DHA

Most people tend to refer to EPA and DHA as if they are one and the same, but the truth is that each fatty acid has unique and distinct health benefits and functions. Both are known to support brain, eye, skin and heart health, but EPA closely correlates to mood and can help feelings of wellbeing and temper management. DHA is the most predominant fatty acid in the brain and eye tissue and has been shown to improve both memory and reaction time.

DHA has also been shown to elevate levels of BDNF, a very important growth factor for the brain and central nervous system, and may also be more effective than EPA at improving markers of heart health. Recent research shows that DHA appears to be superior to EPA when it comes to promoting a healthy inflammatory response.

One particularly nifty attribute of DHA is that the body can convert it, on an as-needed basis, to EPA. However, the opposite is NOT true, meaning that the body can’t convert EPA to DHA.

My recommendations:

What: DHA

It’s a good idea to complement that with regular consumption of oily fish, e.g., wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovies, oysters, mussels.

How Much: 500–1000 mg (possibly as high as 2000 mg) of DHA daily