ADHD: Omega-3 Supplements Help Reduce Symptoms and Improve Cognitive Performance

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: All the Benefits of Omega-3s

In children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), omega-3 supplements improve cognitive performance, attention, and behavior, especially in the family setting. The positive effects are linked to the consumption of at least 500 milligrams per day of EPA. These are the results of a new study that also confirms the link between omega-3 deficiency and ADHD symptoms.

The meta-analysis, that is, a study analyzing the combined results of other research, was published by researchers from King’s College London (UK) in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

What is ADHD?

Children with ADHD, compared to their peers, have a clear difficulty maintaining attention or working on the same task for a prolonged period. These issues mainly appear at school, where they struggle to pay attention to details, frequently make “careless mistakes,” and work incompletely and disorderly. Other characteristics include excessive motor and vocal activity manifested by constant restlessness and difficulty staying seated, and impulsivity; children with ADHD respond too quickly and often interrupt others during conversations.

Medicinal therapies such as methylphenidate are the most commonly used for ADHD. However, in recent years there has been growing interest in non-pharmacological strategies to provide alternatives to parents and doctors seeking different or supplementary treatments. One of these is supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids. However, the efficacy of these supplements has long been debated. 

Some studies have reported a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms after treatment with DHA and EPA. However, subsequent attempts to replicate these results have failed to confirm such effects. Although low omega-3 plasma levels are frequently found in children with ADHD, most studies investigating omega-3 efficacy have produced conflicting results to date.

Omega-3 supplements improve disease symptoms

The new meta-analysis conducted by the British researchers on children and adolescents investigated the relationship between ADHD and omega-3 levels, as well as between symptoms and omega-3 supplementation. Statistical results first confirmed that subjects with ADHD had lower blood levels of EPA, DHA, and total omega-3. Additionally, data revealed an association between omega-3 supplementation and improvements in cognitive performance; in particular, a reduction in hyperactivity was observed when doses of at least 500 milligrams of EPA per day were administered. Surprisingly, decreases in hyperactivity and inattention were not reported by teachers but were noted by parents describing behavior at home. 

According to the study’s authors, these results provide evidence supporting a role for omega-3s in ADHD and suggest omega-3 supplementation as a clinically relevant intervention. Within the context of “personalized medicine,” it can be hypothesized that young people with ADHD and low blood levels of EPA and DHA may respond better to omega-3 supplementation. Similarly, the same authors previously demonstrated that individuals with a genetic risk for a specific type of depression had low omega-3 concentrations in red blood cells and that supplementation with these fatty acids could reduce disease risk. 

Moreover, a recent study published in Molecular Psychiatry classified patients with major depressive disorder into high and low inflammation groups and showed that subjects in the high inflammation group responded better to EPA. Therefore, stratifying children with ADHD based on omega-3 levels could be an approach to optimize the therapeutic effects of EPA and DHA supplementation. Omega-3s are crucial for optimal neurotransmitter function: their high presence in the cell membrane can regulate its fluidity and the function of the dopamine transporter, a neurotransmitter that controls attention and memory.

Research details

The new meta-analysis collected and analyzed results from seven clinical trials involving 543 children and adolescents, revealing that omega-3s were associated with improvements in clinical symptoms of ADHD, while data from three other clinical trials involving 214 children and adolescents indicated a positive impact of omega-3 supplements on cognitive measures related to attention. The meta-analysis was performed using specific software and relied on consolidated scientific literature databases to identify the most appropriate studies for inclusion. 

Commenting on the study, Harry Rice, Vice President of the EPA and DHA organization (GOED), stated that he had always been skeptical about the positive role of EPA and DHA for children with ADHD, but the results of this meta-analysis appear very promising. Furthermore, according to Rice, considering the safety profile of omega-3s in terms of side effects compared to medications for ADHD treatment, increasing omega-3 intake is advisable, especially for children who do not eat at least two servings of fatty fish per week or do not regularly take omega-3 supplements.

Which supplements can help with attention deficit and hyperactivity?

VitaDHA liquid is a product particularly suited to support cognitive functions, being rich in DHA, the fatty acid most represented in neuron membranes. One vial of VitaDHA liquid contains 1450 milligrams of DHA and 330 milligrams of EPA, easily absorbed by the body because they are in natural triglyceride form. The product has a pleasant taste and is therefore especially suitable for children. 

Sources:

Chang et al., “Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Youths with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials and Biological Studies”; Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 43, No. 3, 01.02.2018.