WHAT IS DHA AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE BODY?
DHA is an essential omega 3 fatty acid that helps maintain normal brain function and normal vision.*
The body depends on the essential fatty acid omega 3. Now recent research has shown that DHA, in particular, is important for maintaining normal brain function and normal vision*.
DHA is an essential fatty acid necessary for the body to function optimally. DHA dominates among the fatty acids in most of our vital organs and is pretty much the only fatty acid in the brain, eye, and nervous system.
What does DHA do for the body?
The cells of the body recognize DHA when ingested and can use it for central functions of the body.
why is DHA Important for the brain?
The brain is the most fat-rich organ in the body. DHA content is 11% of all fatty acids. Fatty acids are implicated in several different processes in the brain. Studies suggest that this fatty acid is important for structure and signal transmission in the brain and therefore it helps maintain normal brain function such as learning and memory *.
Why is DHA Important for the heart?
Fatty acids are building blocks on the surface of the cells of our body. A lot of unsaturated fats in the form of omega 3 fatty acids keep the cell surface soft and supple. This is one of the reasons why DHA contributes to the normal functioning of the heart*.
How does DHA affect your vision?
In the retina of the eye, as much as 9% of the DHA fatty acids are. DHA is important for the functioning of photoreceptors and an intake of 250 mg of DHA a day helps maintain normal vision *.
How can I get DHA true the diet?
Omega 3 from plants is in the form of the short ALA and must be converted into the long EPA and on to DHA before the body can make use of it. Humans probably don’t convert ALA particularly effectively into DHA. We must therefore eat much more plant oils than fish oils to achieve the same level of omega 3 fatty acid DHA in the body.
It is therefore important to get the long omega 3 fatty acids through the food. Oily fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerel contain DHA. The Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends eating 2-3 servings of fish a week to get enough DHA.
The recommended daily intake are 250mg per day