Omega-3s Can Reduce Symptoms of ADHD in Children

 

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.Several studies note that children with ADHD have lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids than their healthy peers.

What’s more, numerous studies observe that omega-3 supplements can reduce the symptoms of ADHD.Omega-3s help improve inattention and task completion. They also decrease hyperactivity, impulsiveness, restlessness and aggression.

Recently, researchers observed that fish oil supplements were one of the most promising treatments for ADHD

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Omega-3s Can Reduce Asthma in Children

Asthma is a chronic lung disease with symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing.

Severe asthma attacks can be very dangerous. They are caused by inflammation and swelling in the airways of your lungs.

What’s more, asthma rates in the US have been rising over the past few decades.

Several studies associate omega-3 consumption with a lower risk of asthma in children and young adults.

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Improve Sleep

Good sleep is one of the foundations of optimal health.

Studies tie sleep deprivation to many diseases, including obesity, diabetes and depression.

Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with sleep problems in children and obstructive sleep apnea in adults.

Low levels of DHA are also linked to lower levels of the hormone melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.

Studies in both children and adults reveal that supplementing with omega-3 increases the length and quality of sleep

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Omega-3s Can Promote Brain Health During Pregnancy and Early Life

Omega-3s are crucial for brain growth and development in infants.

DHA accounts for 40% of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in your brain and 60% in the retina of your eye.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that infants fed a DHA-fortified formula have better eyesight than infants fed a formula without it.

Getting enough omega-3s during pregnancy is associated with numerous benefits for your child, including

  • Higher intelligence
  • Better communication and social skills
  • Fewer behavioral problems
  • Decreased risk of developmental delay
  • Decreased risk of ADHD, autism and cerebral palsy

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Children solved tasks better with more omega-3

“We see a clear connection between mother’s omega-3 status and the children’s ability to solve problems, and we see the same effect at the children’s level of the fatty acid when they are three months,” says researcher Maria Wik Markhus.

In a study in 32 pregnant women, the researchers measured the level of omega-3 fatty acid DHA in the blood of gestational week 28. Then they looked at the children’s ability to solve one-year tasks, using a test that their parents filled out. The higher the level of the DHA mothers, the higher the children cut the test.

In addition, the researchers measured the children’s level of DHA when they were three, six and twelve months old. Although the study is small in scale, it gives important results.

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