For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), treatment generally includes the use of controversial medications. However, a groundbreaking new study published last month in Nutrition Journal (www.nutritionj.com) finds a much safer treatment option—fish oil—is also effective in treating the condition without having the harmful side effects of common drug therapies, like Ritalin, which was recently shown to stunt growth in children and can also cause serious cardiovascular problems and other complications in some patients.

ADHD is a neurological condition characterized by the inability to concentrate in a sustained manner, to pay attention to tasks, and to control impulsive actions. It is estimated that 3 to 7 percent of children have this disorder. For 60-80 percent of children with ADHD, the condition continues into adulthood.

The eight-week pilot study demonstrated that children who consumed between 8 and 16 grams per day of EPA and DHA (the long chain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil) showed significant improvements in their behavior (including inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional/defiant behavior and conduct disorders), as rated by both their parents and the psychiatrist working with them.

The study monitored the ratio of two fatty acids in the blood: arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Previous studies have indicated that children with ADHD have a high AA/EPA ratio in the blood compared to children in control groups. The amount of purified fish oil for each child was adjusted until his or her AA/EPA ratio reached ideal levels.

The study found a statistically significant improvement in problematic behaviors and conduct disorders as the AA/EPA ratio in the blood was lowered, with results for children taking ADHD drugs as well for those who had voluntarily stopped taking their drugs during the study.

“This is an important study as it indicates when adequate levels of fish oil are added to the diet, significant behavioral changes can occur. This study also indicates that the growing epidemic of ADHD may have a strong nutritional component—the lack of sufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA,” said Dr. Barry Sears, one of the co-authors of the study. “Equally important is that supplementation with high-dose fish oil is synergistic with existing drugs, giving both the physician and parent new dietary approaches toward correcting this growing epidemic in our children.”

Dr. Sears is a leading expert in the use of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of chronic disease conditions. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Zone, as well as 11 other books on his hormonal control principles, and is also president of the Inflammation Research Foundation, a non-profit medical research organization that does clinical research in the areas of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and neurological disorders.