can we talk fish oil?

[hillview]

I am wanting to start DS2 on fish oil. I gave him some liquid today in some juice which he happily drank. I am doing 1000mg or nordics (not kid formula) liquid. Is this roughly ok?
Thanks for any help!

OH and DS2 is 55 lbs and 5 years old.

[pastrygirl]

Is this for the omega-3? I'm paying attention because I just bought some gummy omega-3s but would much rather not do the gummy thing.

[hillview]

Is this for the omega-3? I'm paying attention because I just bought some gummy omega-3s but would much rather not do the gummy thing.

yes! waiting for wisdom!

[Reina]

The Nordic naturals brand is one of the best brands in terms of ingredient quality. Carlson is another brand with very high quality ingredients and no fillers. Make sure there is more DHA than EPA in the fish oil. For kids over 3 years and over 33.5 lbs (15kg) the recommended dose is 1000mg. This is information from our pediatrician.

[Gena]

Make sure there is more DHA than EPA in the fish oil. For kids over 3 years and over 33.5 lbs (15kg) the recommended dose is 1000mg.

The ratio of DHA to EPA can be really important. Some kids need more EPA and some need more DHA. It depends on the child's age as well as why you are giving the Omegas - such as are you giving them for general health or are you giving them for specific symptoms such as hyperactivity or mood instability.

The research I have read and the discussions I have had with DS's doctors support using a product with high EPA and low DHA. There is a lot of evidence that children with hyperactivity respond better to high EPA formulas.

Our developmental ped has always recommended a high EPA / low DHA ratio for DS. She told me that high DHA is important in the infant through preschool years and then EPA becomes increasingly important. As an adult DHA becomes primary again during pregnancy/breastfeeding and then again when one reaches a senior age. The Dev Ped also told me that the body can convert excess EPA to DHA, but not the other way around.

So I choose to go with a product that has an EPA to DHA ratio of 7:1 (MorEPA Mini) . This may be a higher ratio that what my DS really needs. But I get concerned about all the foods that have "added DHA" messing up his ratios. I try to aviod these foods, but sometimes they slip by. Also I figure that since the body converts excess EPA to DHA, this high ratio allows his body to regulate its own optimal ratio.

I have seen a lot of improvement in DS with this high EPA product, more than the previous products we tried (which also had higher EPA than DHA levels, but not to this extent). It's no cure by any means, but it does help DS a lot. Also I like the quality of this product in its source, production, and purity.

Of course every child is different and it can take a lot of trial and error to find the right ratio and right product for your child.

[Reina]

My apologies. I didn't pay attention to where I was posting. You are absolutely correct Gena. I was just talking in general terms.
My best,
Antoinette

[Gena]

My apologies. I didn't pay attention to where I was posting. You are absolutely correct Gena. I was just talking in general terms.
My best,
Antoinette

No need to apologize. You raised an important point by talking about DHA and EPA. And I think it's great that you've discussed this with your child's pediatrician. I think a lot of parents give omega supplements without talking to a medical professional and sometimes this can lead to a child getting a ratio or dose that is not appropriate for that individual.

We're all here to share information. Sometimes we get different information from different sources, and that's when the discussion gets interesting!

[inmypjs]

We also do a high EPA to DHA ratio to help with attention and learning issues. We have MorEpa minis and Carlson's liquid, but DS doesn't like taking those. I've emptied the MorEpa capsules into juice but still no. He prefers the Coromega packets. They aren't quite as high of a ratio as I'd like but it's what he'll take without complaint. We get the chocolate orange flavor and I usually order from Amazon.

[hillview]

does your regular pedi give you dosage suggestions? I am having a hard time imagining my pedi supporting this.

[JustMe]

I started dd on Nordic Naturals omega3s at the end of August. I started her at one tab/day and about 3 weeks later increased to 2 tabs/day. This was suggested by her developmental ped. Dd sucks the oil out of the caps because she cannot swallow them (they're huge!) and says they taste like lemon. I have noticed if it gets on anything it will start to stink like fish ( she used to put the empty caps on washcloths/napkins).

Dds's pediatrician supported this, although did not help with the info on dosage.

I have seen a drastic reduction in dd's generalized anxiety since starting on the omegas.

I am still open to seeing if there is a better way for her to take them (not sucking the oil out of a capsule, etc), but its working so well in other ways I hesitate to change. Each 2 tabs are 330 EPA, 200 DHA, and 140 other omega 3s.