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A natural remedy for ADHD is omega 3 - or is it?

Is Omega 3 a natural remedy for ADHD? TheThe active fish oil group also saw
simple answer is no. Omega 3 is an essentialsignificantly reduced teacher ratings on the
fatty acid that is absolutely vital forConners DSM ADHD global scale after 3 months,
adults, hence the word essential - forcompared with the placebo group. The placebo
children of birth age until age two, it isgroup saw similar improvements on this scale
even more important that they receive enoughafter crossing over to the active fish oils
of the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA for the healthyfor  the  3-6  month  period  of  the  trial.
construction of the brain. Beyond two years,
they need EPA for the healthy function of theWithin 3 months children on the active
brain.supplement saw a significant reduction on the
rating scale of Hyperactive-Impulsive
So why is it not a remedy? It is not a remedybehaviour, compared to those on placebo.
for the simple reason that it should alreadyFurther reductions were seen in the 3-6 month
be included in the diet, and not simply as anperiod  of  the  study.
afterthought to add it to the diet because
the  child  or  adult  has  ADHD.Dramatic results were also seen within just 3
months of the dyspraxia trial. The active
Does this mean that if you give a person withgroup supplementing with Omega 3 fish oil saw
ADHD high-strength pharmaceutical grade fishsignificant improvements in reading (9.5
oil in addition to a poor diet, they will notmonths), spelling (6.5 months) and behaviour,
feel any effects? The answer has to be yes,compared to the placebo group where no
of course they will feel the effects. If youoverall  improvement  was  made.
starve anyone for long enough of vital
nutrients then the body will react in certainDuring the 3-6 month period when the placebo
ways if you then replace those nutrients,group crossed over to Omega 3 fish oil
the body will return in time to its correctsupplementation, considerable improvements
balance.were shown in the same areas, with an average
reading gain of 13.5 months and an average
What is ADHD? A good definition is asspelling gain at over 6 months. The active
follows:group continuing supplementation displayed
further signs of progress or maintained their
A common developmental and behaviouralimprovement.
disorder, it is characterised by poor
concentration, distractibility,At the start of the trial, children were a
hyperactivity, and impulsiveness that areyear behind their chronological age for
inappropriate for the child's age. Childrenreading and spelling, but after the trial,
and adults with ADHD are easily distracted bythe active group who had been on Omega 3 fish
sights and sounds in their environment,oil throughout the trial made spelling and
cannot concentrate for long periods of time,reading  gains  over  and  above  their  age.
are restless and impulsive, or have a
tendency to daydream and be slow to completeAn  alternative  view
tasks.
On the face of things these results look
Fish  oil  supplementationfairly conclusive. However, when you take
into account that by their own admission they
With current research revealing that Omega 3had a real battle with the children (and in
fatty acid deficiencies may be a factorsome cases parents) to change their eating
affecting learning difficulties, authoritieshabits then the results - to a qualified
in Durham, England, initiated a programme todietician and anyone who knows what a
see if it was possible that an improved dietbalanced diet is swing. Far from seeming to
would lead to improvements in the classroom.show that fish oil cures ADHD and dyspraxia,
But overturning the high-carbohydrate,it rather appears to demonstrate the need for
heavily-processed diets that childrena very balanced diet, with all these
typically consume was going to be a momentousnutritional components included in the first
task. So they decided to see if fatty acidsplace.
in the form of a fish oil supplement could be
of  any  use.What would be far more interesting than
turning a lot of unruly childrens diets into
This was the largest and most extensive trialthe correct balance and then claiming that
looking at Omega 3 fatty acids and learningfish oil helps with ADHD, would be to take a
conditions to be carried out within thelot of children who eat a very balanced
United  Kingdom.Mediterranean style diet, which is already
very balanced, and perform a trial with those
This trial involved more than 100 children atchildren to see if it actually improves their
12 primary schools in the Durham area. Thereading  or  spelling  ability.
trial looked at dyspraxia and motor skills,
but  also  assessed  for  dyslexia  and ADHD.Conclusion
Trial  resultsNot all the children involved in the trial
showed great gains in behaviour, spelling and
At the start of the trial, the percentage ofreading, and those children that did show
children within the clinical range of an ADHDgreat gains were in my opinion children who
diagnosis was set at 32% for the fish oilwere very badly deficient in Omega 3 already
group  and  31%  for  the  placebo  group.through  a  very  poor  diet.
After 3 months of omega 3 fish oilThe correct approach is not to supplement
supplementation, the percentage of childrenchildren with fish oil, but to drastically
within the clinical range of an ADHDimprove the childs eating habits, following
diagnosis reduced to 18% for the fatty acidthe example of a Mediterranean diet which
group, whereas this only dropped 1 % for theincludes oily fish, and trying to cut out all
placebo  group.additives and preservatives and the wrong
kinds  of  bad  fats.
A raw score was calculated from the teacher
rating form that assessed each child'sAs most parents will know this is almost an
behaviour. After 3 months there was a highlyimpossibility, but changing a few little
significant reduction seen in the fish oilthings about the diet will make a difference.
supplement group, compared to those onAs for the fish oil capsules, if you really
placebo, in this behavioural score. The fattycant get your child to eat oily fish then as
acid group reduced from an average score ofthis trial proves, supplementing with a high
74.7 to 58.1., whereas the before and afterquality fish oil supplement is highly
treatment scores for the placebo group wereadvisable so that your child can get the
69.5  and  67.9.correct amount of Omega 3 in their diet.



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