Omega-3/6 supplementation for mild to moderate inattentive ADHD: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy study in Italian children

Carucci, Sara; Romaniello, R.; Demuru, Giovanni; Curatolo, Paolo; Grelloni, Clementina; Masi, Gabriele; Liboni, Francesca; Mereu, Alessandra; Contu, Paolo; Lamberti, Marco; Gagliano, Antonella; Zuddas, Alessandro

doi:10.1007/s00406-022-01428-2

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…The authors believe these results, particularly those following ITT analyses, appear to show a slight positive effect of omega-3/omega-6 fatty acids in preschool-age children at risk of ADHD, though they alert for the need to replicate the study with larger samples to draw further conclusions. More recently, a 2022 Italian study with a total of 160 children investigated the efficacy of a specific omega-3/6 dietary supplement with omega-3/6 in ameliorating inattentive symptoms in inattentive ADHD children (6–12 years) with a baseline ADHD RS Inattention score ≥ 12 [ 76 ]. The supplement capsules contained 279 mg EPA, 87 mg DHA, and 30 mg GLA each.…”

Section: Nutritional and Dietary Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eating Patterns and Dietary Interventions in ADHD: A Narrative Review

et al. 2022

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood, affecting ~7% of children and adolescents. Given its adverse health outcomes and high healthcare and societal costs, other treatment options beyond pharmacotherapy have been explored. Case-control studies have shown that dietary patterns may influence the risk of ADHD, and specific dietary interventions have been proposed as coadjuvant treatments in this disorder. These include nutritional supplements, gut microbiome-targeted interventions with biotics, and elimination diets. The purpose of this review is to examine which dietary patterns are most associated with ADHD and to summarize the existing evidence for the clinical use of dietary interventions. The literature showed that non-healthy dietary patterns were positively associated with ADHD, whereas healthy patterns were negatively associated. As for nutritional supplements, only vitamin D and vitamin D + magnesium appeared to improve ADHD symptoms when baseline levels of vitamin D were insufficient/deficient. Regarding biotics, evidence was only found for Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and for multi-species probiotic supplementation. Elimination diets have scarce evidence and lead to nutritional deficiencies, so caution is advised. Overall, more robust scientific evidence is required for these dietary interventions to be implemented as part of ADHD therapy.

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Section: Nutritional and Dietary Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eating Patterns and Dietary Interventions in ADHD: A Narrative Review

et al. 2022

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“…The mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of fatty acids on ADHD remain unclear, although several potential pathways have been explored. Studies suggest that imbalances in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid levels in the blood of ADHD patients might contribute to the disorder, possibly due to disrupted fatty acid metabolism or increased inflammation (71,72). Fatty acids also play a critical role in early brain development, influencing neuronal growth, communication between brain cells (synaptic function), and neurotransmitter signaling.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma fatty acids and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a Mendelian randomization investigation

Zhou,

Zhang,

Yuan

et al. 2024

Front. Psychiatry

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BackgroundAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood, and pathogenesis is not fully understood. Observational studies suggest an association between fatty acids abnormalities and ADHD, but there are contradictions and differences between these findings. To address this uncertainty, we employed a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal relationship between fatty acids and ADHD.MethodsWe conducted a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study, selecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) highly correlated with fatty acid levels from the CHARGE Consortium as our instruments. The outcome data were sourced from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) dataset on ADHD, comprising 225,534 individuals, with 162,384 cases and 65,693 controls. Inverse variance weighting, MR-Egger, and weighted median methods were employed to estimate the causal relationship between fatty acids and ADHD. Cochran’s Q-test was used to quantify heterogeneity of instrumental variables. Sensitivity analyses included MR-Egger intercept tests, leave-one-out analyses, and funnel plots.ResultsThe MR analysis revealed no significant associations between genetically predicted levels of various saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (including omega-3 and omega-6) and ADHD risk in the CHARGE and PGC cohorts. Notably, an initial association with Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) (OR = 1.009, p = 0.032 by IVW) did not persist after correction for multiple testing (adjusted p-value = 0.286). Sensitivity analysis supported our findings, indicating robustness. Moreover, there was a lack of evidence supporting a causal link from ADHD to fatty acids.ConclusionWhile our study on the basis of genetic data does not provide evidence to support the causal role of fatty acids in ADHD, it does not preclude their potential involvement in reducing the risk of ADHD. Further research is needed to explore this possibility.

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“…Intention-to-treat analyses provided some evidence of positive effects of omega-3/omega-6 fatty acids on parent- and teacher-rated ADHD symptoms. The effects of an omega-3/6 dietary supplement versus placebo on inattentive symptoms in a total of 160 children aged 6–12 years with inattentive ADHD were examined in a randomized controlled trial with a 6-month double-blind evaluation period [ 42 ]. The response rates were similar in both groups after 6 months, and no clinical benefits of omega-3/6 supplementation were detected [ 42 ].…”

Section: Omega-3 Fatty Acidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition in the Management of ADHD: A Review of Recent Research

Lange,

Nakamura

et al. 2023

Curr Nutr Rep

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Purpose of Review Various nutrients and diet quality have been suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of ADHD. The purpose of this review was to examine data from recent cohort studies and dietary interventions to determine whether nutrition may play a role in the management of ADHD. Recent Findings Preliminary evidence suggests that minerals might have beneficial effects on ADHD symptomatology. Probiotics might offer novel strategies to prevent or treat ADHD. Inverse associations between adherence to “healthy” diets and ADHD symptoms have been observed. Children with ADHD responding to the few-foods diet (or oligoantigenic diet) with an elimination of individually identified food items show substantially improved behavior and cognitive functioning. Summary Evidence from recent research does not allow any recommendations regarding the use of micronutrients or probiotics in the management of ADHD. The few-foods diet may become an additional therapeutic option for children with ADHD.

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Omega-3/6 supplementation for mild to moderate inattentive ADHD: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy study in Italian children

Cited by 10 publications

References 63 publications

Eating Patterns and Dietary Interventions in ADHD: A Narrative Review

Eating Patterns and Dietary Interventions in ADHD: A Narrative Review

Plasma fatty acids and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a Mendelian randomization investigation

Nutrition in the Management of ADHD: A Review of Recent Research

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