Fish Oil for Schoolchildren
IN BRIEF
Nutrition
Choose a pharmaceutical grade to ensure quality and one that has been molecularly distilled to remove toxins.
Lynn Toohey
PhD
Essential fatty acids, especially the longer chain omega 3 fats, help in the development of brain function. They can result in positive effects for the tasks demanded of children attending school, including cognitive and learning skills, attention span, social interaction etc. One study that observed 197 children reported improved results in all of these areas, simply by increasing the amount of long chain omega 3 fats into their diet (1). There is excellent evidence supporting a supplementation of fish oil for children. While fish oil in general is considered a good supplement for children, ratios of long chain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are optimal, because of the way in which the brain incorporates and utilizes DHA(2).
Fish oil is excellent at binding
toxins, but it is important not to ingest just any fish oil. Choose a pharmaceutical grade to ensure quality and one that has been molecularly distilled to remove toxins to the nth degree, especially since the malleable brains of children are more susceptible to toxic insults during their formative years. One study in the UK looking at dioxin and PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) exposure in adults and schoolchildren from ingesting fish oil supplements found that 12 of the surveyed 33 products would have exceeded the accepted level of those toxins(3). It is also important to protect fatty acids from oxidation. Along with photoprotec-
tive encapsulation (light, heat and air oxidize), concurrent lipid-soluble antioxidant supplementation is considered essential. Adding synergistic nutritional co-factors like B vitamins can support metabolism, absorption and utilization. Glutathione and/or substrates that make glutathione (to bypass digestive roadblocks), alpha lipoic acid and coenzyme Q 10 are all good lipid antioxidants. Vitamin C can raise glutathione levels by as much as 50%.
In conclusion, fish oil supplementation has been proven to be helpful for brain activities in schoolchildren, and a higher DHA to EPA ratio is optimal. It is best to exercise caution in selecting supplementation to avoid toxic exposure to things like dioxin and PCB’s.
Dr. Lynn Toohey organizes seminars, acts as a nutritional consultant to NutriWest (www.nutriwest. com) and authored the Functional Health Evaluation program that analyzes blood tests and DNA raw data (www.FHEcloud.com). Reach her at [email protected] with any questions.
References
1.(Marie N Teisen, et al. Effects of oily fish intake on cognitive and socioemotional function in healthy 8-9-year-old children: the FiSK Junior randomized trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 112, Issue 1, July 2020, Pages 74-83.)
2.(Al-Ghannami SS, et al. DHA-enriched re-esterified tri acyl glycerol fish oil supplementation and oily fish consumption enhance red blood n-3 fatty acid index in Omani pre-adolescent schoolchildren. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2018 Aug: 135:74-82.)
3. (Fernandes AR, et al. Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish oil dietary supplements: occurrence and human exposure in the UK. Food Addit Contam. 2006 Sep:23(9):939-47.)
