• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

ADHD and fish oil

Ryokan

Insert something funny here
Ryokan
Joined
Nov 17, 2004
Messages
10,862
Location
Norway
Taking a combination of fish oil and evening primrose oil capsules can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a study run by the University of South Australia and CSIRO shows.
Click to expand...

“Children in the study were given combined fish/primrose oil capsules or placebo oil capsules. After 15 weeks, parents of children who had been taking the combined oil supplement reported reduced inattention, hyperactivity, restlessness and impulsive behaviour, while these improvements were not reported in the placebo group. After children in the placebo group switched to the combined oil supplement for 15 weeks, they showed similar improvements in attention span and reduced hyperactivity, restlessness and impulsive behaviour, while the original fish/primrose oil group showed even greater improvements after an additional 15 weeks of taking the combined oil supplement. From this research we can see increased benefits in extending the use of the combined oil supplementation,” Sinn said.

The researchers also conducted cognitive assessments, which confirmed the improvements in attention of children, adding further strength to reports by parents of better attention.
Click to expand...

Source

Very interesting.
 
pchams said:
Does ADHD exist?
If so, how is it tested for chemically?
Click to expand...

Those with ADHD react very differently to Ritalin than 'normal' people.

ADHD + Ritalin = Calms down

Normal + Ritalin = Full of energy

That, in itself, is pretty good evidence for ADHD.
 
Ryokan said:
Those with ADHD react very differently to Ritalin than 'normal' people.

ADHD + Ritalin = Calms down

Normal + Ritalin = Full of energy

That, in itself, is pretty good evidence for ADHD.
Click to expand...


All that is is a fact. It can't be extended to prove something else. The fact is that different people react differently to Ritalin.

Different people react differently to alcohol: Some are quiet and sullen, some loud and boisterous. Some people react differently to anti-histamines. My daughter becomes hyperactive and can't sleep. I become so sleepy I can't safely drive. I presume that proves one of us has some horrible disorder then?
 
Freethinker said:
All that is is a fact. It can't be extended to prove something else. The fact is that different people react differently to Ritalin.

Different people react differently to alcohol: Some are quiet and sullen, some loud and boisterous. Some people react differently to anti-histamines. My daughter becomes hyperactive and can't sleep. I become so sleepy I can't safely drive. I presume that proves one of us has some horrible disorder then?
Click to expand...

This is not evaluated in the absence of other symptoms, such as difficulty focusing, short attention span, behavioral issues, etc.

Reaction to Ritalin can be used to diagnose, if the patient calsm down and the symtpoms lessen and/or disappear, it points to ADHD.

If not, it's something else.

Lose the straw, argue the actuality.
 
Freethinker said:
Different people react differently to alcohol: Some are quiet and sullen, some loud and boisterous. Some people react differently to anti-histamines. My daughter becomes hyperactive and can't sleep. I become so sleepy I can't safely drive. I presume that proves one of us has some horrible disorder then?
Click to expand...
Well, ignoring the scare word horrible, yes, perhaps one of you does. The question is simply whether the disorder causes you much trouble. If so, then it is referred to as a disorder. If not, then it is ignored.

~~ Paul
 
Hmm.. Fish oil.

/me pops 3 capsules

Well, seem to work for me, but it may be placebo, or it may be other causes(like i am working on overcoming my problems), but it may be the fish oil.

*shrug*

I've investigated the Omega-3 claim a lot before i started taking them, and it appears to be totally kosher.

I take it to help with my autism. It gives me a higher stress tolerance, and better sleep rythm.

As for AD(H)D i would claim that it does exist.
 
If it exists, how is it tested for medically? ie. a blood/hormone test?

If there is no medical test, and it is indicated through observation of behavior, isn't it a broad catch-all category? (The yuppie name for the old 'hyperactive' child)
This would make testing a specific substance fairly difficult would it not?
ie. How would one choose a control group?
 
Are you really saying that ADHD does not exist because there is no blood test for it? How do you feel about depression, schizophrenia, autism, or anorexia? Are these just yuppie catch phrases, too?
 
interesting about the evening primrose oil - I stopped taking that as I got the impression that the research (a year or so ago) suggested it was only effective at lightening your wallet. Did they try just fish oil, or only the combo capsule?
 
pchams said:
If it exists, how is it tested for medically? ie. a blood/hormone test?

