While there is still no proof that taking prenatal vitamins with DHA during pregnancy will improve cognitive function in kids, recent evidence suggests it might have another benefit. New research shows that overweight or obese children whose mothers took 600 mg of DHA daily during pregnancy have lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure at 5 years of age compared to those whose mothers did not take DHA.
Childhood obesity is a major problem in the US, and it’s often associated with elevated blood pressure, placing children at greater risk for hypertension in adulthood. Since taking DHA during pregnancy seems to prevent blood pressure elevation in overweight and obese children, it may be worth taking as part of a prenatal regimen. For details about this new data, as well as the potential limitations of the study, check out our recently updated monograph.
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