A study appearing in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics indicates that omega-3 fish oil might alleviate the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The study by researchers at the University of South Australia involved 132 children suffering from ADHD and lasted for 30 weeks. All children were aged between seven and twelve.
During the first 15 weeks, researchers split the children into three groups and assigned them to receive either Equazen's eye q supplement, eye q plus a multivitamin or a placebo in the form of palm oil capsules. After this all children were given eye q and the multivitamins for the remaining 15 weeks.
Researchers said over 50 percent of the children taking eye q for all of 30 weeks had considerable improvements in symptoms like hyperactivity, impulsivity as well as inattention. However multivitamins showed no benefits in ADHD, the researchers said.
When the placebo group was switched over to eye q, all children showed improvements in ADHD symptoms, the researchers added.
Reacting to the study, Philip Calder, professor of nutritional immunology at the University of Southampton said it was further evidence that omega-3 fatty acids were important in ADHD.
"The results of this latest trial add to the growing body of evidence showing that children with attention problems can benefit from increased intake of certain fatty acids," he added.
