Considerations regarding neuropsychiatric nutritional requirements for intakes of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids
Hibbeln JR, Davis JM (2009) Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 81(2-3):. 179-86. Epub 2009 Jul 19.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:
Adverse neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric outcomes have been established as signs of nutrient deficiencies and may be applicable to insufficient dietary intakes of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFAs).
OBJECTIVE:
Consider if statistical definitions for Daily Reference Intakes can be applied to n-3 HUFAs intakes during pregnancy for maternal and neurodevelopmental deficiencies.
DESIGN:
Data were prospectively collected from women during pregnancy and children up to age 8 years participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Statistical analyses took social and lifestyle factors into account.
RESULTS:
During pregnancy, n-3 HUFA intakes from seafood that putatively meet statistical definitions of an estimated average requirement ranged from 0.05 to 0.06en% (111-139mg/d/2000Cal) for suboptimal fine motor control at 42m and 0.065-0.08en% (114-181mg/d/2000Cal) for suboptimal verbal IQ at age 8 years and 0.18-0.22en% (389-486mg/d/2000Cal) for maternal depression at 32 weeks.
Intakes of n-3 ranging from 0.2 to 0.41en% (445-917mg/d/2000Cal) prevented both increased risk of maternal depression and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes for children among 97.5% of the population. No upper limit for safety was found.
CONCLUSION:
During pregnancy, a n-3 HUFA intake of 0.40en% (900mg/d/2000Cal) from seafood is likely to meet the nutritional requirements for 97.5% of the mothers and children of this population. These considerations do not constitute DRI's for docosahexaenoic acid and n-3 HUFAs, but may contribute to their formulation.
FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:
As yet, there remain no official recommendations in the UK or Europe for adequate daily intakes of the long-chain, highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and seafood (EPA and DHA), despite the evidence that these nutrients play critical roles in normal brain development and function, as well as in cardiovascular, metabolic and immune health.Here, data from the UK ALSPAC birth cohort study were used to calculate the 'estimated average requirement' of omega-3 from fish and seafood that would prevent (1) poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, and (2) depression in mothers during pregnancy.
Findings showed that while around 450mg/day of EPA/DHA from fish and seafood during pregnancy would be sufficient to prevent adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in the children, twice as much - i.e. 900mg/day EPA/DHA - would be needed to prevent perinatal depression in mothers.
Current UK dietary guidelines recommend at least 2 portions of fish/week (of which one should be oily fish) for the general population - which would provide around 450-500mg/day.
However, for women during pregnancy 2 portions of fish & seafood are stipulated as a maximum, despite the evidence showing that even for much higher intakes, the benefits of fish and seafood in pregnancy exceed any (theoretical) harms.
Most pregnant women have intakes well below these guidelines - and the current data indicate that these low intakes are not only suboptimal for their children's brain development, but even more so for their own mental health and wellbeing.
These new findings provide a very strong case for public health authorities to revisit, and revise upwards, current recommendations for fish and seafood intake during pregnancy, and to develop explicit Reference Nutrient Intakes for omega-3 EPA/DHA.
For more information on this subject, please see the following lists of articles, which are frequently updated:
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