What supplement to improve schooling skills?

My son is in 1st grade and has a hard time concentrating and learning. What do you recommend as a supplement? Would omega-3s be helpful?

Dear Stefania, 

I recommend for your son Omegor Mind, a supplement of omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and a clinically tested and standardized extract of Bacopa Monnieri, combined with omega-6 GLA, zinc and B vitamins.  

A clinical study, summarized on our official page at this link, showed the effectiveness of Bacomind® on a group of children aged 4 to 18 years: in fact it significantly improved working memory, logical memory, and verbal memory. There were also improvements in personal life-related memory and visual and auditory memory. In addition, a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids may be associated with reduced cerebral levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter implicated in the mechanisms of memory and attention, which may be manifested by a decline in overall learning. The recommended dose is 2 capsules daily before a main meal. 

In case your daughter has difficulty swallowing capsules, I recommend a product in liquid form, VitaDHA liquid, a supplement highly concentrated in DHA. One sachet per day of liquid VitaDHA provides 1450 mg of DHA and 330 mg of EPA. 

A much higher value of DHA than is present in Omegor Mind, but this is offset by the presence of Bacomind. I recommend a sachet every other day of liquid VitaDHA, which can be taken as such, before a main meal or mixed with cold foods such as yogurt or spreadable cheese. Most of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that are present in our bodies are located in the brain, especially DHA, the main component of cell membranes in the nervous system. 

Many scientific studies point out that a DHA deficiency in children may be associated with decreased attention and learning abilities. In fact, as already anticipated, low levels of omega-3 fatty acids may also be associated with reduced brain levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Therefore, I recommend that you evaluate the most appropriate choice with your pediatrician of choice, including assessing your child's needs to take a solid rather than a liquid form. 

Sincerely, 

Beatrice Iozzino, pharmacist