Critical appraisal of omega-3 fatty acids in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment
Publication year
2016Source
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 12, (2016), pp. 1869-1882ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

Display more detailsDisplay less details
Organization
Anatomy
Journal title
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Volume
vol. 12
Page start
p. 1869
Page end
p. 1882
Subject
Radboudumc 1: Alzheimer`s disease DCMN: Donders Center for Medical NeuroscienceAbstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. The classical treatment of ADHD where stimulant medication is used has revealed severe side effects and intolerance. Consequently, the demand to search for alternative treatment has increased rapidly. When comparing levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs) in ADHD patients with those in age-matching controls, lower levels are found in ADHD patients' blood. omega-3 PUFAs are essential nutrients and necessary for a proper brain function and development. Additionally, there are strong indications that omega-3 PUFA supplements could have beneficial effects on ADHD. However, the results of omega-3 PUFA supplementation studies show a high variability. Therefore, we reviewed recent studies published between 2000 and 2015 to identify effective treatment combinations, the quality of design, and safety and tolerability of omega-3-containing food supplements. We searched the databases MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science with keywords such as "ADHD" and "omega-3/6 PUFA" and identified 25 studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results of these omega-3 PUFA studies are contradictory but, overall, show evidence for a successful treatment of ADHD symptoms. Tolerability of the given supplements was high, and only mild side effects were reported. In conclusion, there is evidence that a omega-3 PUFA treatment has a positive effect on ADHD. It should be added that treatment could be more effective in patients with mild forms of ADHD. Moreover, the dosage of stimulant medication could be reduced when used in combination with omega-3 PUFA supplements. Further studies are necessary to investigate underlying mechanisms that can lead to a reduction of ADHD symptoms due to omega-3 PUFA treatments and also to determine the optimal concentrations of omega-3 PUFAs, whether used as single treatment or in combination with other medication.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [203935]
- Electronic publications [102318]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [80403]
- Open Access publications [70966]
Upload full text
Use your RU credentials (u/z-number and password) to log in with SURFconext to upload a file for processing by the repository team.