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Fish Oil During Pregnancy
Trying To Conceive? - Go For Ice Cream
Trans Fats Related to Infertility
Caution with Topical Lavender and Tea Tree Oils in Kids
Celebrate Spring Coupon Offer
Fish Oil During Pregnancy
Pregnant women who consume omega 3 fatty acids from fish or supplements give their babies a developmental edge, according to two new studies. One study looked at the use of pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements, and the other described the benefits of fish consumption.
Fish Oil Supplements - According to Australian researchers, consuming 4 grams a day of pharmaceutical grade fish oil was safe for mother and baby.1 Participants in the study, who were in the last 20 weeks of pregnancy, were given either 1 gram of fish oil 4 times a day or, as a control, 1 gram of olive oil capsules 4 times a day. Babies were assessed when 2 1/2 yrs old. Those exposed to fish oil in utero had higher hand-eye coordination scores than babies whose moms did not take fish oil. Differences in hand-eye coordination were statistically significant.
Babies exposed to fish oil in utero also had better intelligence, vocabulary, language comprehension and problem solving scores, although these differences were not statistically significant.
Fish Consumption - According to a recent study, mothers who regularly consumed more 340 grams (3 servings of approximately 12 oz) per week of fish gave birth to babies with better neurological scores than those of women who ate less than 340 grams per week.2 The study, which was a relatively large observational study of 11,875 pregnant women conducted in England, was designed to evaluate risk to children from contaminants in fish, such as mercury. Neurological assessments were made on the children from age 6 months to 8 years. The findings are important because the US Food and Drug Administration advises women who are pregnant not to consume more than 340 grams of fish per week due to potential risks of neurotoxicity from mercury.3
According to researchers eating less than 340 grams of fish per week did not protect the baby. On the contrary, lower fish consumption put the baby at risk for having a verbal intelligence quotient in the lowest 25% of the population studied. Low or no maternal seafood intake was associated with other suboptimal neurological scores. Scores for prosocial behavior, fine motor control, communication and social development were lower in children whose mothers consumed less than 340 grams of fish per week. The lower the seafood intake, the lower the score. Benefits on development were observed in the children of woman whose consumption of fish exceeded 340 grams weekly. Researchers believe that the loss of nutrients from reducing or omitting dietary fish is a greater risk to the child than trace amounts of contaminants. Key nutrients in fish are omega 3 oils, protein and trace minerals.
This study calls into question the US government advisory to limit seafood consumption during pregnancy to 3 portions (12 oz) per week or less.
Healthy Morning Comment: Discuss this study with your doctor before exceeding the FDA Advisory limitation. Large fatty fish, such as shark, swordfish, king fish, mackerel and tilefish are best avoided because of higher levels of mercury. Also, be aware that fish contamination may be regional. If you decide to take fish oil supplements, look for companies that produce pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements tested for contaminants by independent laboratories. Nordic Naturals is such a company.
1) Dunstan JA, et al Cognitive assessment of children at age 1 1/2 years after maternal fish oil supplementation in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2007
2) Lancet 2007 Feb 17;369(9561):578-85. Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study. (Abstract)
3) FDA Consumer Advisory on Fish Consumption in Pregnancy
Trying To Conceive - Go For Ice Cream
If you are trying to have a baby, don't skip the ice cream. Results of a study the of 18,555 married, premenopausal women, with no previous history of infertility, showed that maternal consumption of dairy fat was associated with a decreased risk of an-ovulatory infertility.1 Woman who ate two or more low fat dairy foods per day had an 85% increased risk of infertility due to failure to ovulate. The more low fat dairy consumed, the higher the risk of infertility. In contrast, higher intake of high-fat dairy foods decreased the risk of infertility. Lactose intake was not associated with anovulatory infertility. Researchers did not know why fat in dairy supported fertility.
1) Chavarro, JE et al A prospective study of dairy foods intake and anovulatory infertility. Human Reproduction 2007.
Trans Fats Related To Infertility
Trans fats are unnatural, chemically altered vegetable oils produced when vegetable oils are exposed to extreme temperatures and chemical reactions. Although they are abundant in our altered food supply, they have no place in the human diet. They are linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A recent study links trans fats to infertility.1 Woman who replaced 2% of their calories with trans fats, increased their risk of infertility by over 70%.
How do you know if trans fats are in foods? Read labels carefully. Look for the terms "partly hydrogenated oils" and avoid purchasing those products.
1) Jorge E Chavarro, Janet W Rich-Edwards, Bernard A Rosner, and Walter C Willett Dietary fatty acid intakes and the risk of ovulatory infertility. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85:231-7
Caution With Topical Lavender and Tea Tree Oils in Kids
Products that are "all natural" may not necessarily mean they are "all safe." Many chemicals found in plants are biological active in the human body. Three case reports of boys with prebubertal gynecomastia (breast development) were reported in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine.1 Abnormal breast development in boys is rare. The 3 boys in the case reports were healthy, with no underlying hormonal disorder, so doctors looked for exposure to hormone disruptors from the environment. None of the boys were exposed to hormone altering medications or marijuana or soy products - two plants with estrogenic activity.
One of the boys was exposed to a "healing balm" containing lavender oil, another was using lavender soap and skin lotions and another was using a hair styling gel and shampoo with lavender and tea tree oil. The investigators conducted laboratory studies on lavender and tea tree oils in human cell lines and found that they contain substances that had estrogenic and anti-androgen (anti-male hormone) activities.
The boys returns to normal within 3 to 4 months after discontinuing the lavender and tea tree oil products.
Healthy Morning Comment: We would not use topical lavender or tea tree oil products in kids. We suggest you check labels on products for the botanical names which are lavandula angustifolia (lavender) and melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree).
With declining fertility rates and sperm counts among men in western nations, we would be concerned about frequent topical use in men.
1) Henley, D, et al Prepubertal Gynecomastia Linked to Lavender and Tea Tree Oils. NEJM 356;5 Feb 1, 2007
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+These have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This newsletter is for information purposes only, and is not medical advise or prescription. Consult your physician if you are having a health problem. If you are pregnant or nursing or on prescription drugs, consult your physician before taking dietary supplements.