If there is no medical test, and it is indicated through observation of behavior, isn't it a broad catch-all category? (The yuppie name for the old 'hyperactive' child)
This would make testing a specific substance fairly difficult would it not?
ie. How would one choose a control group?
Click to expand...

I'll start off by stating that IANAP, but a sufferer of this disorder.

As a psychological disorder with an unknown cause <1>, there is currently no physical test for it.
It does however have a specific set of observable criteria to meet, set forth in the DSM-IV <2>, before it is diagnosed by a professional psychiatrist.

In my personal experience, for whatever it's worth, there are great deal of diagnoses of this disorder by people not qualified or prepared to do so. This often leads to the mis-representation of a broad brush approach to this disorder.


1. ADHD is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood and can persist through adolescence and into adulthood. Currently the causes are unknown.

2. DSM-IV Criteria for ADHD
 
I have been taking fish-oil pills under the direction of my physician for cholesterol-related reasons. I suffer from adult ADHD (at least, I was diagnosed as a child and I am currently experiencing continued symptoms) and I have not noticed an improvement. I had not heard of this study before today. This is of particular interest to me because I have been considering resuming treatment for this.


That's just one story though.
 
meg said:
Are you really saying that ADHD does not exist because there is no blood test for it? How do you feel about depression, schizophrenia, autism, or anorexia? Are these just yuppie catch phrases, too?
Click to expand...
I believe you can actually test for (most?) autism by checking the melatonin level in the brain. It is not being done, and it would probably not be definet, but it is one thing where the blood (almost always?) work is different.

The reason for the ()'s is that i am not sure how many people with autism have too little melatonin, i have one source saying 80%, and one source saying 100%. Also, just being deficient in melatonin alone would not be enough and could be caused by other things.

Also, in people with autism you will see(i don't know to what degree, or for how big a percentage) a defficiency of Omega-3, and too many heavy metals.

Of course i do not know if any of these tests(or all of them combined) will find everyone with autism, or if some people with autism will fall through. But those are ways that, if not all atleast many, people can be shown to have autism.

Sincerely
Tobias
 
gnome said:
I have been taking fish-oil pills under the direction of my physician for cholesterol-related reasons. I suffer from adult ADHD (at least, I was diagnosed as a child and I am currently experiencing continued symptoms) and I have not noticed an improvement. I had not heard of this study before today. This is of particular interest to me because I have been considering resuming treatment for this.


That's just one story though.
Click to expand...
How much are you taking, and for how long? just wondering. Took 3 months of 6 pills daily for me before i felt anything(still doesn't prove it works though, and i admit that).
 
TobiasTheCommie said:
How much are you taking, and for how long? just wondering. Took 3 months of 6 pills daily for me before i felt anything(still doesn't prove it works though, and i admit that).
Click to expand...

Certainly not that long. Just a few weeks, three a day.
 
It doesn't matter how many capsules you take because the content in omega-3 varies depending on the brand. You have to make sure you get 1-1.5gr of EPA+DHA daily. This is something that everyone should take daily.
 
jon said:
interesting about the evening primrose oil - I stopped taking that as I got the impression that the research (a year or so ago) suggested it was only effective at lightening your wallet. Did they try just fish oil, or only the combo capsule?
Click to expand...

That's a really good question.
I was also under the impression that evening primrose was bunk, but I know that Omega 3 is an extremely useful supplement for a variety of disorders.
 
Evening Primrose Oil supplies omega-6, not omega-3. Generally you don't need omega-6, in fact too much omega-6 interferes with the benefits of omega-3.
 
As reported on an evening current affairs report (so take this with a grain of salt), the symptoms of ADHD are caused by the lack of Omega fatty acids in the children's diet. The test subjects were, allegedly, eating junk food low in these substances, and were diagnosed properly as ADHD. Adding this supplement to their diets made measureable differences. The supplements used were in the form of readily-available OTC fish-oil capsules.

The testing was properly blinded too - if CSIRO did the testing, you can be quite assured it would be valid testing protocols - and the results were confirmed this way. From what I have seen so far, the claims being made for this treatment are "guardedly positive" for a specific set of conditions, a proper scientific stance for when testing produces positive results.

The TV report also noted that the supplements would not be necessary if the childrens' diets included occasional oily fish, and some specific vegetables and pulses (walnuts and avocados, IIRC) which also contain these oils. So it's hardly woo, but just watch - the fish-oil capsule industry will be off like a rocket very soon, making all sorts of wild and unsupportable claims...

I'll take the million in small mixed-number bills, please...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom