HealthNotes

Premature infants who are not breast-fed are often DHA-deficient.¹ A link has appeared between DHA deficiency and Alzheimer’s disease; however, no evidence at this time indicates that supplementation with DHA will help Alzheimer’s patients.² Similarly, preliminary evidence shows that children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) have low DHA levels. However, no evidence demonstrates that DHA supplementation improves ADD.³ Preliminary evidence suggests that people with a variety of rare but related congenital diseases (Zellweger’s syndrome, neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy, and infantile Refsum’s disease) may be DHA-deficient, and may even benefit from DHA supplementation.⁴ Many doctors believe the diets of most people eating a Western diet do not provide optimal amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

At least four studies have reported a reduced blood level of omega-3 fatty acids in people with depression.^{5, 6, 7, 8}