03/31/2026
As a pediatric dietitian, I feel we need more education (and guidelines) around critical nutrients for babies in the first year of life and into the early years of their development.
In the first 1,000 days, nutrition is enormously important to brain development. One nutrient I like to see get more attention is docosahexaenoic acid, otherwise known as DHA.
DHA is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid.
It helps with brain functioning in many ways, such as sending messages throughout the brain (called neurotransmission) and growing new connections and pathways for those messages (called neurogenesis).
DHA is also a critical nutrient for eye development. It acts as a structural building block of the retina, helping with your baby’s visual acuity.
The brain is lipid rich. In other words, it’s full of fat, especially long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Of those brain PUFAs, DHA is the most significant fatty acid.
The good thing is, babies are born with stores of DHA in their brain, which accumulate during pregnancy, mostly from the stores of the mother.
During early infancy, rapid accumulation of DHA in the brain persists.
The frontal and prefrontal lobes are most influenced by DHA. The frontal lobe is responsible for focus and attention, planning and problem solving, both of which are executive functioning skills.
The prefrontal lobe is tied to social, emotional and behavioral development. Researchers believe that optimal levels of DHA, particularly in the frontal and prefrontal areas of the brain, are very important during the early years when the brain is rapidly growing and developing.
Do you have a plan for DHA for your little one?
All information provided by Jill Castle: The Nourished Child — https://fb.com/thenourishedchild — www.thenourishedchild.com
We are here to help!
915-592-2600
https://www.drpatriciaazarcon.com/
Posts are for general information only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For privacy, avoid posting personal health details.
