Lee Swanson Research Update

Omega-3 DHA Linked to Improved Literacy for Children with ADHD

June 20, 2012

Increased levels of omega-3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) may be associated with improved literacy in children with learning abilities, according to a new study from Australia.

Children with increased levels of DHA in red blood cells had improved word and spelling skills and their parents rated their overall ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) symptoms lower, according to findings published in the journal Nutrition.

"The present study adds to evidence suggesting that increased omega-3 PUFA intake can improve attention, literacy and behavior problems in some children with ADHD," wrote researchers from the University of South Australia, the Queensland University of Technology and the Australian Technology Network Centre for Metabolic Fitness.

"Given the growing body of evidence, it appears that children with ADHD symptoms and co-morbid reading and spelling difficulties may represent a subgroup of responders to omega-3 PUFA supplementation that should be explored in further trials."

The study is said to be the first to evaluate and investigate the effects of EPA-(eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA-rich oils compared with a control on ADHD symptoms in children.

Despite an association between DHA levels in red blood cells and literacy, the Australia-based researchers did not observe a direct effect of supplementation with EPA-rich oil or a DHA-rich oil on cognition and behavior, compared with children receiving a safflower oil control.

Led by Dr. Natalie Parletta, the researchers recruited 90 children with ADHD aged between 9 and 12 to participate in their randomized controlled trial. Children were randomly assigned to receive four 500 mg capsules per day of an EPA-rich fish oil (1,109 mg of EPA and 108 mg of DHA per day), a DHA-rich fish oil (264 mg of EPA and 1,032 mg of DHA per day) or safflower oil (1,467 mg of linoleic acid per day).
After four months of supplementation Dr. Parletta and her co-workers did not observe any significant differences between the groups for the primary outcomes.

On the other hand, increased red blood cell levels of DHA were associated with improved word reading and lower ratings of oppositional behavior, as judged by their parents.

In children with learning difficulties, the potential benefits of increased DHA levels were even greater, the researchers said, with significant improvements recorded for word reading, improved spelling and an improved ability to divide attention. In addition, the parents reported lower oppositional behavior, hyperactivity and overall ADHD symptoms.

The researchers did report that increased red blood cell levels of EPA were associated with improved anxiety/shyness, suggesting separate benefits of EPA and DHA.

Commenting on some of the inconsistencies in the literature, Dr. Parletta and her co-workers noted that dose may be important, with the benefits of higher doses used in this study warranting further study.

"Given the low omega-3 PUFA intakes in Western populations generally, the variation in the diagnostic criteria between the studies to date and the recent evidence that DHA supplementation can improve sustained attention and frontal lobe function in healthy boys, future research should explore the benefits of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for children who have developmentally delayed school performance but not necessarily a clinically diagnosed developmental disorder," they concluded.