Omega-3 from A to Z
June/July 2006 Newsletter
Brought to you by Omega-3 Brain BoosterTM
Is your supply running low? Go online and order
today!
As a follow up to our March/April Newsletter, this month we are
focusing again on the desperate need for our children get the proper
nutrition they need to be healthy and successful in life.
Several studies and articles have recently been published highlighting
the importance of omega-3 fish oil in helping children with depression,
ADHD, and learning ability. The importance of our children’s
mental health is not just in the national spotlight, but worldwide
as well.
Omega-3 Brain Booster is an easy-to-use and affordable way for
you and your children or grandchildren to get a daily dose of omega-3.
We use only the purest fish oil, so there is no risk of contaminants,
such as mercury.
Check out our Recipe of the Month after the Article
Summaries.
Latest Omega-3 News & Research
- American Journal of Psychiatry – “Omega-3 fatty acids
may help kids with depression”
- NutraIngredients – “More
support for omega-3 calming ADHD kids”
- Daily Mail – “Clever
capsules' that boost young brains”
- The Independent – “Children's
Mental Health: Diet is Critical”
Article Summaries
Omega-3 fatty acids may help kids with depression
American Journal of Psychiatry
June 22, 2006
A recent study conducted in Israel, found that treatment with omega-3
fish oil had a significant benefit on children who suffered from
clinical depression. The majority of the children had a dramatic
reduction in their levels of depression and several of the children
achieved remission. No clinical side effects of the fish oil were
reported during the study.
More support for omega-3 calming ADHD kids
NutraIngredients
By Stephen Daniells
June 22, 2006
Omega-3 fish oil was tested against the common medication Ritalin
for its effect on ADHD, in a study conducted at the University of
South Australia. In the UK alone, prescriptions for Ritalin have
increased from 2,000 in 1991 to more than 300,000 in 2005.
The study found that omega-3 fish oil had an overall more positive
effect on ADHD and behavior, such as inattention, hyperactivity,
and impulsivity, than Ritalin. Omega-3 also had a more long term
benefit. While the prescription medication seems to not provide
any benefit beyond four weeks, the children taking the fish oil
supplement continued to improve after 15 weeks of supplementation.
The article also mentions that the British government is considering
using omega-3 and omega-6 supplements in schools.
Clever capsules that boost young brains
Daily Mail, United Kingdom
By Sarah Harris
May 31, 2006
In Britain, fish oil pills have taken on the nickname ‘clever
capsules’, in part due to recent findings that supplementation
with omega-3 fish oil can boost the brainpower and concentration
levels of young students.
Eight and nine year old students were given supplements of omega-3
fish oil for a nine month period. According to the study, 74 percent
of children showed improvements in math, 81 percent in reading,
and 67 percent in writing. Some students even jumped ahead by the
equivalent of two levels in the national curriculum tests. The school
administrators also noticed a difference in the students’ behavior,
concentration levels, and attentiveness.
The article also looks at a case study of an eight-year-old child
with behavioral problems and learning challenges. Omega-3 fish oil
supplementation improved her behavior, concentration span, and reading
and writing skills.
Children's Mental Health: Diet is Critical
Letters to
the Editor, The Independent, United Kingdom
By Professor Michael A. Crawford and Jack Winkler
June 26, 2006
Omega-3 expert Professor Michael Crawford of the Institute of Brain
Chemistry and Human Nutrition and Jack Winkler, Director of Food
and Health Research at London N1, refers to our children’s
mental health problems as an “impending crisis.” They
sight deficiencies of omega-3 fatty acids as a root cause for these
problems.
In the European Union, brain disorders have surpassed every other
disease category in healthcare costs. The writers issue a call to
action in educating children on healthy food choices, where to buy
them, and how to prepare them.
They conclude, “What is now at stake is the health and abilities
of children yet to be born.”
