Fish oil for babies: benefits and harms

An effective, popular, inexpensive means of maintaining the health of babies is fish oil. Omega 3 supplies the body with substances, polyunsaturated acids, which are not produced, but are important for the normal, full functioning of the child.

Useful qualities

Sometimes, along with nutrition, the child does not receive enough necessary substances for proper development. Then the question arises of which drugs to use as a dietary supplement. Among the natural and safe dietary supplements, fish oil meets all requirements for the quantity and quality of useful ingredients.

This unique combination of essential substances is not found anywhere else.

You can replace the intake of fish oil if you give your child 300 g of sea fish twice a week, feed him walnuts, and high-quality vegetable oil. This is possible for older children; this method is not suitable for newborns.

The table clearly shows all the beneficial components contained in fish oil, their effect on the development of infants, as well as what the deficiency will lead to.

Benefit

The fat obtained from fish is called a source of such valuable substances for the growing body:

• Essential fatty acids , which are classified as omega-3 fats, as well as omega-6 acids.
• Oleic fatty acid, which is an omega-9 fat.
• Fat-soluble vitamins D and E, as well as vitamin A.
• Phosphorus and iodine, as well as chlorine, manganese, selenium, iron and other trace elements.

We recommend watching the video of the “Live Healthy!” program, which covers in detail all the beneficial properties of fish oil:

Thanks to this composition, fish oil:

• Helps absorb calcium.
• Prevents the development of rickets.
• Participates in the mineralization of bones and dental tissues.
• Supports the activity of metabolic processes in the body.
• Has a positive effect on brain functions.
• Stimulates the mental development of children.
• Promotes the development of fine motor skills.
• Improves the ability to learn new knowledge.
• Increases perseverance and concentration.
• Reduces fatigue from intellectual stress.
• Protects against the negative effects of stress.
• Stimulates the formation of serotonin, thereby preventing the onset of depression.
• Lowers blood cholesterol levels.
• Prevents the development of obesity.
• Strengthens the body's defenses.
• By stimulating the synthesis of prostaglandins, it prevents inflammatory reactions, infectious diseases and allergies.
• Improves the condition of mucous membranes and skin.
• Positively affects the functioning of the respiratory system, as well as the digestive tract.
• Promotes faster healing of skin damage.
• Improves vision, affecting both night vision and color perception.
• Reduces the risk of malignant tumors.

Application area

Breasts are allowed to consume fish oil from a certain time. A doctor can determine the need and time.

The indications are:

• prevention of rickets;
• poor memory;
• attention deficit syndrome;
• anemia;
• lack of growth;
• hemophilia;
• eye diseases;
• poor muscle mass gain;
• frequent colds;
• decreased vision;
• poor immunity;
• aggression and irritability of the child;
• poor condition of the scalp;
• allergic manifestations;
• obesity;
• treatment of skin damage;
• dry skin;
• recovery period after surgery.

Fish oil is essential for a newborn who is bottle-fed. After all, he does not receive useful substances, for example, fatty acids in milk formulas.

However, mothers should carefully study the labels on the jar with the mixture; the fact is that the manufacturer may include Omega 3 fatty acids in the composition, then additional intake of fish oil will not be required. Be careful to avoid overdose!

Chewable fish oil - your child will love it

If the baby does not want to consume fish oil in the form of capsules or syrup, then chewable tablets will come to the rescue. Bright and positive packaging will arouse the child's interest and desire to try the contents. The capsules must be chewed during use; the supplement has a fruity taste. Due to the fact that the capsules are quite aromatic, they well interrupt the taste of fish during chewing. Chewable fish oil for children is a real find, as kids really like the capsules. Experts advise taking the dietary supplement in the form of chewable tablets in the following dosage:

• from 3-7 years – 1 capsule, once a day;
• from 7-11 years – 1 capsule, twice a day;
• from 11 years and older – 2 capsules, twice a day.

It is best to take chewable capsules with meals. The dosage of fish oil sometimes differs - it all depends on the manufacturer (it is important to further study the instructions before use).

Contraindications

Famous children's doctor E.O. Komarovsky speaks positively about the use of fish oil. However, it reminds us of the importance of following the dosage. Follow exactly the amount of the drug, dosage regimen, and duration of preventive treatment prescribed by your pediatrician.

