Cod Fish Oil for ADHD

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, also called ADHD, refers to a neurological condition in which children and adults are inattentive, impulsive and, in some cases, hyperactive. ADHD first appears in childhood, but often persists into adulthood. A growing body of work suggests dietary factors can contribute to the occurrence and severity of ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD are highly similar to symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency. Supplementation of essential fatty acids with cod liver might reduce ADHD symptoms, but speak to a physician before adding it to your regiment.

Cod Liver Oil Versus Fish Oil

Both fish oil and cod fish oil, more commonly known as cod liver oil, contain the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Cod liver oil tends to contain a higher amount of DHA while fish oil contains a higher concentration of EPA. Cod liver oil also contains high amounts of vitamins A and D, and is more likely to contain potential contaminants that don't pose a risk to adults but might to young children.

ADHD and Fatty Acid Metabolism

Early studies have found that children with ADHD have deficient fatty-acid metabolism. For example, a 1995 study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that children with ADHD had significantly lower levels of key fatty acids than non-ADHD children. About 40 percent of the ADHD children showed symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency, such as dry hair and skin, excessive thirst and frequent urination, and these children had significantly lower plasma concentrations of critical fatty acids than the other ADHD children. This research suggests that there could be different causal pathways and types of ADHD, with one type involving deficiencies in the metabolism of fatty acids.

Treatment Studies

Researcher Natalie Sinn examined the effect of fish oil on children with ADHD symptoms. She reports in the April 2007 "Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics" that parents' ratings of the core ADHD symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity showed improvement over the 15-month period. In a study of the often co-occurring conditions of ADHD and specific learning disabilities -- primarily dyslexia -- researcher Alexandra Richardson reports in the February 2002 "Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry" that supplementation with fatty acids reduced ADHD symptoms in children with learning disabilities.

Fatty Acid Deficiency

If fatty-acid deficiency is one causal factor in the development of ADHD, children who display essential fatty-acid deficiency symptoms, or FADS, should be prime candidates for treatment with essential fatty acids. In the August 2009 edition of "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids," Sinn reports the results of two studies that explore the links between FADS, ADHD symptoms and responsiveness to fatty-acid supplementation. While Sinn found that FADS were related to the severity of ADHD symptoms in the general population, in a second study of children with FADS and ADHD symptoms, neither FADS nor ADHD symptoms responded significantly to omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. Though further research must be done, Sinn concluded that symptoms of fatty acid deficiency do not serve as a reliable selection criterion for children with ADHD who might respond to omega-3 fatty acid supplementation.

Implications for Cod Liver Oil

Most research on ADHD and fatty acid supplementation has been conducted using fish oil, and not cod liver oil. Research has not established the most effective dosage for treatment of ADHD. Still, the dosage that would be required is so high that using cod liver oil is not advisable, as sufficient dosaging would expose children to unnecessary amounts of pollutants and toxin and would risk overdosing children on vitamins A and D. However, administration of regular fish oil carries little risk of toxins, offers health benefits and few, rare side effects. The effectiveness of fish oil is not well enough established that you should consider using fish oil in place of medications or other established treatments of ADHD.