Omega-3 Supplementation for Children with Learning Difficulties and Attention Deficit Disorder: Is it Beneficial?

Abstract

The use of “natural medicines,” food supplements, and in particular long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3/6) for a large variety of ailments including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other developmental behavioral disorders has dramatically increased in the past few years. In recent publications, doubts have been raised in regard to the benefits and risks of this form of treatment for ADHD. In this article, a short history of the way this treatment has evolved, its theoretical basis, and evidence-based data on the value of this popular supplementation will be reviewed.