According to the doctor, taking fish oil was relevant in the middle of the last century. For rickets, this was an ideal remedy, because there was not much variety in baby food. Currently, you have a fairly varied diet, spend a lot of time in the sun and fresh air, and there will be no need to supplement with fish oil.

However, it is not useful for everyone. Contraindications are:

• stomach diseases;
• problems with the thyroid gland;
• excess vitamins A, D;
• liver diseases;
• tuberculosis;
• diabetes;
• allergies to fish and seafood;
• low blood pressure;
• kidney stone disease;
• poor blood clotting.

In infants, fish oil can cause allergies, because the digestive system has not yet begun to produce the necessary enzymes for digestion. Up to a year, the drug is prescribed in the form of drops, but even such a minimal amount can cause digestive upset, for example, loose stools. To avoid this, the supplement must be added to your usual food, which is already well absorbed.

You should start with a very small amount and carefully observe the baby’s body reaction. If everything is in order, I gradually increase the dosage, bringing it to the daily norm prescribed by the doctor.

Dosage

A very important condition for children is compliance with the correct dosage. An excess of fish oil is unlikely, since a very small amount is consumed. The danger may be an overdose of vitamins contained in the supplement. With hypervitaminosis, abdominal pain and liver dysfunction are observed.

An overabundance of fish oil poses a great danger for infants under six months. Increased intake of vitamin D stimulates increased bone growth. This provokes the overgrowth of the fontanel on the head ahead of schedule, which can cause many painful conditions, for example, increased intracranial pressure.

What can be replaced?

A child can also get omega fats, vitamin D and other beneficial compounds from fish oil from food. To do this, fish should be present in his diet twice or thrice a week. The most valuable species are trout, salmon, mackerel, tuna, haddock, herring and sea bass.

You can also get omega fats from plant foods, such as walnuts, vegetable oils, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds . There is a lot of vitamin D in foods such as butter, eggs, liver, and sour cream. If they appear regularly on the child’s menu, he will not need additional fish oil.

For the little ones

Every mother wonders whether it is possible to give fish oil to her baby. This is decided by the pediatrician on an individual basis. It is necessary to take into account the development of the baby, the rate of overgrowth of the fontanel, the type of feeding, even the number of sunny days. Usually, a baby is prescribed the drug no earlier than one month from birth.

The standard dose is 5 drops in the morning and evening. At 6 months, the baby drinks a teaspoon a day. The dosage remains the same per year, only the number of doses increases. The drug is given during meals and can be mixed into salads and other dishes. No need to heat, should be added to already cooked products. From the age of seven you can switch to capsules that must be swallowed. The duration of treatment should not be more than three months.

The benefits of fish oil for children: can it be given to infants?

Up to one year of age, fish oil can only be prescribed to a child by a doctor after examining the baby. In this case, closure of the fontanel on the baby’s head and phosphorus-calcium metabolism take place. If you give the product to your baby spontaneously, without taking into account the recommendations of a specialist, the fontanel may close too early. This will have a negative impact on brain development.

Children who are bottle-fed simply need to consume this product. This is due to the fact that they do not receive the necessary fatty acids from their diet. This often becomes the root cause of mental retardation, especially in premature babies.

If a child does not receive breast milk and is too early to introduce fish into complementary foods, then the only way to saturate the body with useful substances is to prescribe fish oil. The pediatrician individually determines the dosage, frequency of administration and duration of therapy. Most often, fat is prescribed as early as four weeks of age.

Practical advice for choosing

Before you buy fish oil for infants, you need to understand what it is like. It is produced in liquid form, in the form of gummies and capsules. It is convenient to use liquid forms of Omega 3 for infants.

What is she like? This is a rather thick liquid of light yellow color with a specific fishy odor. Previously it was made from the liver of cod fish. But a large amount of toxins accumulate in this organ, so now children get a better quality product from the carcass using a cold press.

