Dr. Komarovsky about fish oil for children

In childhood, many of us were “frightened” with fish oil, while at the same time, not forgetting to explain that it is very useful for a child’s body. We did not agree with this statement, because nothing disgusting this fat for most boys and girls did not exist.

Today, fish oil for children comes in very attractive forms - as part of fruit marmalades, pastilles that smell of strawberries, raspberries, vanilla. And therefore it is no longer necessary to frighten anyone with this very fat. Why, why, and whether it is necessary to give this product to modern children is told by a reputable pediatrician, Candidate of Medical Sciences Yevgeny Komarovsky.

Fish oil is a natural product that is obtained from the liver of cod fish species. He is always liquid. The color ranges from light yellowish, almost colorless, to rich red-orange. This criterion depends on what kind of cod liver it was extracted from. In addition, this product is extracted from fatty fish species that live in the cold northern seas - mackerel, herring.

Fish oil has a rather pronounced peculiar odor - more or less strong, depending on the amount of it contains klupanodonic acid. The value of the product lies in the vitamin D contained in it, as well as the omega-3 fatty acid. The latter contributes to the synthesis of serotonin, the so-called "hormone of happiness", and therefore the consumption of fish oil in food has a beneficial effect on the mood and psychological background of a person.

Fish oil is a bad dream for all children who grew up in the Soviet Union. Pediatricians of the time believed that the food of children is not enough polyunsaturated acids, and the incidence of rickets, due to a lack of vitamin D, is high. Therefore, the government at the highest level decided to introduce preventive measures of unprecedented scale. As a result, pure fish oil with its characteristic smell and taste was forcibly given to all children in kindergartens and schools.

In 1970, these measures were suspended due to the fact that scientists came to the conclusion that the seas are polluted, and the product obtained from the cod fish is no more environmentally friendly, there is less benefit from it than harm. In 1997, this idea was abandoned, again allowing children to take the fat of fish, but not in a compulsory, but in a completely voluntary manner.

Why, in Soviet times, children were given fish oil is understandable, says Dr. Komarovsky. The incidence of rickets then really was higher. But this is connected not so much with the deficiency of vitamin D in the diet of Soviet babies, as the widespread artificial feeding with the usual bovine with milk.

The need to give fish oil was primarily due to the fact that in no other form of vitamin D existed: there were no synthesized drugs, and not every region of sunlight is enough to get the right amount of vitamin. In addition, feeding on cow's milk caused leaching of calcium, because there were no adapted mixtures at that time.

Despite a lot of positive properties, the question of the use of fish oil for modern children is not so categorical. After all, today vitamin D deficiency in itself is not such a common situation. Pediatricians prescribe all babies who are at risk because of the likelihood of developing rickets. «Akvadetrim» - an aqueous solution of vitamin D, which is given in certain strict dosages. When taking a child, it is enough to swallow one drop of the drug, which is much easier than drinking a whole spoonful of liquid and foul-smelling fish oil.

Sometimes pediatricians prescribe their young patients of any age, including newborns, an oil solution. "Vigantol"which not only compensates for the deficiency of vitamin D, but also regulates the exchange of calcium and phosphorus in the body.

Thus, the need to give the child fish oil, no. But if there is a desire - then you can feed them a baby, the main thing is to choose the right product.

Fish oil is not a recognized official medicine, and therefore its production is not regulated by strict rules and standards. Buyers can only hope for the honesty of the manufacturer, who does not add to it too much, clean well and filter the product.

There are several selection rules:

• If the goal is to buy liquid fat, then be sure to look for the word "Medical" in the title. It is important that the fat purchased is not intended for veterinary or household use. This information, sometimes written in very small print, can be found on etiquette.
• If you think carefully about the choice, then you will notice that there is not only fish oil for sale, but also fish oil. This is not a typo, but basically two different products. In fish oil there are more vitamins, in fish oil - more Omega-3. Choose you.
• If you plan to buy fish oil capsules, it is better to choose capsules made from fish gelatin. Optimally buy children's capsules, in which manufacturers have added fruit flavors - they will make the process of eating more pleasant. In addition, the dosage of the product in such capsules is already designed for children's use.

It is believed that the useful and safe dosage of this product for children under one and a half years is calculated according to the formula: 60 mg of fat per kilogram of child's weight. From one and a half years to 15 years, the daily dose is less, it is calculated using the formula: 30 mg per kilogram of weight. An average breastfeeding mother needs about 300 mg of product per day. It is important to prevent overdose of vitamin D.

Dr. Komarovsky recommends adding fish oil to the diet of children as a prophylactic agent for rickets, which you can learn about from the video below.