Friday, January 13, 2012

What You Need To Know About Fish Oil and ADHD

What is the connection between fish oil and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)? Fish oil is a rich source of omega3 fatty acids, which are packed with potent health benefits. These essential fatty acids help in reducing joint pain, inflammation and symptoms of PMS and improving heart functioning, energy levels and mood swings

Research has been going on to confirm the beneficial effects of omega 3 on the mental development and recent studies have shown a link between fish oil and ADHD and proved that fish oil is effective in treating the symptoms of ADHD. The omega3 fatty acids present in fish oil helps in improving concentration and mental focus, which are the main symptoms of children with ADHD.


What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a common disorder mainly affecting children and is characterized by three main symptoms- hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. Children with ADHD show symptoms like poor coordination, difficulty in concentration, short attention span, difficulty in finishing tasks, difficulty in learning things, increased physical activity and impulsivity. According to studies, definite cause behind the occurrence of ADHD is still unknown. But, research has linked the occurrence of ADHD with deficiency of certain fatty acids.

What causes ADHD?

According to studies, definite cause behind the occurrence of ADHD is still unknown. But, research has linked the occurrence of ADHD with deficiency of certain fatty acids. These long chain fatty acids that are found to be deficient in ADHD sufferers are eiscosapentaenoic, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic acids all of which are the metabolites of the essential fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6.

Fish Oil and ADHD:

Recent study conducted at University of Adelaide in Australia has shown an association between fish oil and ADHD. According to study, fish oil is beneficial in improving the symptoms of ADHD in children. During the study of children with ADHD, some children were given fish oil and dramatic improvement in their symptoms was observed in those children within three months. This suggested the potent benefits of fish oil in improving the symptoms of ADHD. Fish oil contains DHA and EPA, which are essential for the normal development of the brain. Fish oil can be used as a dietary supplement in children having symptoms of ADHD as fish oil helps in promoting neuro-developmental health.

Why do we need omega3 supplements from outside?

Omega 3 contains DHA and EPA. DHA is an essential fatty acid, which forms the major component of human brain. Our body cannot manufacture omega 3 from within and therefore it has to be provided from the diet or in the form of supplements. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, black cod etc. are rich source of omega 3, but one has to be cautious about the contaminants present in the fish. To avoid the risk of contamination, one can use fish oil supplements, which undergo vigorous decontamination processes to make it free from mercury and other toxins.

Although primary treatment for ADHD children includes psychotherapy sessions and conventional medications, but dietary supplementation in the form of fish oil is also proved beneficial by the recent studies. Long term use of fish oil in ADHD children is known to be effective in reducing the symptoms.

No comments:

Post a Comment