It’s back to school time and children’s brains need proper nutrition for growth and development. The brain is made up of around 60% fat and half of that is the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. It stands to reason that a diet low in DHA could lead to less than optimal brain function, including the symptoms associated with ADHD. That's exactly what some recent research is showing. Research published in the April 2012 issue of the journal Nutrition suggests that DHA supplementation is associated with improved literacy and behavior in children with ADHD, in particular those who also have learning difficulties. Similar research in the July 2012 issue of the journal Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders showed a strong correlation between increased omega-3 levels and a more than 25% reduction in ADHD symptoms. The easiest way to increase DHA levels is supplementing with a good quality fish oil, as well as consuming more fish, flax, hemp, walnuts, and dark leafy greens. Alternatives to fish oil include flax seed oil and an oil from an algae (Schizochytrium sp.) that is a particularly high vegan/vegetarian source of DHA. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22541055 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22753087
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorsScott Figueroa and Holly Letourneau are naturopathic doctors and co-founders of Hart & Sol Integrative Healthcare. Archives
May 2014
Categories
All
|