Your reliance on DHA, omega-
3 DHA (DocosaHexaenoic Acid),
began soon after you were
conceived and has continued
throughout your life. DHA helps
regulate genes that control the emergence of the
fetal brain, especially in the third trimester, when
it is being rapidly concentrated in the retinal and
brain cells, from which EPA (EicosaPentaenoic
Acid) is virtually absent. From that point forward,
DHA remains a crucial nutrient for the health of
your mind and body.
Introducing Best DHA 500
from Calamari
DHA is the most clinically-proven of all the
omega-3 fatty acid nutrients, and the body’s
capacity to make it is limited. The bulk of our
DHA must come from the diet. Best DHA 500
from Calamari supplies highly
concentrated omega-3 DHA, pre-
pared from sustainably harvest-
ed squid. Its fundamental
importance for health comes
mainly from being a building
block for the cell membrane
systems that drive life’s most
important processes. The DHA
in cell membranes is crucial
for making brain connections.
It also helps manage healthy
inflammatory responses, wound heal-
ing, and other immune related processes, and
generally helps protect the cells and tissues
against damage.
The Importance of DHA
for Mother and Child
Higher maternal DHA status during pregnancy is
linked to better vision, better attention, faster
processing speed, and higher cognitive function,
in addition to more mature sleep patterns in
newborns. Inadequate dietary intake of DHA can
threaten the health of the child as well as the
mother. Due to the transfer of DHA to the fetus
over the last trimester, the mother can have very
low blood DHA, which places her at risk for
severe mood problems. Alcohol consumption can
deplete the mother’s DHA, as can smoking in the
household, raising the mother’s and child’s risk
for mood, behavioral and cognitive deficits. Lower
brain DHA in newborns and infants due to
inadequate intake
correlates with
poor vision and
long term risk
for major cog-
nitive, mood,
and behavior control problems. Therefore, ade-
quate DHA intake before and during pregnancy
and lactation is crucial, not just for the child, but
for the mother as well.
DHA: Crucial For All Ages
Middle-aged individuals with relatively high
blood DHA have shown significantly lower risk
for severe memory loss than do those with
relatively low levels. For older individuals,
higher DHA is also linked to better reaction
time, performance on tests of memory, reason-
ing and vocabulary,
plus sharpened
attention. EPA
as well as other
omega-3s show
no such links to
mental capacity
at any life stage.
DHA: What
the Research
Shows
DHA remains essential for higher brain functions
well into old age. In the classic Framingham
study, subjects with the highest DHA levels were
least likely to experience catastrophic memory
decline over a subsequent 10-year period. In a
landmark 2010 double blind trial conducted on
more than 500 over-55 subjects with memory
complaints, those taking DHA (900 mg/day for 6
months) were significantly improved over those on
placebo. Their learning and memory errors were
reduced by half, likely equivalent to more than 3
years’ worth of cognitive improvement.
Why Take More DHA Than EPA?
EPA , which coexists with DHA in fish oils, is a
simpler omega-3 fatty acid than DHA and far less
abundant in cell membranes. But EPA can com-
pete with DHA for space in cell membranes,
potentially crowding out DHA and blocking its
vital actions. DHA, in contrast, does not crowd
EPA out, and can be readily converted to EPA as
needed. The evidence, therefore, favors supple-
menting with more DHA than EPA, to ensure that
sufficient DHA will actually reach the cell mem-
branes in the brain, eyes, heart, blood vessels,
liver, and other organs.
DHA vs EPA and Your
Cardiovascular Health
As with the brain, DHA’s benefits pre-
dominate over EPA in the heart and cir-
culation. Its benefits encompass heart rate
control, blood pressure, and cholesterol man-
agement. In a double blind trial with over-
weight men, DHA improved blood vessel tone
while EPA did not, and it also improved
healthy ambulatory blood pressure management
while EPA showed no benefit. Another double
blind trial found that just 700 mg/day of DHA
for 3 months gave significant healthy blood pres-
sure support. Yet another double blind trial
found that DHA improved several indicators of
cardiovascular risk, including heart rate, healthy
blood pressure, and healthy cholesterol manage-
ment. DHA also outperforms EPA for support of
healthy cholesterol management. DHA, rather than
EPA, raised high-density (HDL) cholesterol levels
and increased HDL particle size, thereby improv-
ing the potential for benefit. DHA, and not EPA,
also can increase LDL particle size and thereby
reduce its potential for harm.
Always Ask For the Best
Best DHA 500 from Calamari is a science-based
formulation, manufactured with ingredients of
unsurpassed quality and purity, and delivered
at clinically-proven potency. To find out more
about Best DHA 500, or any other Doctor’s Best
products, call 800-333-6977, or visit our very
informative website at www.drbvitamins.com.
Because you deserve it.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
©2011 Doctor’s Best, Inc.