Recipe of the Month
Homemade Omega-3 Pancakes
Makes about 6 pancakes
125mg of Omega-3 per pancake
Sift:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (not needed)
1 ½ heaping teaspoons of Omega-3 Brain Booster
Beat and add:
1 egg (optional)
Add:
1 cup milk
Stir gradually to make smooth, then add:
1 teaspoon melted butter or oil
Cook in a hot frying pan, flip pancakes when they bubble.
*Or you can use a ready-made pancake mix. Just add Omega-3
Brain Booster directly to the powder mix before adding
water or milk.
Full Articles
Treatment with omega-3 fatty acids, the type found in fish oils,
appears to benefit children suffering from clinical depression,
according to pilot study conducted in Israel.
The results of some studies in adults with major depressive disorder
have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may be an effective add-on
therapy. However, the effects of this supplement in children with
the disorder are unknown, researchers explain in the American Journal
of Psychiatry.
Dr. R. H. Belmaker, of Ben Gurion University of the Negev, and
colleagues conducted a trial in which 28 depressed children between
the ages of 6 and 12 years old were randomly assigned to omega-3
fatty acids or placebo.
Standardized depression scores were used to assess the children
at the start of the study and throughout the 16-week trial.
Twenty children who remained in the study for at least 1 month
were included in the analysis.
Seven out of 10 children in the active treatment group and none
of the children in the placebo group had a reduction in depression
scores of more than 50 percent. Four children in the omega-3 group
achieved remission.
No clinically relevant side effects were reported, the researchers
say.
The omega-3 fatty acid supplement used in the study was "a
combination of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid that
is commonly available as an over-the-counter preparation," the
researchers note.
Belmaker and colleagues conclude that the effects of omega-3 fatty
acids are "highly significant." This is the first such
study, they believe, that has been conducted in children.
SOURCE: American Journal of Psychiatry, June 2006.
6/22/2006- Supplements of omega-3 and omega-6 improved the attention
span and hyperactivity scores of young Australians, and was rated
better than the common medication Ritalin.
The study adds to a growing number of studies looking at the effect
of fish oils on the behaviour and learning of kids, and reports
in the UK suggest the British government may even be considering
omega-3 and omega-6 food supplements in schools.
Conversely, concerns were raised in the House of Lords recently
about the use of Ritalin to help kids suffering from Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Prescriptions for the drug, chemical
name methylphenidate, are reported to have increased from 2,000
in 1991 to over 300,000 in 2005.
ADHD is thought to affect between three to seven per cent of children
in the UK, with the problem continuing into adulthood for as many
as 60 per cent of sufferers. Boys are reported to be three times
more likely than girls to suffer from ADHD, according to the National
Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (ADDISS).
The new study from the University of South Australia recruited
132 kids with ADHD aged 7 to 12 for the randomised, placebo-controlled,
double-blind intervention trial.
For the first 15 weeks of study, the kids were given daily supplements
of either polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6, 3000
milligrams per day), PUFAs plus multivitamins and minerals, or placebo
capsules (palm oil).
After 15 weeks the placebo group crossed-over to the PUFA plus
multivitamins and minerals supplement, and the other groups remained
constant.
The supplement, provided by Equazen Nutraceuticals, was derived
from high-EPA marine fish oil and virgin evening primrose oil (GLA).
The eyeq capsules formulation contained Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),
Docosahexaenioc acid (DHA), GLA, and vitamin E.
Parents were asked to rate their child’s condition after
15 and 30 weeks with the 14 ADHD scales of the Connor’s Parent
Rating Scales. After 15 weeks of eyeq supplements, improvements
were recorded in 9 out of 14 scales.
“Supplementation with PUFA over 15 weeks resulted in significant
improvements compared to placebo in parent ratings of core ADHD-related
behavioural and cognitive difficulties, namely inattention, hyperactivity
and impulsivity, with medium to large effect sizes, and also in
ratings of oppositional behaviour,” reported the researchers,
led by Natalie Sinn.
