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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #99361
Title: DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID (DHA) SUPPLEMENTATION DOES NOT IMPROVE THE SYMPTOMS OFATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (AD/HD)

Author
item VOIGT, ROBERT - BAYLOR COL MEDICINE
item LLORENTE, ANTOLIN - BAYLOR COL MEDICINE
item BERRETTA, MARCIA - BAYLOR COL MEDICINE
item BOUTTE, CYNTHIA - BAYLOR COL MEDICINE
item FRALEY, J - BAYLOR COL MEDICINE
item Jensen, Craig
item Heird, William

Submitted to: Pediatric Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Epidemiological studies suggest that populations with lower dietary intakes of DHA have higher rates of psychiatric disorders. This presumably reflects the lower levels of DHA in neuronal membranes secondary to low dietary DHA intake. Thus, since children with AD/HD have low plasma and erythrocyte phospholipid levels of DHA, it has been postulated that the DHA content of their neuronal membranes also is low and is responsible for the symptoms of AD/HD. If so, DHA supplementation of children with AD/HD will increase plasma levels of DHA and, if neuronal levels of DHA reflect plasma levels, should improve the symptoms of AD/HD. However, this possibility has not been evaluated by a controlled clinical trial. To do so, 70 children (6 to 12 years of age) with AD/HD were assigned randomly and blindly to receive a DHA supplement (345 mg/day) or placebo for 4 month. Despite theoretical arguments concerning the possible role of DHA in the etiology of AD/HD, data from this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial show that a 4- month period of DHA supplementation does not improve symptoms of children with AD/HD.