Oil Change
Oil Change
“It’s so simple, so safe and so under-used. But more and more evidence is pointing toward Omega-3 fatty acids as a remarkably effective treatment for ADHD”
That lead off comment from a recent blog entry from Michele Cagan (whose “HSI On the Spot” blog appears on the home page of our web site) reminded me of a friend of mine named Rob who started giving fish oil to his 12-year-old son Kevin last year to address a hyperactivity problem. So I checked in with Rob to see how things were going, and his response includes some useful information for any parent who’s considering fish oil supplements for their kids.
Pushing drugs
Rob’s story will probably be familiar to many parents.
When Kevin was in 5th grade, Rob and his wife Julie attended a routine parent-teacher meeting and were surprised when one of Kevin’s teachers asked if they’d ever considered having their son tested for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Long story short: Several of Kevin’s teachers thought he should be medicated. But when Rob and Julie looked at their son, they didn’t see a problem, they saw a healthy boy with plenty of energy, an outgoing sense of humor, and lots of curiosity – in other words: a normal kid. So instead of medication they cut way back on his junk food and sugar consumption. And while they saw results at home, some of Kevin’s teachers continued to suggest the need for medication.
Last year, in the e-Alert “The Kids are Alright” (7/10/06), I told you about an Australian study that tested fish oil supplements on more than 100 children (ages 7-12) who had been diagnosed with ADHD. (Michele provides a quick rundown of the details of this study in her 4/20/07 blog entry titled “Omega-3 Cures ADHD?” which you can find at this link: http://www.hsionline.com/redir/blog.html)
Rob and I talked about the study and he said he’d check his local vitamin shop for fish oil products. When I checked back with Rob last week, he told me the fish oil seemed to be having a positive effect. It hadn’t necessarily worked “wonders,” but Kevin’s new teachers this year hadn’t brought up any concerns about hyperactivity. And best of all: No discussions about medication.
Less is more
Rob mentioned that he’d gone through some trial and error in his search for the right product. Fish oil in liquid form was a bust because Kevin strongly resisted taking spoonfuls of the oil. But when Rob looked for fish oil caps, all he could find were gel caps that were too big for a child to swallow. He asked salespeople at vitamin shops if smaller gel caps were available, but they were only knowledgeable about the products on their shelves.
After doing some research online, Rob ordered a product called Eskimo-3 Fish Oil, which comes in gel caps that are about half the size of normal fish oil caps. He says Kevin can easily swallow these and he even likes the flavor, which is helped by a little natural lime and rosemary flavoring.
After talking to Rob, I checked online and found another product called Eskimo Kids, made by Cardinova International, the same Swedish company that manufactures Eskimo-3. It’s a tutti-frutti flavored liquid formula that contains omega-3, 6, and 9, along with vitamins D and E.
One teaspoon contains 800 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, which is a good start. But in “The Kids are Alright,” HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., recommends three to six grams of omega-3 daily when addressing hyperactivity in a 12-year-old. And the added vitamin E is important as well. Dr. Spreen: “The vitamin E counteracts free-radical formation from unsaturated oils (funny how all the hoopla about unsaturated fats seems to ignore that), so for an almost-teenager I’d include at least 400 IU of mixed tocopherols. I’d also add 100 mcg of selenium.”
Parents should discuss the use of supplements with their child’s doctor before starting a fish oil regimen.
For more insights from Dr. Spreen about how to address ADHD with nutritional modifications, you can find the e-Alert “How to Dismantle an ’89 Ford” at this link: http://www.hsionline.com/ealerts/ea200206/ea20020603.html
Sources:
“More Support for Omega-3 Calming ADHD Kids” NutraIngredients, 6/22/06, nutraingredients.com
