Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. The 40 boys with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), who supplemented with 650 mg of DHA and 650 mg of EPA for 16 weeks, had a 15.4% reduction in behavioral symptoms compared to 17.9% increase in the placebo group.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common child psychiatric disorders. It is characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). 9.5% of American children between the ages of 5 and 17 (5.9 million) are estimated to have ADHD, with boys affected at nearly three times the rate as girls (13.5% versus 5.4%) (2). Now a new study (3) suggests omega-3 fatty acids may improve attentive behavior in children with ADHD.
The study involved 40 boys aged 8 to 14 who were diagnosed with ADHD. They were assigned to consume 10 grams of margarine daily enriched with either 1,300 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acid (650 mg DHA, 650 mg EPA) or placebo for 16 weeks. The 40 boys with ADHD were matched with 39 boys aged 8 to 14 without ADHD. The study was a double-blind study so neither the researchers nor the boys knew what they were being given, but the ADHD children maintained their normal medication schedule. Before and after the study, ADHD symptoms were assessed. A functional MRI was done to assess brain activity and child behavior was reported by their parents.
While there was no difference regarding brain activity on the functional MRI, the researchers did note statistically significant differences in a parent-rated questionnaire on child behavior called Child Behavior Checklist (4). Specifically, children with ADHD taking the omega-3 supplement saw a 15.4% decrease in their symptoms (signifying improved behavior = 9.1 to 7.7) compared to a 17.9% increase in the placebo group (8.9 to 10.5, p < 0.01). In the children without ADHD, omega-3 supplementation produced a 4% decrease (2.5 to 2.4) compared to a 25.9% increase the placebo group (2.7 to 3.4, p < 0.01).
Although the researchers admitted “the neurobiological mechanism underlying an effect of omega-3 supplementation is far from clear”, they suggested the benefits are due to omega-3 fats playing “an important role” in cell membrane health (5). In addition, animal studies indicate decreased nerve function in rats raised on an omega-3-deficient diet (6). Finally, two very important nerve chemicals in the brain, dopamine and serotonin, are less efficient in the brains of rats fed omega-3-deficient diets (7).
For the researchers, “dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids reduces symptoms of ADHD, both for individuals with ADHD and typically developing children” and that “this study offers support that omega-3 supplementation may be an effective augmentation for pharmacological treatments of ADHD.”
Source: Bos, Dienke J., et al. “Reduced symptoms of inattention after dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in boys with and without attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.” Neuropsychopharmacology 40.10 (2015): 2298-2306.
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Posted March 31, 2015.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- American Psychiatric Association (American Psychiatric Publishing: Washington DC, 1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
- “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)” posted on the CDC website
- Bos DJ. Reduced symptoms of inattention after Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in boys with and without Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015 Mar 19. doi: 10.1038/npp.2015.73. [Epub ahead of print]
- “Child Behavior Checklist” posted on the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research website
- Bazinet RP, Layé S (2014). Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites in brain function and disease. Nat Rev Neurosci doi:10.1038/nrn3820
- Ahmad A, Moriguchi T, Salem N (2002). Decrease in Neuron Size in Docosahexaenoic Acid- Deficient Brain. Pediatr Neurol 26: 210–218.
- Chalon S (2006). Omega-3 fatty acids and monoamine neurotransmission. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 75: 259–69
