DHA Supplements: 12 Health Benefits Backed by Science

Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA is a form of omega-3, which is beneficial for your overall health. DHA is abundantly present in oily fish, such as anchovies and salmon ⁽¹⁾. One can also take DHA from other fatty acids, such as from food or a supplement ⁽²⁾. Together, EPA and DHA help in fighting inflammation and reduces the risk for chronic diseases, such as heart disease. DHA on its own helps in supporting eye health and brain function.

Read on to know more about the 12 health benefits of DHA backed by science.

1. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA Helps Fight Inflammation

Omega-3 fats including DHA have lot of anti-inflammatory benefits. Increasing the intake of DHA help in regulating the excess of inflammatory omega-6 fats present in Western diets, which are rich in corn and soybean oil ⁽³⁾.

The anti-inflammatory properties of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) help in cutting down the risk of chronic diseases which occur with age, like heart and gum problems, and are greatly beneficial in autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis ⁽⁴⁾.

A study done in 38 participants having rheumatoid arthritis and who were given 2,100 mg of DHA daily reduced the number of joint swelling by about 28% when compared to a placebo ⁽⁵⁾.

There were past studies, which have shown that a combination of DHA and EPA supplements were beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, however, this was the first study which showed that only DHA can help in reducing the inflammation and relieving the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

2. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA Reduces the risk of Heart Disease

For good heart health Omega-3 fats are highly beneficial. Most of the studies have tested DHA and EPA together instead of individually ⁽⁶⁾.

Some of the studies which have tested only DHA show that it can be more effective than EPA for improving various markers of heart health ^{(6, 7, 8, 9)}.

A study done in 154 obese participants where they were given daily doses of 2,700 mg of DHA for about 10 weeks showed that the omega-3 index  was increased, which is related to decreased risk of death related to sudden heart conditions by about 5.6% ⁽¹⁰⁾.

DHA also helped in reducing the blood triglycerides more than EPA by about 13.3% and also increased the HDL cholesterol by 7.6% ⁽¹¹⁾.

3. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA helps in Reducing the Risk of Preterm Births

An early preterm or premature birth is when the baby is born before 34 weeks of pregnancy and this also causes increased the risk of health problems in the baby ⁽¹²⁾.

An analysis done on two big studies showed that pregnant women who took 600 to 800 mg of DHA during their pregnancy had decreased early premature birth by greater than 40% in the America and 64% in Australia ⁽¹³⁾.

So, it is important to have sufficient quantities of DHA during pregnancy either through diet, in the form of supplement or both. 

4. Docosahexaenoic Acid is Beneficial in Children Suffering from ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a condition where the patient has impulsive behaviors and problems in focusing or completing any task. This condition often starts in childhood and can continue into adulthood ⁽¹⁴⁾.

The DHA benefits ADHD by increasing the blood flow during any tasks which need mental alertness. Studies have shown that adults and children suffering from ADHD tend to have decreased blood levels of DHA and hence can benefit from this when taken externally ^{(14, 15, 16, 17)}.

A review of a few studies showed DHA supplements when given in children suffering from ADHD showed some benefits in their behavior and attention ⁽¹⁸⁾.

5. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA helps in Muscle Recovery after any Workout

Rigorous exercise can cause soreness and inflammation in the muscles. Docosahexaenoic Acid alone or when given along with EPA can help in decreasing muscle soreness and restrictions in range of motion after any workout due to it anti-inflammatory benefits ^{(19, 20)}.

Another study done on women who took 3,000 mg of DHA everyday for a week had around 23% lesser soreness in the muscles after doing bicep curls ⁽²⁰⁾.  

6. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA can potentially Reduce the Risk of Certain Cancers

One of the risk factors for cancer is chronic inflammation; and increased intake of omega-3 fats like Docosahexaenoic Acid is associated with reduced risk of many cancers, including pancreatic, colorectal and prostate cancer ^{(21, 22, 23)}.

DHA also helps in decreasing the risk of cancer thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects. Studies done on the cells have discovered that it can inhibit the growth of the cancer cells ^{(24, 25, 26)}.

Furthermore it has also been shown that DHA helps in enhancing the effectiveness of anticancer drugs and destroying the cancer cells; however, more research is needed on this ⁽²⁷⁾.

7. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA is Beneficial in Certain Eye Conditions

It is not entirely known if DHA and other omega-3 fats are beneficial in age-related macular degeneration; however, they can help in improving the condition of retinopathy (diabetic eye disease) and dry eyes ^{(28, 29, 30)}.

Studies have also shown that DHA can potentially help in reducing the risk of glaucoma and the discomfort one feels from wearing contact lens.

A study done in contact lens wearers and who were given 900 mg of EPA and 600 mg of DHA everyday showed improved eye discomfort by around 42% , which resembled the benefit felt with corticosteroid eye drops ⁽³¹⁾.

