Pregnant mothers have a very long process of carrying a baby. During this period, various nutrients must be supplemented to meet the baby's growth needs. DHA is a key nutrient for the baby's healthy growth. I believe that many parents and friends It doesn’t matter if you don’t know its importance. Today I will introduce to you in detail the role of DHA and how pregnant women should supplement DHA.
1. Functions of DHA
1. Promote fetal brain development. During pregnancy, DHA can optimize the composition of phospholipids in the pyramidal cells of the fetal brain. Especially after the fetus reaches 5 months of age, artificial stimulation of the fetus's hearing, vision, and touch will cause the neurons in the sensory center of the fetal cerebral cortex to grow more dendrites, which requires the mother to supply the fetus with more DHA at the same time. .
2. Promote the maturation of retinal light-sensitive cells. DHA not only has an important impact on fetal brain development, but also plays an important role in the maturation of retinal light-sensitive cells. Pregnant women can consume DHA during pregnancy and then transport it to the fetal brain and retina to increase the maturity of nerve cells.
3. Promote brain cell development. In the cerebral cortex, DHA is not only the main component of nerve conduction cells, but also the main component of cell membrane formation. Most DHA will not be digested by gastric juice, but directly enters the blood and is absorbed by organs such as the liver or brain, while EPA and other Linoleic acid is not absorbed. The main reason is that DHA can enter the brain cells through the blood-brain barrier, while EPA and linolenic acid, which are both unsaturated fatty acids, cannot be absorbed by the brain through the blood-brain barrier.
4. Reduce postpartum depression. Research shows that women between the ages of 50 and 75 in my country experience a period of postpartum depression with the birth of their child, and new mothers between the ages of 10 and 15 will become very depressed, which is technically called "postpartum depression." Postpartum depression not only seriously threatens the physical health of the mother, but also affects the baby's development, causing the baby to develop emotional disorders and abnormal behavior. Adequate DHA can reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression.
2. How to supplement DHA
1. Fish oil DHA products
Middle and late pregnancy (after 20 weeks of pregnancy) - within 6 months after the birth of the fetus
Generally speaking, fish oil DHA products are most effective when taken during the second and third trimester of pregnancy (after 20 weeks of pregnancy) to 6 months after the birth of the fetus. Because at this stage, the neurons in the fetal brain center divide and mature the fastest, and it is also the period when the demand for DHA is greatest. Especially after the fetus reaches the 5-month gestation age, due to the imposition of prenatal education content, the stimulation of the fetus's three sensory nerve pathways of hearing, vision, and touch is artificially increased, which will cause nerve damage in the relevant sensory center areas of the fetal cerebral cortex. The cells (pyramidal cells) grow more dendrites or dendritic spines. This requires the mother to supply more DHA to the fetus in order to meet the increased DHA requirements for the membrane phospholipids on its own cell membranes due to the development of the fetal brain and neurons on the retina. In order to lay a good foundation for the baby's vision, it is recommended that pregnant women should supplement DHA appropriately from the 4th month of pregnancy.
After the child is born, the mother can continue to take DHA and feed it to the fetus through breast milk.
2. a-linolenic acid nutrition
Late pregnancy (after 28 weeks of pregnancy) to 6 months after the birth of the fetus
a-linolenic acid nutrition The best time to supplement the product is from late pregnancy (after 28 weeks of pregnancy) to 6 months after the birth of the fetus, because at this stage, pregnant women can use a-linolenic acid in maternal blood to synthesize DHA, and then transport it through blood or milk. to the fetus. When the child is over 6 months old, the oil can be squeezed into formula milk, shaken well, and fed directly to the baby.
Since the fetus can use alpha-linolenic acid in the mother’s blood to make its own DHA during the last 3 months of pregnancy, the mother should take Eat more walnuts and other hard fruits that contain a lot of a-linolenic acid. Of course, if you have the conditions, it would be more reliable to supplement DHA directly from fish oil DHA supplements.
However, because DHA exists in the form of fat in the "Brain Gold" nutritional supplement, it needs the help of bile and water to emulsify into an emulsion in the duodenum before it can be absorbed by the duodenum. Absorbed in the intestine and jejunum. However, bile is not continuously discharged into the duodenum 24 hours a day, but is discharged intermittently 11 times, each time for 3 to 5 minutes. Generally, eating protein-rich foods stimulates the sensory nerves on the gastric mucosa in the stomach. Through the connection of nerve reflex arcs, it causes the gallbladder to contract and discharge bile sweat into the duodenum. Therefore, when pregnant women take "brain gold" nutritional supplements containing DHA, they should take them with milk, soy milk, eggs, fish, tofu and other foods, or simply take them with milk or soy milk. This way the absorption is sufficient and DHA is not wasted.
