-inflammatory Effects.

Just in case you think I’m making all this “cancer diet” stuff up, here’s another study strongly linking the highly unsaturated fat (most notably the DHA omega-3 fatty acid) levels in red blood cells to gastric cancer. Although this was a small study with 179 cancer and 357 controls, the associations were incredibly strong.

The highest RBC highly unsaturated fat level vs the lowest levels had a 61% lowered risk of gastric cancer. Even more incredible, the risk of having a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma (the type of gastric cancer more closely associated with H. pylori infection), was 90% lower. 90%. If we could find any drug that could lower the risk of a type of cancer by 90% it would have all the shareholders of that drug company owning their own islands.

Read entire article here

WANT YOUR CHILD TO HAVE BETTER FOCUS?

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WANT YOUR CHILD TO HAVE BETTER FOCUS?  Boy–don’t we all!!  Actually, there are many things we can do to improve our children’s brain function.  Think about the foods many Americans are feeding their kids, the lack of any communication with nature, the poor quality diets at school, the high intake of sweetened beverages and the low rates of sustained breastfeeding.  How is a brain supposed to function without the right building blocks?

As a parent, how can you NOT do everything to give your child what they need to function?  That means reevaluating all the snacks in the house, the wonderful corn fed beef, farm raised salmon, the high intakes of diary, the amount of time they spend in the house.  If you can look in the mirror and honestly say to yourself that 95% of what your child is doing for their health is the best it can be, you’re ok.  If not, it’s time to rethink some priorities.