Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential nutrient. Our bodies make DHA from the foods we eat. If we eat foods with a lot of DHA, like fatty ocean fish, we have more DHA in our bodies. DHA is found in all cells of the body but is especially high in nerve cells of the brain and eye. Babies get DHA from the mother when they're in the womb. After birth, they can get DHA from breast milk or infant formulas.