Essential Fatty Acids and ADHD
Essential Fatty Acids or Omega Oils are Valuable in the Treatment of ADHD
About 70% of the tissues of the human brain are made of Fats and Fatty Acids. They are considered the building blocks of the brain, brain functioning, and brain health from conception to the latest stages of life. They are linked to IQ, nerve development, eye development and health, memory and attention, skin and hair health, the myelination of nerve cells, and more.
For example, the myelin sheath that covers neurons is about 70% fatty acids and about 30% protein. Oleic Acid is the most common Fatty Acid in myelin. Oleic Acid is very common in our diets. Milk, Olive Oils, and Nuts are all high in Oleic Acid.
Fatty Acids such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and AA (arachidonic acid) are essential to the health and development of babies. During pregnancy Fatty Acids are taken from the mother, so the mother should be taking supplements and eating foods rich in Fatty Acids. As infants these Fatty Acids are supplied through breast milk and some formulas. A developing baby must have a diet rich in FAs for optimum brain and eye development.
Essential Fatty Acids are so named because they are not made by the human body and must be obtained through diet or supplements. The two Essential Fatty Acids are the omega 3 fatty acid Alpha-Linolenic acid, and the omega 6 fatty acid Linoleic acid. Alpha-Linolenic acid and Linoleic acid can undergo changes that would form longer chain fatty acids such as DGLA, AA, and DHA.
Omega 3 fatty acids are concentrated in the brain, and Omega 3 deficiencies may be associated with learning problems, depression, behavioral problems, hyperactivity, and other neurological problems throughout life. Omega 6 fatty acids are found in most cells throughout the body. Omega 6 fatty acids are essential for growth, reproduction, immune function, brain development, healthy skin and hair, and more.
There are other Fatty Acids which are perhaps "essential" too. They are gamma-linolenic acid (omega-6), lauric acid (saturated fatty acid), and palmitoleic acid (monosaturated fatty acid).
Docosahexaenoic Acid, or DHA, is an Omega 3 fatty acid that is very important throughout our lives for optimal synaptic functioning. DHA is the structural fatty acid in the gray matter human brain and in the human eye. There has been a lot of research on DHA and infant brain development in the past twenty years which have shown the critical importance of DHA to fetal development and newborns.
A correlation exists between low levels of DHA and problems associated with aging in adults. Dementia, depression, memory problems, and vision problems are all associated with DHA deficiencies in adults. One study found that the brains of Alzheimer's patients showed lower levels of DHA and AA than the brains of healthy geriatric patients. Foods such as fish, meats, and eggs are the main adult sources of DHA. Supplements are helpful too.
Some researchers think that DHA and other Fatty Acid deficiencies play a role in ADHD.
Essential Fatty Acids | Omega Oils | ADHD Treatment
The studies on Essential Fatty Acid levels in Attention Deficit Disorder are interesting enough for parents and professionals to consider including Essential Fatty Acid supplementation as an important part of the treatment of ADHD in children, teens, and adults. We have linked to a few of the studies below for you to consider.
In Stevens, et al “Essential fatty acids metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder” the study found that the 53 ADHD subjects studied had significantly lower concentrations of key essential fatty acids than did the control groups. In the control group without ADHD about 9% of the subjects showed symptoms of EFA deficiency, but in the ADHD group about 40% showed signs of EFA deficiency. The symptoms included:
- increased thirst
- frequent urination
- dry skin
- dry or brittle hair
Low levels of Omega 6 EFAs contributed to higher incidents of illness (colds, flu, etc.), and deficits in Omega 3 EFAs contributed to problems with learning, behavior, sleep, and temper tantrums. The results of Stevens’ study showed that the ADHD subjects had significantly lower amounts of polar lipid fatty acids in plasma, and also lower concentrations of total fatty acids than the control group.
Mitchel, et al “Clinical characteristics and serum essential fatty acid levels in hyperactive children” found significantly lower plasma concentrations of EFAs in children with hyperactivity. They also found that the children they studies had higher rates of thirst, frequent urination, dry skin, dry hair, and brittle nails, which are all symptomatic of EFA deficiencies.
