Who Needs Omega-3s?

You’ve likely heard about the many health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Are you getting enough of them in your diet?

According to experts, probably not. And most people you know -- your spouse, your toddler, and your mom – probably aren’t either.

“Pretty much everybody’s diet is deficient in omega-3s,” says David C. Leopold, MD, director of integrative medical education at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego. “I think that’s why adding them back in seems to have so many health benefits. We’re just balancing out what’s normally” there.

Omega-3s are rapidly becoming an important tool in mainstream medicine. They seem to have health benefits for every age group – from before birth to old age. There’s conclusive evidence that they protect against heart disease and lower triglycerides. There’s also some research showing that they might help with dozens of other conditions, too.

To help you better understand the benefits -- and some of the risks -- of omega-3s, here’s a primer on using omega-3 fatty acids. WebMD has also surveyed the evidence of how omega-3s help four groups of people -- infants, children and teens, young adults, and middle-aged to older adults.

What Are Omega-3s?

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids -- we need them for our bodies to work properly. One of their most important benefits is that they seem to have an anti-inflammatory effect.

“A lot of diseases, like heart disease and arthritis, seem to be related to an inflammatory process,” says Leopold. “Omega-3s can tune down the body’s inflammation, and that may be how they help prevent some of these chronic diseases.”

So how do omega-3s benefit people at different ages? Here’s the rundown on the research.

Keep in mind that few of these studies are definitive, and larger studies are needed to determine therapeutic benefit.  Also, some studies used food sources of omega-3s, and others used omega-3 supplements.

Always discuss the use of any medication or supplement with your doctor.

Omega-3s for Infants, Prenatal Health, and Pregnancy

Omega-3s are important for children’s health right from the start – actually, before they’re even born. Here’s some of the evidence.

Cognitive development. Some studies show that infants fed formulas enriched with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA show improvements in hand-eye coordination, attention span, social skills, and intelligence test scores. Studies have shown that children born to mothers who took supplements of omega-3s (DHA and EPA) during pregnancy and the during the first months of breastfeeding scored higher on cognitive tests at 4 years of age compared to children whose mothers did not take supplements of DHA and EPA.
Asthma risk. A 2008 study found that the teenage children of women who took fish oil during pregnancy were less likely to have developed asthma.
Growth. There’s some evidence that when omega-3s are added to formula, it promotes growth and brain development in premature infants.
Preterm labor. A 2003 study found that women who ate eggs enriched with omega-3s were less likely to go into premature labor than women who ate standard eggs.
Although none of these studies are conclusive, there’s good reason to make sure that infants – and pregnant women -- are getting their omega 3s such as DHA and EPA.

Many infant formulas are now supplemented with DHA. A mother’s breast milk is an ideal source of omega-3s, although it may be affected by how many omega-3s she’s getting in her diet.


Omega-3s for Children and Teens

Some of the childhood conditions that have been studied include:

ADHD. Kids with ADHD may have lower levels of omega-3s in their bodies than normal, and a few small studies have looked at fish oil supplements as a treatment. They found that the supplements might improve behavior, reduce hyperactivity, and boost attention in kids under 12.
Depression. Fish oil is often used as a treatment for depression in adults; there have been a few studies in children too. One small 2006 study of fish oil in depressed 6- to 12-year-olds found it helped their symptoms significantly.
Diabetes. One small study looked at kids who were at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that those who ate a high omega-3 diet were less likely to develop the condition.
Asthma. Omega-3s may reduce inflammation in the airways, which could benefit those with asthma. One small study of 29 children with asthma found that those taking fish oil for 10 months had fewer symptoms than those who didn’t. However, other studies of omega-3s as an asthma treatment have not found consistent evidence that they help.
Keep in mind that many of these studies were small and other studies have sometimes found contradictory evidence. More research needs to be done before we’ll know the full implications.

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Vitamin D in your child's diet

Vitamin D is crucial for children's good health and development. Read on to find out how much vitamin D your child needs, which sources are the best, and how to avoid getting too little or too much.

Why vitamin D is important

Vitamin D helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. According to researcher Michael F. Holick, professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine, vitamin D deficiency can not only cause rickets (a disease that can lead to bone deformity and fractures), it can also keep a child from reaching her genetically programmed height and peak bone mass.

Vitamin D also functions as a hormone with many other jobs in the body, including regulation of the immune system, insulin production, and cell growth.

How much vitamin D does my child need?

Infants up to 12 months old need 400 international units (IU), or 10 micrograms (mcg), a day. Children older than 1 need 600 IU, or 15 mcg, a day.

Your child doesn't have to get enough vitamin D every day. Instead, aim to get the recommended amount as an average over the course of a few days or a week.

The best sources of vitamin D

Vitamin D is called the "sunshine vitamin" because the body can produce it when the skin is exposed to sunlight. But your child's body isn't able to make vitamin D when covered with clothing or sunscreen to block the sun's rays. Other obstacles to vitamin D production from sun exposure include smog, clouds, dark skin, and geographic location.

Though it's hard to estimate how much time a person needs to spend in the sun to make the recommended amount of vitamin D, some researchers say spending 5 to 30 minutes outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least twice a week should do it.

But experts warn that UV radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer, and it's hard to judge whether you can get enough vitamin D from the sun without increasing your risk of a potentially deadly skin cancer. So consider finding other ways to get the vitamin D you need.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants, children, and teens take vitamin D supplements of 400 IU each day. Kids who are too young for chewable vitamins can take liquid supplements.

Some of the best food sources of vitamin D:

1 ounce salmon: 102 IU
6 ounces fortified yogurt: 80 IU
1 ounce canned tuna, drained and packed in oil: 66 IU
1/2 cup orange juice, fortified with 25 percent of daily value for vitamin D: 50 IU
1/2 cup fortified milk (whole, low-fat, or skim): 49 IU
one slice fortified American cheese: 40 IU
1/2 cup fortified, ready-to-eat cereal: 19 IU
1 ounce mackerel: 11.6 IU
1/2 large egg yolk: 10 IU
1/2 teaspoon fortified margarine: 10 IU
1/2 ounce Swiss cheese: 6 IU
The amount of vitamin D in a food varies somewhat, depending on the brand of the product.

Kids may eat more or less than the amounts shown, given their age and appetite. Estimate the nutrient content accordingly.

Can my child get too much vitamin D?

It's unlikely but possible. On the contrary, many health experts are concerned that the current recommended amount is too low and that children actually need much more.

That said, vitamin D can be harmful if you get too much. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements (a department of the National Institutes of Health), the safe upper limit for infants up to 12 months old is 1,000 to 1,500 IU daily. For kids 1 to 8 years old, the safe upper limit is 2,500 to 3,000 IU each day.

Vitamin D is stored in body tissue, so it's best not to get more than what health experts recommend. (Vitamin C, by contrast, isn't stored in the body – any excess is simply eliminated in urine.)

To be safe, if you have a very young child, stick to the 400 IUs recommended as an infant supplement. More than 400 IUs may be fine for an older child, but check with your child's doctor to be sure.

Read more at: depkhoenews.com