Infant Brain Health
Conditions
Keywords
Fish, mercury, omega-3 fatty acids, infant, brain development, pregnancy, nursing mother, dietary recommendations, Hair mercury, Blood mercury, Recommendations for pregnant or nursing women, Infant brain health
Brief summary
Fish can provide pregnant women with omega-3 fatty acids for fetal brain development but some fish contains high levels of mercury which is detrimental to fetal brain development. The hypothesis is that women who have previously consumed high mercury fish can reduce the mercury level in their bodies and improve their omega-3 levels in three months by eating fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury.
Detailed description
Exposure to methylmercury, a developmental toxicant found primarily in fish. Fish is nutritionally important for providing long chain omega-3 fatty acids that are important for perinatal health. Since maternal transfer of mercury and omega-3 fatty acids are the primary routes for fetal (placental transfer) or infant (maternal milk) exposure, there is a critical need to develop specific advice for childbearing-aged women based upon the 2004 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's recommended intake i.e., consume 8 ounces of fish per week. This clinical trial investigates whether weekly consumption of selected fish species for 12 weeks can improve plasma concentrations of the omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) while reducing hair or blood mercury concentrations.
Interventions
OTHERFeeding low mercury fish
Subjects fed 6 oz of either tilapia (low omega-3 fish) or salmon (high omega-3 fish) for 3 months. Both fish are low in mercury
Sponsors
Florida A&M University
Purdue University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Hair mercury levels equal to or greater than 0.8 ppm
Exclusion criteria
* Pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 3 months * Nursing
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hair Mercury | 3 months | The hair mercury after feeding low mercury fish for 3 months |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Blood mercury concentration | 3 months | The blood mercury concentration after feeding low mercury fish for 3 months |
| Blood omega-3 fatty acid concentrations | 3 months | Blood omega-3 fatty acid concentration after feeding either salmon or tilapia for 3 months |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed