Show Your Heart Some Love with Omega-3 Fatty Acids
February 16, 2016
In honor of Heart Health month, we’re passing along some great information on how to show your heart some love with omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of “good” fat that is essential for health and development. There are more than a dozen types of omega-3 fatty acids found in nature. But the two most common, and perhaps most beneficial, are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).1 Both DHA and EPA are found naturally in animals, while another omega-3 called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) naturally occurs in plants such as nuts, seeds, and leafy green vegetables. Current research shows that omega-3s occurring in fish oils (DHA and EPA) are a more reliable source than omega-3s occurring in plants.2
DHA and EPA may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.3 While studies are still underway to understand this relationship, research suggests that DHA and EPA may benefit the heart by:
• Reducing inflammation in blood vessels to improve blood flow3
• Slightly lowering blood pressure3
• Improving the function of endothelium (the interior lining of blood vessels)3
• Decreasing the rate of plaque build-up3
• Decreasing triglyceride and lipoprotein levels3
• Lowering the risk of blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke3
• Lowering the risk of arrhythmia (an irregular heart beat) that can lead to heart attack or stroke3
Prenatal Vitamins with DHA
Omega-3 fatty acids have numerous benefits for an expecting mother’s heart. But DHA also has benefits for her growing baby, including an important role in brain development. Taking a once-a-day prenatal vitamin with DHA can help ensure expecting moms and their babies get the daily amounts of DHA that their bodies need.
The Prenate® Vitamin Family has several prenatal vitamins with DHA to help cover nutritional gaps, including Prenate® Pixie, a small softgel designed for easy swallowing. But it’s also mighty, with 11 robust, highly absorbable nutrients to support mom and baby from preconception through pregnancy and beyond. The DHA in Prenate® Pixie is derived from fish oils and is readily absorbed by the body.
Prenate® Vitamin Family
This post is brought to you by the Prenate® Vitamin Family, a line of prescription prenatal supplements designed to enhance preconception, prenatal, and postpartum nutrition in women. Talk with your doctor about how taking a daily prescription prenatal or postnatal vitamin could help support a healthy pregnancy and postpartum wellness.