1. Before you buy, you need to read the instructions about the method of manufacturing the product. The quality is indicated by fat prepared from ocean fish carcasses. But shark fish is considered a less safe supplier of oil.
2. Norwegian fat is an environmentally friendly product. No pollutants were found in the seas of this state where fishing is carried out. Among Russian manufacturers, Murmansk companies have good products.
3. The production of oil from fish is not strictly regulated because it is not a drug. That is why you need to buy a drug labeled “medical”. Otherwise, you can purchase a product for veterinary or household use.
4. Fish and fish oils are commercially available. They differ in composition. Fish contains more vitamins, fish contains mainly Omega-3 fatty acids. The pediatrician should tell you which one is needed for an infant.
5. When buying a drug, you need to look for one without flavorings. Often liquid fat is additionally deodorized to remove unpleasant taste and smell. But synthetic fragrances can cause allergies in young children. Or opt for all-natural aromatic ingredients, such as essential oils.
6. Also, the bottle should be made of thick dark glass, since fatty acids can oxidize under the influence of the sun. A responsible manufacturer pours fat to the brim, under the cork. After all, under the influence of oxygen, Omega-3 also oxidizes. For the same reason, the bottle should be stored in the refrigerator, so the drug will retain its beneficial qualities longer.
7. Do not take large bottles, most likely by the end of use the product will no longer be fresh and will lose its nutritional value. It is better to buy Omega 3 in a small container, no more than 100 ml.
8. Please note that Omega 3 is in the form of triglycerides and not esters, so the supplement is better absorbed by the child’s body and brings more benefits.

Which one is better to choose?

There is a large selection of dietary supplements and it is very difficult to know which fish oil to choose for children. The benefits of a substance depend on the maturity of its manufacturing technologies, so it is necessary to give preference to well-known large manufacturers.

For example, the Norwegian product is one of the most environmentally friendly, as it is isolated from fish living in clean water, unpolluted by industrial facilities.

Which fish oil is best for children should be decided by their parents. There are two methods for making the dietary supplement - from fish liver (usually the cod family) or from fish fillet.

A product made by the second method will contain more PUFAs and fewer vitamins and microelements. Its advantage is the smaller amount of harmful impurities concentrated in the liver of oceanic fish.

Depending on the purpose of taking the supplement (replenishing the body with vitamins or fatty acids), you need to choose the type of product. It is better to buy liver fish concentrate from a manufacturer who purifies the product well and uses environmentally friendly raw materials.

The drug is available in capsules and liquid form. Fish oil capsules for children are odorless and retain their properties better and longer. The gelatin capsule easily dissolves in the baby's intestines and is taken with food. But there are age restrictions for children who can swallow the capsules. The youngest patients will have to be given a non-packaged product.

Popular drugs

There are many drugs on the market. Series in liquid form are offered especially for young children. For example, Moller Kalanmaksaoljy is children's fish oil. Made in Finland, approved for use from six months because it contains flavoring.

According to reviews from parents, the drugs considered best are “Norsk BarneTran” (manufactured in Norway). This is fish oil in liquid form. The first contains lemon or orange natural flavoring, the second contains herbal extracts.

Allergies are possible in infants; you should consult your doctor about the need to use these particular medications.

In Russia it is produced in liquid form “BIOKontur”. It is suitable for babies from one month old, as it does not contain synthetic additives. “Magic Fish” is also produced in our country and has no flavorings. There is a convenient dropper on the lid.

It is advisable to find words on the label that the drug is recommended for babies up to one year old. Most manufacturers produce the drug in the form of capsules and gelatin candies, which are designed for older children.

Where can I buy

Children's vitamin supplements are available in pharmacies and specialized online stores, but the cost of dietary supplements is often inflated, which is due to high trade margins of intermediaries. Therefore, we recommend ordering drugs directly from manufacturers through the iHerb website.

Advantages of iHerb:

• a large selection of children's fish oil in capsules, lozenges and oil solutions from premium manufacturers from Europe and the USA;
• prices of vitamins for children and adolescents are 30-50% lower than pharmacy prices;
• thousands of ratings and reviews from real clients from around the world;
• reliable and fast delivery, including the option of free transportation of parcels to Russia;
• competent support service.

Attention! Our readers in the iHerb online store are given a -10% discount on their first order. To activate it, enter the promotional code AGK4375 in the field of the same name in the cart or follow the link.

Summarizing

A small child needs a balanced diet. Breastfeeding provides the baby with everything necessary, and with artificial feeding, taking additional medications for growth and development will be very useful.

The third generation of fish oil is being produced. It is adapted for feeding babies and has a pleasant taste and aroma. Children enjoy using this nutritional supplement, which helps them grow healthy and smart.