MamaGrizzly

There is a good reason that formula manufacturers are putting DHA into formula. The more we find out about docosahexaenoic acid, or commonly known to us as DHA, the more we realize it is good for us. It naturally occurs in fish and mothers breastmilk.

MSN has an article about the benefits of fish and DHA. In the article they talk about how they treated Randal McCloy. He was the 27-year-old coal miner who was buried for 41 hours in a coal mine but survived. Here’s an excerpt from the article.

While McCloy was being given oxygen infusions in a hyperbaric chamber, Dr. Bailes was struck by inspiration: He ordered a daily dose of 15,000 milligrams (mg) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) for the miner. In layman’s terms?

“Fish oil,” says Dr. Bailes.

Several weeks passed. Then, unexpectedly, McCloy emerged from his coma. This in itself was amazing, but he wasn’t done. In the weeks that followed, he stunned even the most optimistic experts by recovering his memory and gradually regaining his ability to walk, talk, and see, a turnaround that many in the medical field called miraculous.

Although Dr. Bailes believes the hyperbaric chamber may have worked some magic on the myelin, he thinks much of the credit belongs elsewhere. “The omega-3s helped rebuild the damaged gray and white matter of his brain,” says Dr. Bailes, who now takes his own medicine, swallowing a fish-oil supplement each morning. On his orders, McCloy, still recuperating at home, continues to take fish oil daily. “I would say he should be on it for a lifetime,” says Dr. Bailes. “But then, I think everybody should.”

Our pediatrician is a big fan of breastfeeding for a number of reasons but he always talks about how much the brain grows in the first 2 years of life and how incredibly important the omega-3s are. And, it’s always better to get ANY vitamin naturally as it occurs - in this case, as it occurs in breastmilk.

We try to eat fish in our family and we also take omega-3 supplements. This article just reinforces our belief that omega-3’s are incredibly important. Looking for an omega-3 supplement? Here is some advice from the article:

Dosage

Ignore the total milligrams (mg) of fish oil, and focus instead on the combined eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). You want a supplement that contains at least 500 mg per dose or serving. If you’re on blood thinners, talk to your doctor about the best dosage.

Form

Your choice is basically capsules or a liquid. They’re equally effective at delivering omega-3s to your bloodstream, so go with the form you think you’ll take on a daily basis.