| Attention Deficit Disorder and Omega 3 Fish Oil- | | | | other disruptive behavior. |
| What's The Link? | | | | The study was conducted over an eight week period, |
| Do you have a family member who has been | | | | during which time the children were given high doses |
| diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder with | | | | of Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil |
| Hyperactivity? If so, some studies have indicated that | | | | supplements. All of their activities were monitored |
| a daily dose of Omega 3 fatty acids may be worth | | | | along with the levels of DHA and EPA. |
| investigating as a possible treatment. | | | | The institute used a table that was developed for |
| ADHD currently affects some 7 per cent of children, | | | | people with Attention Deficit Disorder that scores a |
| mostly boys. What most people don't realize is that | | | | persons attention and hyperactivity. The table ranges |
| nearly 70% of these children take their deficit disorder | | | | from 0-25, with 0 being the highest grade. The |
| into adulthood. Omega 3 fatty acids have in many | | | | average score for the nine children was 18 for |
| studies been shown to be important for the | | | | attention and 11 for hyperactivity, both scores higher |
| development of the fetal brain and also as a partial | | | | than normal. Obviously the levels of EPA and DHA |
| treatment for the symptoms of depression and there | | | | increased dramatically due to the use of the fish oils, |
| is now evidence emerging that using fish oil for ADHD | | | | but the attention level dropped to an average of 10, |
| treatment may be useful. | | | | and the hyperactivity fell to 5. Both of these are |
| Because these are our children, extensive studies | | | | particularly impressive results for children with Attention |
| have been done and they indicate that many of these | | | | Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, and it seems the |
| children show very low levels of essential fatty acids | | | | Omega 3 supplements were the reason. |
| known as Omega 3 faty acids, most importantly the | | | | It's much to early to make a broad statement as to |
| fats referred to as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and | | | | the benifits of Omega 3 fatty acids, but there does |
| EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) that are found in fish | | | | seem to be a direct correlation between the fish oil |
| and fish oils. | | | | and Attention Deficit Disorder. It is clear however that |
| Recently, the Inflammation Research Foundation did a | | | | adequate levels of DHA and EPA do seem to impact |
| study with three boys and six girls, all of which had | | | | on conditions such as ADHD. For a wide range of |
| been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder with | | | | different reasons children with ADHD ought to be |
| Hyperactivity. These nine children all had problems | | | | increasing their intake of Omega 3 essential fatty acids |
| concentrating on given tasks for extended periods of | | | | both to improve their general health and their ADHD. |
| time, and each had varying degrees of hyperactivity or | | | | |