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The impact of polyunsaturated fatty acids in reducing child attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders

Catherine Transler1, Ans Eilander, Siobhan Mitchell

  • 1Unilever Food and Health Research Institute, the Netherlands. catherine.transler@unilever.com

Journal of Attention Disorders
|April 29, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Supplementing children with ADHD with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), specifically omega-3 and omega-6, may reduce symptoms. Further research is needed to confirm these findings for ADHD treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Psychiatry
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
  • Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are essential for brain function.
  • Investigating the role of PUFAs in managing ADHD symptoms is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the impact of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in reducing ADHD symptoms in children.
  • To synthesize findings from experimental studies on PUFA supplementation and ADHD.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive literature search of peer-reviewed experimental studies from 1980 to May 2009 was conducted.
  • Databases searched included Psychinfo and Medline, with reference lists also reviewed.
  • Focus on placebo-controlled studies involving children with ADHD or hyperactivity.

Main Results:

  • Supplementation with only n-6 PUFA, only docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or short-chain n-3 and n-6 PUFA showed no effect on ADHD behaviors or cognition.
  • Three out of four studies indicated that a combination of long-chain n-3 and n-6 fatty acids (DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], and gamma-linolenic acid [GLA]) may reduce ADHD symptomatology.
  • Cognitive outcome results were inconsistent across studies.

Conclusions:

  • Current evidence is limited, precluding definitive conclusions on PUFA efficacy for ADHD.
  • Further research on long-chain PUFAs (n-3 and n-6) is warranted.
  • Future studies should explore individual differences, underlying mechanisms (e.g., brain imaging), and improved behavioral observation methods.
Abstract

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