More so participants who were given 500 mg of DHA and 1,000 mg of EPA everyday for three months showed that they felt reduced eye pressure in healthy individuals by about 8%. Increased eye pressure is one of the risk factor for glaucoma ⁽³²⁾.

8. Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA Supports Circulation and Lowers Blood Pressure

Docosahexaenoic Acid helps with better blood circulation and can also help with endothelial function, which is the dilatation ability of the blood vessels ⁽³³⁾.

Studies have shown that DHA helped in reducing the diastolic blood pressure by an average of 3.1 mmHg, and on the other hand EPA helped in decreasing the systolic blood pressure by an average of 3.8 mmHg ⁽³⁴⁾. 

9. Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA helps in Preventing or Delaying Alzheimer’s Disease

Docosahexaenoic Acid is the primary omega-3 fat present in the brain and it is vital for a healthy nervous system including brain. It has been shown that individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease have decreased DHA levels in their brains than older adults having a good brain function ⁽³⁵⁾.

Furthermore it was shown that increased intake of omega-3 fats was associated with decreased risk of lowering mental ability, which is the primary symptom of different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease ⁽³⁶⁾.  

It was suggested that DHA and other omega-3 supplements are potentially the most beneficial just before the brain function starts to decline and hinders day to day activities ^{(36, 37, 38)}.

10. Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA helps with Normal Brain and Eye Development in Babies

DHA is vital for eye and brain development in babies. These are the organs which rapidly grow during the last trimester of pregnancy and in the initial few years of baby’s life ^{(39, 40, 41)}. Therefore, it is highly recommended that pregnant women take sufficient DHA during their pregnancy and when breastfeeding also ^{(42, 43)}.

 A study also showed that the levels of DHA in pregnant women before childbirth were responsible for around 33% of the difference in the problem-solving ability of a 1 year old child showing that there is a possible connection between increased DHA levels in mothers and improved problem-solving in their children ⁽⁴⁴⁾. 

11. Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA is Beneficial in Protecting Mental Health

Around 20% of Americans suffer from mild depression and about 2 to 7% have major depression ⁽⁴⁵⁾. Getting sufficient amount of DHA and EPA is beneficial in reducing the risk of depression ⁽⁴⁶⁾.

DHA and EPA help serotonin in balancing the mood. Along with the anti-inflammatory benefits of these omega-3 fats on the nerve cells, they can help in reducing the risk of depression also ^{(47, 48, 49, 50)}.

12. Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA is Good for Reproductive Health of Men

About half of the infertility cases are caused by reproductive health in men and dietary fat intake is known to affect the health of the sperm ⁽⁵¹⁾. As a matter of fact, reduced DHA levels is one of the common causes of low-quality of the sperm and is often found in men having infertility or sub-fertility problems ^{(51, 52, 53)}.  Consumption of sufficient amount of DHA helps in vitality as well as the motility of the sperm, which affects the fertility ⁽⁵¹⁾.

What is the Recommended Dose of Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA?

It is recommended to take about 200 to 500 mg of DHA along with EPA in a day for good health. They can come from supplements, fish or both ⁽⁵⁴⁾.

The FDA has recommended to not take more than 3,000 mg daily of combined total DHA and EPA from all sources with about 2,000 mg of this coming from supplements ⁽⁵⁵⁾.

However, doses higher than this used in some studies were deemed safe and according to the European Food Safety Authority, up to 5,000 mg daily intake of EPA along with DHA in supplements are thought to be safe ⁽⁵⁵⁾.

What are the Potential Side Effects of Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA?

Always check with your doctor before starting on DHA supplements, more so if you are suffering from any health condition or are taking any medication. Increased doses of DHA and EPA can cause thinning of the blood, so if you are already taking blood-thinners or if there is any surgery planned, then the doctor can advise you to completely avoid fish oil supplements ⁽⁵⁶⁾.

In case of fish allergy, then also one should avoid fish oil supplements. A non-fish source of DHA used in some supplements is Algae ⁽⁵⁷⁾.  

Some of the potential side effects of DHA consist of burping and fishy taste in the mouth. Some of the ways to minimize these side effects are freezing the capsules and using highly-purified supplements ⁽⁵⁸⁾.

Conclusion

Docosahexaenoic Acid or DHA is an omega-3 fat which can be consumed from food, supplements or both.  The body does not naturally produce enough of it. Docosahexaenoic Acid helps in preventing and improving chronic conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, certain cancers, depression and inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

DHA is also important for a healthy pregnancy, sperm health and also decreases the risk of preterm births and is important for proper development of eyes and brain in babies. It is also shown to improve the symptoms of ADHD in children.

The dosage of Docosahexaenoic Acid for overall good health is about for 200 to 500 mg daily of DHA plus EPA from supplements, food or both.

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