EPA and DHA

After trawling the internet for hours and hours, gathering as much objective information as possible regarding Omega 3, Omega 6, DHA vs EPA, I have come to some conclusions.

There is one fact that is very clear and I hear it from all dieticians that I visit – stop supplementing with Omega 6 – you have it in excess amounts in your body and it is causing a greater Omega 3 deficiency in your body.

So then the focus is only on Omega 3 – that leaves EPA and DHA – the two parts to the Omega 3 chain. Each has very important functions within our body and there are endless debates about what you should use for what. The following is my opinion on them and my opinion is based on hours spent trawling the internet and speaking to those in the know….

EPA is found throughout our bodies and assists in the general well being of our bodies; it also has the ability to convert itself into DHA

All the research agrees that at least 60% of the brain is made up of this fat, DHA. Research has also shown that children with behaviour and learning difficulties have a deficiency in this fat, DHA.

Does it not follow then logically that if you have a deficiency, you should supplement with that which you are short of. This means that if you have a deficiency in DHA (ADD/ADHD, depression, alzheimers, etc), supplement with DHA and if you are deficient in EPA (excema, high cholesterol, cardio vascular, etc) then you should supplement with EPA.

Research has shown that one does not work without the other, so always make sure your supplement has both in it, but choose a supplement that has higher of the one for the reason that you need it. Since this blog is all about kids and their behaviour and learning difficulties, I am suggesting that you take Omega 3 with high DHA.

ADDvance Omega 3 chewy fruit bursts are a fantastic Omega 3 supplement on the South African market. They have a high DHA and no Omega 6, don’t taste like fish and are really quite cost effective.