New studies on fish oil and ADHD are giving parents with ADHD kids hope. While these are not necessarily conclusive yet, there are enough evidences to prove that fish oil helps reduce the symptoms of ADHD.
Short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD is characterized by shortened attention span, forgetfulness, failure to complete simple tasks, inability to carry on with conversations, and hyperactivity among others. These symptoms are easily overlooked because children are normally hyperactive. Toddlers especially are such big bags of wind - it's almost impossible to keep them still. There was a time when ADHD was actually thought to be just a billion dollar scam, but grounds disproving the claim are many. For one thing, kids diagnosed with ADHD share several characteristics, among them low levels of dopamine (a brain chemical), low RBC count, and high ratio of AA against EPA. This alone can tell you that ADHD is not just a product of one's mind, but is actually rooted to something.
ADHD patients are often treated with Ritalin to control the problem. Ritalin does increase dopamine levels in the brain, but comes with side effects that can be truly annoying. It can also be very costly in the long run. In the hope of finding an alternative cure, scientists are delving deeper into the matter and uncovered something very interesting - the characteristics present in almost all ADHD sufferers can be resolved by one thing - Omega 3 fatty acids. These are fatty acids that naturally increase dopamine levels and RBC counts, while lowering the AA:EPA ratio.
It's only proper that studies on fish oil and ADHD are conducted because fish oil is a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids. You are probably thinking along the line of eating as many servings of fish as possible in a day in order to get the required amount of Omega-3. Yet, doctors will not recommend daily servings of fish just to get the full benefits of fish oil because certain varieties of fish are in fact contaminated with mercury, lead, or some other toxins that can do anyone more harm than good.
You will be advised instead to take fish oil in the form of supplements, but choose the kind that has been extracted from tuna or Hoki fish from the icy waters of New Zealand because these contain high amounts of the essential fatty acids. One other thing to take note of is if the supplements are molecularly distilled. You have to make certain that they are, as this only serves to guarantee that you are letting your child take a toxin-free and high quality product.
Along with taking fish oil supplements, encouraging a healthier lifestyle for your kid should be made a priority. You can't say that your child is too young to be afflicted with any serious disease so you'd rather not force him or her to eat vegetables just yet. It's never too early to instill to your child the right values, especially when it comes to making food choices.
It's true that there is nothing conclusive yet about fish oil and ADHD , but it shouldn't hurt to talk about it with your doctor.
Here's a Secret Tip:
All natural and safe, the omega 3 fish oil is definitely worth a try!
