Yahoo LifestyleCould a concentrated fatty acid supplement help ADHD sufferers?
ADHD children who fail to respond to Ritalin may benefit from refined Omega 3 supplement E-EPA 70, according to new research
A particular Omega 3 fatty acid supplement has been found to help ADHD-diagnosed children who fail to respond to the most used drug treatment for the condition - Ritalin.
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In a new study published in the Journal of Child Neurology , Vegepa E-EPA 70 supplements were linked to an improvement in behaviour and academic learning after six months of treatment. The supplements contain an Omega 3 fatty acid and GLA, an Omega 6 derived from evening primrose oil.
Ethyl-EPA 70 is a highly refined Omega 3 fatty acid that has been linked to cell signalling and healthy brain function, in particular, attention and concentration.
The trial involved 94 children clinically diagnosed with ADHD. The parents of all these children had reported no improvement in behaviour or academic learning after taking Ritalin for six months or more, combined with behavioural therapy.
The children were all randomly assigned to take a daily supplement of either Vegepa E-EPA 70 or a placebo. All the children also carried on with their standard treatment.
The children’s parents reported on their condition after three and six months of the trial.
After six months 81 per cent of the children taking the real supplements showed improvements in restlessness, 88 per cent had a reduction in aggression and 71 per cent in anger control.
Parents also reported an improvement in cooperation, both with themselves and teachers in 83 per cent of cases. Three quarters of the children taking the real supplements showed improvement in academic learning.
Though some changes were reported at three months, significant improvements were not noticed until after six months of the trial.
“Whilst previous studies have reported mixed outcomes of Omega 3 supplements in ADHD-diagnosed individuals, this is the first study to report highly significant findings from a combination of EPA with GLA,” explained Professor Basant K. Puri, an expert in nutritional medicine. He added that the success of this trial adds weight to the idea that E-EPA is the active ingredient that causes the positive brain effects seen with Omega 3 fatty acids.
Vegepa E-EPA 70 supplements are available over the counter but doctors advise parents that no standard treatment should be stopped without medical advice.
