Omega-3 needs of pre-term infants higher than thought: study : LC Research/Media Forum : Active Low-Carber Forums

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Sat, Nov-01-08, 14:16

alisbabe

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Omega-3 needs of pre-term infants higher than thought: study

Quote:

Omega-3 needs of pre-term infants higher than thought: study
By Stephen Daniells, 28-Oct-2008

The requirements of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA may be higher for pre-terms infants than previously thought, according to a new study from Australia.

The optimal dose of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) to ensure correct visual development and clarity was one gram – over double that commonly used currently - according to results of a double-blind randomised controlled trial.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Lisa Smithers and co-workers from the University of Adelaide report that it is known that the visual outcomes of preterm infants are improved when fed a formula containing between 0.2 and 0.4 per cent (DHA) compared with no supplementation with DHA. However, the optimal dose had not been elucidated, they said.

“The DHA requirement of preterm infants may be higher than currently provided by preterm formula or human milk of Australian women,” wrote Smithers.

About one third of European infant formulas and follow-on formulas include DHA and/or ARA (arachidonic acid). Such fortification occurs more frequently in the US where world leader Martek has a 95 per cent market share.

Study details

Pre-term infants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: one group was fed with human milk (control group), while the other two groups were fed formula with either high (one per cent) or current (0.3 per cent) levels of DHA. The same level of ARA was used in both formulas. The feeding was maintained until the infants reached their due dates.

All infants were born before the 33rd week of gestation. A normal gestation period is 40 weeks.

After the infants reached two months of age relative to their estimated due dates if the pregnancy had gone to term, the researchers observed that there were no differences between the high DHA group and the control group. However, after four months, the visual acuity of the infants fed the high-DHA formula was 1.4 cycles per degree higher than in the control group, indicating greater visual development.

No other differences were observed between the groups.

Best for baby

Infant formula is a highly emotive area, with watchdogs keeping a close eye on companies' marketing tactics lest they drift towards promoting their products as preferable to breast-feeding.

While it is agreed that breastfeeding is the best way to ensure an infant receives the nutrients it needs in its first months, formulas are indispensable in cases where mothers are unable to feed their children - be it for health or logistical reasons. Mothers' desire to give their children the best possible start in life means that there is scope for fortification.

A diet rich in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA during pregnancy and breastfeeding is thought to support healthy pregnancies as well as the healthy development of infants.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 88, Pages 1049-1056
“Higher dose of docosahexaenoic acid in the neonatal period improves visual acuity of preterm infants: results of a randomized controlled trial”
Authors: L.G. Smithers, R.A. Gibson, A. McPhee, M. Makrides

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com...n-thought-study

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#2 ^

Sat, Nov-01-08, 14:18

alisbabe

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Build your baby's brain while pregnant

Quote:

Build your baby's brain while pregnant

06:13 PM PDT on Friday, October 31, 2008

By AMY TROY, kgw.com

Building baby's brain Want a smarter baby? Consider adding Omega-3s to your diet. Results of a Canadian study suggest Moms who eat a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, during the third trimester of pregnancy, have smarter children.

Researchers at Universite Laval measured the concentration of Omega-3s in the umbilical chord blood of more than 100 newborns.

They discovered babies with higher concentrations of it at birth, had higher brain development at six months and eleven months of age.

Universite` Laval researchers concluded "a diet rich in Omega-3s during pregnancy can't be expected to solve everything, but our results show that such a diet has positive effects on a child's sensory, cognitive and motor development."

Cindy Reuter, a Naturopath and Registered Dietitian at Providence's Integrative Medicine Clinic explains how this impacts the unborn child.

"There's a particular point during pregnancy where there's a very rapid period of brain and eye growth, which happens around the third trimester."

She adds "the baby's body starts to take up those fats (Omega-3s) from Mom's diet as a way of creating the structure for the brain and the retina of the eye."

Reuter is familiar with the Universite` Laval study, and agrees, a Mom's third trimester diet is crucial to a baby's development.

"One of the things they talked about in the study was a particular visual test, where they notice how a baby responds to certain visual stimuli - and there's one part of the test that over time is a good predictor of a child's cognitive ability (IQ) later in life."

Tiare Sanna, a Portland area mother of three and big proponent of Omega-3, says "it's always nice when there's research that backs up what I'm already doing."

Sanna believes her pregnancy diet, which included fish-oil supplements containing Omega-3s, gave her children an advantage.

"Of course every mother thinks their child is smart, but I think it has given them that boost."

You'll find Omega-3 fatty acids in foods such as fish, walnuts, free-range chicken, or in supplements. Reuter suggests women who are pregnant, or are considering getting pregnant, talk with their doctors about Omega-3s.

Sanna started taking the supplements daily, five years ago, before she had her first child. She says her children have very good attention spans.

She adds "my daughter was putting together 24-piece jigsaw puzzles at two and a half... and I think she got that 'step up' because of what I was doing prenatally."

For more information about the study, please visit This link

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stori....1698b3ed4.html