There are dozens of studies that support the case for EFA supplementation as a part of the overall treatment approach to Attention Deficit Disorder - ADHD. We would recommend it highly and see no downside to adding Essential Fatty Acids to one’s diet.
See our ADHD Eating Program for our recommendations, or read the articles listed below for more information.
Read our sample of articles below.
Benefits from EFA Supplementation in ADHD
Effect of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids and micronutrients on learning and behavior problems associated with child ADHD.
Sinn N, and Bryan J.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Reasearch Organization Human Nutrition, Adelaide, South Australia.
METHODS: Various developmental problems including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been linked to biological deficiencies in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Additionally, there is evidence that symptoms may be reduced with PUFA supplementation.
This study investigated effects of supplementation with PUFAs on symptoms typically associated with ADHD. Because nutrients work synergistically, additional effects of micronutrient supplementation were also investigated.
A total of 132 Australian children aged 7 to 12 years with scores > or = 2 SD above the population average on the Conners ADHD Index participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind intervention over 15 weeks, taking PUFAs alone, PUFAs + micronutrients, or placebo.
Due to unreturned questionnaires, data were only available for 104 children.
RESULTS: Significant medium to strong positive treatment effects were found on parent ratings of core ADHD symptoms, inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, on the Conners Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) in both PUFA treatment groups compared with the placebo group; no additional effects were found with the micronutrients.
After a one-way crossover to active supplements in all groups for a further 15 weeks, these results were replicated in the placebo group, and the treatment groups continued to show significant improvements on CPRS core symptoms. No significant effects were found on Conners Teacher Rating Scales.
CONCLUSION: These results add to preliminary findings that ADHD-related problems with inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity might respond to treatment with PUFAs and that improvements may continue with supplementation extending to 30 weeks.
Effects of Fatty Acids on ADHD Symptoms and LDs
A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids on ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties.
Richardso AJ, and Puri BK.
University Department of Physiology, Oxford, England, UK.
The authors tested the prediction that relative deficiencies in highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) may underlie some of the behavioral and learning problems associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by studying the effects of HUFA supplementation on ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties (mainly dyslexia) who also showed ADHD features.
Forty-one children aged 8-12 years with both specific learning difficulties and above-average ADHD ratings were randomly allocated to HUFA supplementation or placebo for 12 weeks.
At both baseline and follow-up, a range of behavioral and learning problems associated with ADHD was assessed using standardized parent rating scales.
At baseline, the groups did not differ, but after 12 weeks mean scores for cognitive problems and general behavior problems were significantly lower for the group treated with HUFA than for the placebo group; there were significant improvements from baseline on 7 out of 14 scales for active treatment, compared with none for placebo.
HUFA supplementation appears to reduce ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties.
Given the safety and tolerability of this simple treatment, results from this pilot study strongly support the case for further investigations.
PMID: 11817499 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Essential Fatty Acid Metabolism ADHD
Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder.
Burgess, JR, et al.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1995; 62;761-68.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the term used to describe children who are inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive. The cause is unknown and is thought to be multifactorial.
Based on the work of others, we hypothesized that some children with ADHD have altered fatty acid metabolism.
The present study found that 53 subjects with ADHD had significantly lower concentrations of key fatty acids in the plasma polar lipids (20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, and 22:6n-3) and in red blood cell total lipids (20:4n-6 and 22:4n-6) than did the 43 control subjects. Also, a subgroup of 21 subjects with ADHD exhibiting many symptoms of essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency had significantly lower plasma concentrations of 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 than did 32 subjects with ADHD with few EFA-deficiency symptoms.
The data are discussed with respect to cause, but the precise reason for lower fatty acid concentrations in some children with ADHD is not clear.
Flax Seed Oil and Vitamin C with ADHD
Supplementation with flax oil and vitamin C improves the outcome of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
* Joshi K,
* Lad S,
* Kale M,
* Patwardhan B,
* Mahadik SP,
* Patni B,
* Chaudhary A,
* Bhave S,
* Pandit A.
Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind, Pune-411007, Maharashtra, India.
