Omega 3 ADHD

Another large trial from Purdue university (stevens et al 1995 1996) gives us a better insight into how essential fatty acid supplementation can help children with ADHD. The children were supplemented with DHA and EPA, their finding shows supplementation with DHA was completely ineffective in ADHD, however, the EPA group showed significant improvement in all areas. They also found that this was consistent with other evidence that EPA rather than DHA is thought to be the more important omega 3 for the management of attentional, cognitive problems thought to be associated with ADHD.

Dr Alexander Richarson is senior research fellow in neuroscience at the imperial college school of medicine. In a recent paper that was written and published on the internet she concluded this” Direct supplementation with HUFA may therefore be of benefit in the management of these conditions. Controlled trials have provided preliminary evidence for this in both ADHD and dyslexia, although more large-scale clinical treatment trials are needed. Findings suggest greater benefits from omega 3 fatty acids, and particularly EPA.

The fatty acid profile of the brain

Docosahexaenic acid (DHA) is the most common fatty acid in the brain, and the person with dyslexia / ADHD are often deficient in DHA. It is the eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) which is the most efficient nutritional supplement for the correction of the problem.
This paradox is explained as follows: The reason for DHA deficiency is a genetically determined over-activity of an enzyme, phospholipase A2, which breaks down DHA molecules in the brain cells. EPA inhibits the over-activity of this enzyme and thereby spares DHA. Moreover, ingested EPA turns into DHA in the brain whenever we are deficient in it.

Click here to go to the PuraEPA website.