The nutrient is called DHA. It is an Omega-3 essential PUFA. Our body can’t synthesize essential fatty acids or EFAs as they are known, so they have to be supplied by our diets. DHA is short for docosahexaenoic acid, a type of "good fat" found in abundance in deep- sea fatty fish.To study the effects of DHA on the brain, Japanese researchers measured the brain waves (the ones linked to learning and memory) of 26 healthy volunteers. The volunteers were given DHA supplements or placebos and two hours later the researchers measured the brainwaves again. The results were impressive. Although the researchers found no change in the placebo group. Those given DHA showed significantly faster brain waves. Researchers concluded, "Here is an exciting substance that can improve brain function."
It seems that DHA and other Omega-3 essential fatty acids are also critical for the early development of infants’ brains. A number of studies have linked DHA deficiency to lower scores on tests of cognition and visual ability. Suggesting a direct link between DHA and intelligence. Bottle-feeding can result in low levels of the essential fatty acids. The World Health Organization is recommending that infant milk formulations be fortified with DHA and other Omega-3 fatty acids equivalent to the levels found in breast milk, Food and infant formula manufacturers are hearing this message, according to Dr, Robert Gibson, Research Director (Pediatric and Nutrition) at the Flinders Medical Center in Australia. Low levels of DHA are also found in many adults. Smoking and alcohol destroys it. A pregnant woman can lose up to a third of her DHA to her growing baby and it can take up to three years for her to replenish her stores. Today, all doctors encourage their pregnant patients to take foliate (iron). Now, some are asking will DHA, too, become essential pregnancy supplements. More studies are needed to assess the DHA levels in Asians who typically eat lots of fish and seafood. Does this make them more intelligent? Westerners who eat little or no fish have been found to have DHA levels so low that they can't be detected.