Considerable clinical and experimental evidence now supports the idea that deficiencies or imbalances in certain highly unsaturated fatty acids may contribute to a range of common developmental disorders including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
This pilot study evaluates the effect of alpha linolenic acid (ALA)-rich nutritional supplementation in the form of flax oil and antioxidant emulsion on blood fatty acids composition and behavior in children with ADHD. Post-supplementation levels of RBC membrane fatty acids were significantly higher than pretreatment levels as well as the levels in control.
There was significant improvement in the symptoms of ADHD reflected by reduction in total hyperactivity scores of ADHD children derived from ADHD rating scale.
PMID: 16314082 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Oxford-Durham Study: Fatty Acids ADHD and DCD
The Oxford-Durham study: a randomized, controlled trial of dietary supplementation with fatty acids in children with developmental coordination disorder.
* Richardson AJ,
* Montgomery P.
University Laboratory of Physiology, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom.
BACKGROUND: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects approximately 5% of school-aged children. In addition to the core deficits in motor function, this condition is associated commonly with difficulties in learning, behavior, and psychosocial adjustment that persist into adulthood.
Mounting evidence suggests that a relative lack of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids may contribute to related neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Given the current lack of effective, evidence-based treatment options for DCD, the use of fatty acid supplements merits investigation.
METHODS: A randomized, controlled trial of dietary supplementation with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, compared with placebo, was conducted with 117 children with DCD (5-12 years of age). Treatment for 3 months in parallel groups was followed by a 1-way crossover from placebo to active treatment for an additional 3 months.
RESULTS: No effect of treatment on motor skills was apparent, but significant improvements for active treatment versus placebo were found in reading, spelling, and behavior over 3 months of treatment in parallel groups.
After the crossover, similar changes were seen in the placebo-active group, whereas children continuing with active treatment maintained or improved their progress.
CONCLUSIONS: Fatty acid supplementation may offer a safe efficacious treatment option for educational and behavioral problems among children with DCD.
Additional work is needed to investigate whether our inability to detect any improvement in motor skills reflects the measures used and to assess the durability of treatment effects on behavior and academic progress.
PMID: 15867048 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in ADHD
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Burgess, JR, et al.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000,Vol. 71, No. 1, 327-330.
Several previous studies indicated that some physical symptoms reported in ADHD are similar to symptoms observed in essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency in animals and humans deprived of EFAs.
We reported previously that a subgroup of ADHD subjects reporting many symptoms indicative of EFA deficiency (L-ADHD) had significantly lower proportions of plasma arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid than did ADHD subjects with few such symptoms or control subjects.
In another study using contrast analysis of the plasma polar lipid data, subjects with lower compositions of total n-3 fatty acids had significantly more behavioral problems, temper tantrums, and learning, health, and sleep problems than did those with high proportions of n-3 fatty acids.
The reasons for the lower proportions of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in these children are not clear; however, factors involving fatty acid intake, conversion of EFAs to LCPUFA products, and enhanced metabolism are discussed.
Primrose Oil Has Little Effect in this Study
The effects of essential fatty acid supplementation by Efamol in hyperactive children.
* Aman MG,
* Mitchell EA,
* Turbott SH.
Thirty-one children, selected for marked inattention and overactivity, were studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of essential fatty acid (EFA) supplementation.
Subjects received the active treatment and placebo conditions for 4 weeks each and were assessed on a variety of cognitive, motor, and standardized rating scale measures.
EFA supplementation (evening primrose oil; Efamol) resulted in significantly lower levels of palmitoleic acid (a nonessential fatty acid) and higher concentrations of dihomogammalinolenic acid, an EFA previously found to be deficient in some hyperactive children.
Supplementation was also associated with significant changes on two performance tasks and with significant improvement to parent ratings on the subscales designated as Attention Problem and Motor Excess of the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist.
However, a variety of eight other psychomotor performance tests and two standardized teacher rating scales failed to indicate treatment effects.
When the experiment-wise probability level was set at .05, only 2 of 42 variables showed treatment effects.
Baseline EFA concentrations appeared to be unrelated to treatment response. It was concluded that EFA supplementation, as employed here, produces minimal or no improvements in hyperactive children selected without regard to baseline EFA concentrations.
PMID: 3553274 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]