Studies of omega-3s as a treatment for AD/HD have failed to prove their effectiveness.
by ADDitude Editors
Doctors have long known that omega-3 fatty acids, found primarily in fish and flax seed, offer benefits to the brain, heart, and mental health. Since medical studies have found that kids with AD/HD have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids than the general population, it was hoped that ingesting these nutrients could help relieve the condition's symptoms. But studies of omega-3s as a treatment for AD/HD have failed to prove their effectiveness.
A recent study from Japan, published in the March issue of European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, has thrown more cold water on the omega-3 known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Twenty students with AD/HD between ages six and 12 were given foods high in DHA. The students showed no significant improvement in AD/HD symptoms over another group who ate food without DHA. However, the study noted that other omega-3s still need to be studied.