Smart fats for developing brains

Fats has been known to influence brain development and performance, especially during the window time in which the brain is especially sensitive to nutrition: the first year of life for a growing puppy or kitten. During this stage of rapid central nervous system growth, the brain uses sixty percent of the total energy consumed by the puppy or kitten. A major component of the brain cell membrane and the myelin sheath around each nerve is fat, therefore, it makes sense that getting enough of the right kind of fat, improves brain development and performance.

Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid made from another fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is found predominantly in flaxseed oil (also known as linseed) and hemp seed oil. Green leafy vegetables, soybeans, walnuts, and canola oil have small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial because they provide fluidity to cell membranes and improve communication between brain cells. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) is the major polyunsaturated fatty acid in the membranes of brain and retinal cells. The accretion of DHA is crucial for the perinatal development of nervous tissues. The functional deficits that are associated with a low DHA content in developing organs have been investigated in animals fed a diet lacking n-3 fatty acids.

Different species provide different types of fat in their milk, all of which are tuned according to the species role. For example, cows provide milk that is high in saturated fats and low in brain-building fats, such as Docosahexanoic acid (DHA). This helps their calves grow rapidly, though it may not do much for their brains. In adult cows, the brain is small compared with the body. Cows don't have to do a lot of thinking to survive. In human infants, the brain grows faster than the body. Highly developed brains are important to human beings, so human milk is low in body-building saturated fats but rich in brain-building fats like DHA.

DHA is the primary structural component of brain tissue, so it stands to reason that a deficiency of DHA in the diet could translate into a deficiency in brain function. Current research is increasingly recognizing the possibility that DHA has a crucial influence on neurotransmitters in the brain, helping brain cells better communicate with each other. Asian cultures have long appreciated the brain-building effects of DHA. In Japan, DHA is considered such an important “health food” that it is used as a nutritional supplement to enrich some foods, and students frequently take DHA pills before examinations.

As more and more researches are conducted to indicate the importance of DHA in veterinary pediatric formulas, its important to ensure that puppies and kittens are fed on premium diet containing guaranteed levels of DHA.