Fish Oils for Children

What are the benefits of fish oils for children? Is it safe for your child and are there any side effects?

One of the most important fatty acids for proper cellular metabolism is omega 3 fatty acids. These special fats can help lower high blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation in the body.  There are two omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oils that may have a particularly important role in the mental and physical growth of your child.

The two omega 3 fatty acids in fish oils are:

1.  Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

2. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

EPA and DHA have been found to offer many health benefits to a growing body. DHA is one of the primary fatty acids found in human brain tissue. Studies have found when breast feeding mothers supplemented their diets with fish oils high in DHA, they passed the DHA to their nursing babies. These babies were found to have more highly developed mental function and improved visual function than babies not getting DHA from their mothers.

Other studies have found some children with ADHD are chronically low in omega 3 fatty acids. Supplementing their diets with fish oils led to improvements in behavior and attention.

Another study of fish oils for children found that children with learning disabilities improved in reading, spelling and behavior after supplementing their diets with these oils.

Are there side effects from fish oils for children?

Numerous studies have been performed using fish oils for a variety of research purposes. These studies used a broad range of fish oil dosages and durations. Overall, it was determined there were no serious side effects from from taking fish oils. The most common side effect was gastrointestinal, which was diarrhea. This was reported in less than 7% of all studies and simply stopping the fish oil supplementation resolved this side effect.

Research shows that fish oils for children is safe as long as your child is not allergic to fish, has a bleeding disorder or is taking anti-coagulation medication. Omega 3 fatty acids have been proven to make your blood thinner and less likely to clot which may affect anti-coagulation drugs.

Using fish oils for children offer many benefits. They provide an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Our bodies can't manufacture omega 3 fatty acids on its own so we need to get them from our diet.

Omega 3 fatty acids help reduce your risk for allergies and reduce inflammation. They help reduce high blood pressure and lower high cholesterol levels. Eating 2 - 3 servings of fatty fish a week will provide all the omega 3 fatty acids you need.

However, if you're concerned about mercury and PCB's from store-bought fish, you can use pharmaceutical-grade fish oils. These high quality fish oils are free of mercury, PCB's, and other contaminants. You can buy fish oils for kids flavored in lemon, orange and even peach flavors. This makes them easier to swallow, without that fishy after taste common with regular fish oils.

As parents, we all want our children to grow up strong and healthy. Using fish oils for children ensures we provide our kids with the nutrients they need to lead healthy and happy lives.