ADHD: omega-3 supplements help reduce symptoms and improve cognitive performance

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: all the benefits of Omega 3

In children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) , omega-3 supplements improve cognitive performance, attention, and behavior, especially in family settings. The positive effects are associated with consumption of at least 500 milligrams per day of EPA. These are the results of a new study that also confirms the link between omega-3 deficiency and ADHD symptoms.

The meta-analysis, that is, a study conducted by analyzing the results of other research as a whole, was published by researchers at King's College London (UK) in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

What is ADHD?

Children with ADHD, compared with their peers, have a marked difficulty in staying attentive or working on the same task for an extended period of time. Problems that manifest themselves especially in school, where they have difficulty paying attention to details, frequently make "distraction errors," and work in an incomplete and disordered manner. The other characteristics of the disorder are excessive levels of motor and vocal activity manifested by continuous fidgeting and difficulty sitting, and impulsivity; ADHD children respond too quickly and frequently interrupt others during dialogues.

Drug therapies, such as methylphenidate, are the most widely used for ADHD. However, in recent years there has been a growing interest in nonpharmacological strategies to provide an alternative for parents and clinicians seeking different or additional treatments. One of these is supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids. However, the efficacy of these supplements has always been a matter of debate.

Some studies have, in fact, reported a significant reduction in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms after treatment with DHA and EPA. However, a subsequent attempt to replicate these results failed to confirm these effects. Although poor plasma omega-3 levels have frequently been found in children with ADHD, to date most studies that have investigated the efficacy of omega-3s have produced mixed results.

Omega-3 supplements improve symptoms of the disease

The new meta-analysis study, conducted by British researchers, of children and adolescents investigated the relationship between ADHD with omega-3 levels and that between symptoms of the disease and omega-3 supplements. Statistical results first confirmed that subjects with ADHD had lower levels of EPA, DHA and total omega-3 in their blood. In addition, the data revealed an association between omega-3 supplementation and improvements in cognitive performance; specifically, reduction in hyperactivity phenomena was observable when EPA doses of at least 500 milligrams per day were administered. Surprisingly, the research found that the decrease in hyperactivity and inattention was not reported by teachers' reports, while improvements were reported by parents, in their description of family behavior. 

According to the research authors themselves, these findings provide evidence supporting a role for omega-3 in ADHD and suggest omega-3 supplementation as a clinically relevant intervention. In the context of "personalized medicine," it can be hypothesized that young people with ADHD and low blood levels of EPA and DHA may respond better to omega-3 supplementation. Just as, previously, the study authors themselves showed that individuals with a genetic risk of developing a particular type of depression had low concentrations of omega-3 in their red blood cells and that supplementation with these fatty acids could reduce the risk of the disease's occurrence. 

Furthermore, a recent study published in Molecular Psychiatry classified patients with major depressive disorder into a high-inflammation group and a low-inflammation group, and showed that subjects in the former group responded better to EPA. Therefore, stratifying children with ADHD according to omega-3 levels could be an approach to optimize the therapeutic effects of supplementation with EPA and DHA. Indeed, omega-3s are crucial for optimal neurotransmitter function: their presence in large amounts in the cell membrane can regulate its fluidity and the function of the dopamine transporter, a neurotransmitter that regulates attention and memory.

Some details of the research

The new meta-analysis collected and analyzed the results of seven clinical studies involving 543 children and adolescents, revealing that omega-3s were associated with improvements in clinical symptoms of ADHD, while data from three other clinical studies, which had involved 214 children and adolescents, indicated a positive impact of omega-3 supplements on cognitive measures associated with attention. The new meta-analysis was performed with specific software and used established scientific literature databases to identify the most appropriate studies to include. 

Commenting on the study, Harry Rice, vice president of the Organization for EPA and DHA (GOED), said that he has always been skeptical about the positive role of EPA and DHA for children with ADHD, but that the results of this meta-analysis appear to be very promising. In addition, again according to Rice, given the safety in terms of side effects of omega-3s compared to medication for the treatment of ADHD, increased omega-3 consumption is recommended, especially for children who do not eat at least two servings of oily fish per week or who do not take an omega-3 supplement regularly.

What supplements can help with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder?

VItaDHA liquid is a product particularly suitable for supporting cognitive function, being rich in DHA, the fatty acid most represented in the membranes of neurons. One VitaDHA liquid vial contains 1450 milligrams of DHA and 330 milligrams of EPA that are easily assimilated by the body because they are in the form of natural triglycerides. The product has a pleasant taste, making it particularly suitable for consumption by children. 

Sources:

Chang et al, "Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Youths with Attention Decit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials and Biological Studies"; Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 43, No. 3, 01.02.2018.