Fish oil contains two primary fatty acids of the omega-3 class known as DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, and EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid. Researchers have studied both of them for their effects on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. DHA was studied in isolation of EPA because it has some very interesting properties regarding brain composition. However, positive results in terms of alleviating ADHD symptoms have been limited to studies that tested a combination dose of DHA and EPA.
DHA Properties
According to researchers reporting in the March 2005 issue of the "Indian Journal of Pediatrics," the brain is the fattiest organ, and DHA is its prominent structural fat. DHA caught the attention of ADHD researchers because it composes 100 percent of the structural fats of the cortex. The cortex is the part of the brain responsible for concentration, social control and impulse control. Poor concentration and lack of impulse control are characteristic ADHD symptoms, so researchers hoped that supplementing DHA in ADHD patients would improve their behavioral problems.
DHA Supplements
Researchers reporting in the August 2001 issue of the "Journal of Pediatrics" tested the hypothesis in 63 children with ADHD between the ages of six and 12. All the children were taking medication and responding favorably. They were randomized to receive either 345 mg of DHA or a placebo every day for four months. At the end of the trial, the children taking the DHA capsules showed no improvement compared with the placebo group. However, the researchers noted that the DHA dose was relatively small and suggested a larger dose might produce different results.
Dietary DHA
A second group of researchers reporting in the March 2004 edition of the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" tested the DHA hypothesis by using DHA-enriched foods rather than DHA supplements. To further distinguish their trial from the one above, they enrolled children who were not taking ADHD medication. Their study population included 40 children also aged six to 12 years. Participants were randomized to receive either soybean milk and bread enriched with DHA totaling 3,600 mg per week or plain soybean milk and bread for two months. At the end of the trial, neither group showed improvements.
Combined DHA and EPA
Researchers reporting in the April 2004 issue of "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids" described research using combined EPA and DHA supplements from fish oil. Fifty children with ADHD received either 80 mg EPA and 480 mg DHA daily or a placebo for four months. The study was limited to children showing signs of fatty acid deficiency, including excessive thirst and dry skin. At the end of the trial, the deficiency symptoms improved, and the omega-3 group improved on two of 16 outcomes -- parent-rated conduct problems and teacher-rated attentional difficulties. The researchers concluded fatty acid interventions are warranted in children with ADHD symptoms.
References
- "Indian Journal of Pediatrics"; Essential Fatty Acids, DHA and Human Brain; Meharban Singh; March 2005
- "Journal of Pediatrics"; A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial of Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ; Robert Voigt et al.; August 2001
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid Containing Food Administration on Symptoms of Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder -- Placebo-controlled Double-blind Study; S Hirayama et al.; March 2004
- "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids"; Clinical Trials of Fatty Acid Treatment in ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and the Autistic Spectrum: Alexandra Richardson; April 2004
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