Omega-3s, Not ADHD Meds
A 1997 book summarized research suggesting that listening to certain types of music may enhance some aspects of mental functioning. Although the research upon which the book was based has been controversial at best, many parents have invested in classical music recordings to give their kids an edge over their peers. As a lifelong classical music fan, I don’t want to be too disparaging of this concept, but there are more scientifically substantiated ways to give your child a mental boost as we approach a new school season. Few things can give a child a better start in life than wise and loving parenting combined with optimal nutrition.
Building Healthier Brains
Among the key nutrients for building healthy brain tissue are essential fatty acids. The human brain has one of the highest concentrations of fats of any organ in the body. Fatty acids serve as building blocks for structures critical to brain function—nerve cell membranes, nerve fibers, myelinated sheaths around nerve fibers, the retina of the eye, blood vessels, heart tissue, and blood cells. Fifty percent of gray matter fatty acids are polyunsaturated, and at least one-third of those are omega-3s. These fats are essential because they cannot be made in the body; they must be obtained from the diet. The omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), as found in flaxseed oil (such as Barlean’s Organic Flaxseed Oil), was featured in one of the first experiments demonstrating the effect of nutrients on the structure and function of the brain. Unfortunately, most diets in Western industrialized nations are loaded with omega-6s, but they are lacking in omega-3s.
Most brain growth in humans is completed by age five to six years. At birth the brain’s weight is 70 percent of that of an adult. During infancy, the brain undergoes 15 percent growth, and most of the remaining growth is completed during preschool years. The importance of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as a major structural building material for nerve cell membranes, especially in the brain and the retinas of the eyes, is now widely recognized.
DHA on nerve cell membranes influences the way these cells communicate with each other. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the parent compound of DHA, is used by nerve cells to make local hormones that are not only involved in cell communication, but also reduce inflammation tendency in brain tissue. DHA deficiency has been linked to a wide variety of intellectual and emotional abnormalities, including diminished visual acuity, learning difficulties, depression, and suicide. Tragically, the majority of infant formulas have long been nearly devoid of omega-3 fatty acids, while loaded with omega-6 fats. This is one of the reasons informed midwives, naturopathic physicians, and progressive obstetricians recommend breast-feeding over formula. It is critical that pregnant and nursing women nourish themselves well with omega-3 food sources (small wild ocean fish, flaxseed oil, and fish oil) in order to nourish their developing babies.
Head Start at Home
Many mothers fail to appreciate the kind of advantage in life they can lovingly give their children by ensuring that their children are optimally nourished with omega-3 fatty acids. Research investigations reveal that infants of mothers supplemented with DHA and other omega-3s had higher mental processing scores, better psychomotor development, superior eye-hand coordination and greater stereo acuity at four years of age. Children supplemented with DHA display better memory, ability to solve simple problems and language skills than those who did not receive DHA. This evidence suggests that omega-3 fats may enhance learning capability and academic performance.
Children’s need for omega-3 fatty acids for optimal brain health does not end at preschool years. Even though the brain may not be growing in size and weight, new nerve cell connections are constantly being established as the child learns and gains experience. In fact, it is now understood that the final wiring of the frontal lobes of the brain, the seat of responsible judgment and consideration of long-term consequences of choices and actions, is not completed until age 22 to 24 years. Therefore, a parent needs to ensure that the developing brain of her child is nurtured with essential omega-3s continually through childhood and adolescence.
A Natural Alternative to Ritalin
Intake of LNA, EPA, and DHA during preschool years may also help to prevent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although omega-3 deficiency is not the only factor contributing to ADHD, the connection has been confirmed by studies revealing that youngsters with ADHD, when compared with non-ADHD children, tend to have much lower blood levels of DHA.
Further, the presence (or lack thereof) of omega-3s in cell membranes can influence factors that have been implicated in depression and other psychological disturbances in children. Omega-3 deficiency can also lead to unique symptoms during childhood, including greater thirst, more frequent urination, and more health and learning problems than in normal children. Children whose treatment program includes only pharmaceuticals and educational/psychological therapy tend to be at continued high risk for vandalism, petty crime, and alcohol and drug abuse. Dietary improvements may be a key to fostering improved long-term mental health and responsible behavior.
Parents of ADHD children who wish to utilize omega-3 fatty acids to help modify behavior should use sources of the entire omega-3 family—flaxseed oil (Barlean’s Organic Flaxseed Oil) and small wild ocean fish (Barlean’s Fresh CatchTM Cod Liver Oil).
Getting the Most from Dietary Omega-3s
Getting the desired fatty acids on cell membranes is like playing a game of musical chairs. There are only so many spaces for fatty acids to occupy. The overabundance of omega-6s in the Western diet (from grain-fed livestock, common vegetable oils, and processed foods) results in too many cell membrane positions being occupied by omega-6s. We must reduce omega-6 intake while we are increasing omega-3s to correct this imbalance.
An easy way to do this is to use flaxseed oil (for example, Barlean’s Organic Flaxseed Oil) in cooking, as long as the oil is not damaged by direct heating. The tissues of a pregnant or nursing woman can convert significant amounts of LNA from flaxseed oil into EPA and DHA that can supply the needs of a fetus or nursing infant. As a child grows, the innate ability of the body to make this conversion also develops. My book, The Healing Power of Flax (Freedom Press), contains 101 delicious recipes featuring flax that the whole family will enjoy, including the kids. Here is one I particularly like because it includes the purple-blue flavonoid antioxidants in blueberries that can protect the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids from oxidation. 
Blueberry-Almond Flax Smoothie
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana
1/4 cup raw almonds
2 tbsp Barlean’s Organic Flaxseed Oil
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 cup water or rice milk
Put the above ingredients into a blender in the order given. Puree until the texture is smooth. Serves 2 adults.
Dosing
The recommended daily dose for flaxseed oil is one tablespoon per 100 pounds of body weight. This rule of thumb applies well to pregnant and nursing women, in addition to providing as easy way to adjust dosing for children according to their weight. For added insurance, the recommended daily intake of preformed DHA for a pregnant or nursing woman is at least 100 to 300 mg to meet the needs of the fetus and suckling infant. Insist upon only the finest, purified, lab-certified fish oil products that meet or exceed the international standards of quality, such as Barlean’s Fresh Catch Cod Liver Oil.
Making the One Chance Count
Your child only gets one chance at childhood growth and development. Let omega-3s help make that opportunity be the best it can be. Barlean’s essential fatty acid products are available in fine health food stores and natural supermarkets nationwide. To find a natural health center in your area, call
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