3. How to choose DHA preparations
DHA products currently on the market are mainly divided into two categories, namely seaweed oil DHA and fish oil DHA. The DHA content in seaweed oil is low. It is recommended that expectant mothers who take seaweed oil should choose products with high DHA content and low content or no myristic acid and lauric acid. The principle of choosing DHA products from fish oil should be those with high content. , high-purity, appropriately proportioned fish oil DHA products. Here are two suggestions:
1. Fish oil products contain DHA and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). EPA is the precursor of DHA. Most of it is quickly converted into DHA in the human liver, and only a small amount is converted into prostacyclin. This substance can prevent pregnancy-induced hypertension. However, if the EPA content in DHA products taken by pregnant women is too high, it may cause the baby's weight to be low. Therefore, the World Health Organization puts forward the principle that for any DHA supplement product for pregnant women and infants, the ratio of DHA to EPA should be 4:1 or more.
2. Choose products with "DHA ethyl ester" written on the bottle label. Because this kind of DHA is extracted using molecular distillation equipment and advanced molecular distillation methods, it can cause heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, lead, etc. in the original fish oil to be precipitated and discarded in the waste liquid, making the product contain fewer impurities and heavy metals. Not even that. It is best not to choose those so-called pure natural fish oil products. Because although such products are cheap, they have more impurities and lower DHA content. At the same time, the EPA content is mostly high. Therefore, not everything is purely natural. It also depends on the product and the people who use it. Pregnant women themselves belong to a special group, so they should be extra cautious when choosing health products or nutritional products.
4. Foods rich in DHA
1. Breast milk. Colostrum is particularly rich in DHA. However, the DHA content in mother's milk depends on the food structure of the three meals. Japanese mothers eat more fish, and the DHA content in their milk is as high as 22, ranking first in the world; followed by Australia, about 10; and the United States, the lowest, only 7.
⒉ Formula milk powder. Refers to formula milk powder added with DHA. The so-called added DHA content of milk powder is very small.
⒊Fish. Fish with high DHA content include tuna, bonito, salmon, mackerel, sardines, horse mackerel, swordfish, tuna, croaker, saury, eel, hairtail, crucian carp, etc., per 100 grams of fish The DHA content can reach more than 1000 mg. As far as a certain kind of fish is concerned, the part with high DHA content is eye socket fat first, followed by fish oil.
⒋Dried fruits. Such as walnuts, almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, etc. The alpha-linolenic acid contained in it can be converted into DHA in the human body.
⒌Algae.
⒍DHA products. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) and the American Pregnancy Association unanimously recommend that pregnant women consume high-quality fish oil DHA products and contain an appropriate amount of heart-protective EPA, including DHA The content with EPA must be greater than 4:1.
7. Egg yolk contains trace amounts of DHA. Eating ordinary eggs cannot supplement DHA. Scientists from China Agricultural University have greatly promoted the transformation and enrichment of DHA through pure plant extract technology, biological enrichment and transformation technology, and greatly improved the efficiency of enrichment and transformation.
The "lecithin-type DHA" extracted through this biotechnology has high content, is easy to digest, and is easy to absorb. The nutrients are purely natural and not externally added. It does not contain myristic acid, lauric acid, and PCB. This type of DHA is ideal for pregnant mothers and pregnant women. The best choice for babies.
5. What should young children eat to supplement calcium?
1. Medicinal calcium: Calcium containing calcium carbonate is best. While supplementing calcium, you need to take vitamin A D concentrated fish glycerin drops. . The daily calcium requirement for babies 0-6 months old is 400 mg; for babies 6 months-1 year old, the daily calcium requirement is 600 mg.
Second, supplementary food to supplement zinc: liver paste, minced lean meat, goose, chicken, duck, fish paste, meat paste, mushrooms, shellfish, etc.; medicines such as zinc gluconate and zinc sulfate can be taken in Take it under the guidance of a doctor.
Third, supplementary food to supplement calcium: milk, shrimp paste, fish paste, kelp soup, seaweed, egg yolk, soy milk, etc.
Fourth, supplementary food to supplement iron: eat more vegetables, tomatoes, Rapeseed, celery, etc., apricots, peaches, plums, oranges, dates, lean meat, egg yolks, animal liver, kidneys, etc., because the iron in the food is not easy to absorb. Therefore, vitamin E needs to be taken at the same time.
Calcium supplementation for babies is very important, but calcium supplementation cannot be excessive. Calcium supplementation for babies only requires an appropriate amount. Parents, as long as you take the correct method of calcium supplementation for your baby, your baby can grow up healthily and happily.