healthykids Supplements Kid-Smart
The Right Choices Help Children Thrive by Pamela Bond
A
s youngsters head back to the classroom, parents can get their children off to a smart start by
giving them key supplements. Here are some experts’ top picks.
Build Brains
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Be- cause the brain’s nerve cell membranes are made of fat, ingesting a healthy fat—DHA—helps them stay lithe and limber enough to successfully fire off neurotransmitters, sharpening kids’ mental abilities. “Attention, focus, processing efficien- cy, memory—they’re all dependent on cells working effectively, and DHA will help,” says Randall Neustaedter, a doctor of Ori- ental medicine and author of The Holistic Baby Guide. A contemporary study published in Clinical Pedi- atrics found that 4-year-olds that
ingested 400 mg a day of DHA for four months showed improvement in listen- ing comprehension and vocabulary acquisition skills.
Because finding an effective dose of pure DHA (at least 300 mg a day) can be difficult, Dr. Robert Rountree, co-author of Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child, recommends admin- istering liquid fish oil in a daily child’s dose of 800 to 1,500 mg at a ratio of 60 percent eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to 40 percent DHA. “Anti-inflammatory EPA can help allergies and inflamma- tion from colds and other viruses kids get,” explains Neustaedter. Algae can be a vegetarian substitute for fish oil, Neustaedter continues, but it contains only DHA, not EPA. Another vegetar- ian option, echium oil, inter- nally converts to EPA at a one- to-one level, but not to DHA. Flaxseed oil is mostly alpha- linolenic acid (ALA), which converts to DHA and EPA at a
rate of only 3 to 7 percent. Phosphatydylserine (PS).
This form of fat facilitates commu- nication among brain cells. “It’s a natural substance your brain makes,” notes Neustaedter. Already highly regarded for its ability to en- hance memory performance in older adults, it may also improve attention, concentration, learn- ing, behavior and school performance in youngsters. PS is found in small amounts in foods like eggs and
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