DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

Does infant formula with DHA help babies develop?

Updated 9 Nov 2026

Short answer

For babies born at term, a Cochrane review of 15 trials found no clear benefit on development and no consistent benefit on vision, with low-quality evidence.[1] Most formulas sold in the US contain DHA and arachidonic acid, but 2 Cochrane reviews found the evidence too weak to recommend these formulas.[2]

For babies born very early, results are mixed. In 1,273 babies born before 29 weeks, 60 mg of DHA per kg of body weight a day raised bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a lung disease, to 49.1% from 43.9%.[3] In 656 of these children tested at age 5, IQ was 3.45 points higher with DHA.[4] A 2025 review pooled 13 trials of long-chain fatty acids in preterm or low birth weight babies.[5] It found no clear effect on IQ, but possibly a lower risk of intellectual disability.[5]

Sources (5)

  1. Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in infants born at term. Jasani B, Simmer K, Patole SK, Rao SC Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2017. PMID 28281303
  2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov
  3. Docosahexaenoic Acid and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Infants. Collins CT, Makrides M, McPhee AJ, Sullivan TR, Davis PG, Thio M, et al. N Engl J Med, 2017. PMID 28355511
  4. Mediation Analysis to Untangle Opposing Associations of High-Dose Docosahexaenoic Acid With IQ and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Children Born Preterm. Sullivan TR, Gould JF, Bednarz JM, McPhee AJ, Gibson R, Anderson PJ, et al. JAMA Netw Open, 2023. PMID 37294565
  5. Early Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Supplementation on Long- and Short-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Preterm or Low Birth Weight Infants: A Meta-Analysis. Liu Y, Zhang G, Chen T, Kong H, Huang S Matern Child Nutr, 2025. PMID 40521871

More about dha (docosahexaenoic acid)

What is DHA?Does DHA lower inflammation?How much DHA is recommended in pregnancy?What is the difference between DHA and EPA?What is DHA used for?Can the body make its own DHA?

For education; not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change a supplement.