Fatty Acid Supplementation May Aid Kids with ADHD

Fatty Acid Supplementation May Aid Kids with ADHD

LONDON--Supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids seems to reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with learning difficulties, according to researchers at the Imperial College School of Medicine who published their findings in the February issue of Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry (26, 2:233-39, 2002) (www.elsevier.com). Researchers involved 41 children (aged 8 to 12 years) with specific learning difficulties and above-average ADHD ratings. The children were randomly assigned to either supplementation with highly unsaturated fattyacids--arachidonic acid (AA), dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)--or placebo for 12 weeks. At baseline and follow-up, children were rated for behavioral and learning problems associated with ADHD. At baseline, groups did not differ, but after 12 weeks, the supplement group demonstrated a reduction in cognitive and general behavior problems as compared to the placebo group. The treatment group also demonstrated improvements from baseline in seven out of 14 scales for active treatment as compared to none in the placebo group. Researchers concluded that supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids appears to reduce ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties, and results from this pilot study strongly support the need for future trials.