After 30 weeks (placebo group switching to eyeq supplements) the
parental ratings of behaviour improved significantly in 10 out of
14 scales.
“The fish oil groups continued to improve after taking the
supplement for a further 15 weeks. According to the data the multivitamin/mineral
supplement had no additional effects,” said Sinn.
The researchers also compared the effects of Ritalin to the effects
observed by fish oil supplements. Using a comparison figure from
a meta-analysis (CMAJ, 2001, Vol. 165, pp.1475-1488), Sinn and her
co-workers calculated that the Ritalin had a total effect on the
ADHD index of 0.54.
A larger effect value of 0.59 was calculated for the group that
took the fish oil supplements for the whole 30 weeks, while the
placebo group that switched to fish oil after 15 weeks had an effect
value of 1.03.
“There is no known evidence that medication provides any
benefits beyond four weeks, whereas in the present trial symptoms
continued to improve after 15 weeks of supplementation,” said
the South Australian team.
It should be noted that when teachers were asked to rate the behaviour
of the children no effects were recorded. The researchers downplayed
these results, saying that parental ratings were more valid.
The mechanism behind the supplement's effect seems to be specific
to the type of omega oil. EPA is proposed to function by increasing
blood flow in the body. It is also suggested to affect hormones
and the immune system, both of which have a direct effect on brain
function.
DHA on the other hand, is involved in the membrane of ion channels
in the brain, making it easier for them to change shape and transit
electrical signals.
This is not the first time that omega-3 supplements have been linked
to improvements in attention and decreased hyperactivity. A British-based
study, led by Dr Madeleine Portwood at Durham Local Education Authority,
reported in March that three months of supplementation the teenagers’ inattentiveness
fell from an average of 94 at the start of the trial to a mere 17
per cent at the end.
The Portwood trial also used Equazen eyeq in the same doses, but
followed a smaller sample population.
Dr Portwood, responded to the results of the Australian study,
saying that is was more support for the benefits of fish oil on
behaviour and learning.
“This study shows once again that omega-3 can have a very
beneficial effect for children with concentration and behaviour
problems. We have seen from our trials in the Durham area that when
these symptoms are addressed the children can access the good quality
teaching provided by schools and see an improved academic performance,” said
Portwood.
Nick Giovannelli of the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group
also welcomed the results.
“This new study adds to the mounting evidence that nutrition
is safer and more effective than stimulant medication,” he
said.
Clever capsules that boost young brains
Daily Mail, United Kingdom
By Sarah Harris
May 31, 2006
Regular doses of fish oils can dramatically boost young children's
grasp of the three Rs, a study has revealed.
Research suggests that so-called 'clever capsules' improve youngsters'
brainpower and concentration levels. The performance of children
across all ages and abilities has been raised in a series of high-profile
trials across the country.
In the latest study, 34 pupils aged eight to nine at Newhall Park
Primary School in Bradford received a daily dose of omega-3 oils.
The pupils, representing a broad ability range, were given tests
in reading, writing and numeracy before the study began and again
nine months later.
Seventy-four per cent of children showed improvements in numeracy,
81 per cent in reading and 67 per cent in writing.
Some pupils leapt ahead by the equivalent of more than two levels
in national curriculum tests. Teachers also noted improvements in
concentration levels and behaviour.
The study, funded by Boots, was launched last September after teachers
at the primary school became concerned about the concentration levels
of some pupils. Healthy school meals were also introduced.
'Incredible differences'
Headmaster John Flockton said: "A couple of years ago we noticed
that a significant number of pupils were fidgety and had a low attention
span, not being able to sit through the Harvest Festival. But now
that has all changed.
"We are seeing some incredible differences, not least that
children can sit still and can engage with teaching and learning.
We have been thrilled with the changes we have seen in the children."
He said that one pupil with learning difficulties, who was previously
unable to hold a pencil, could now sit still and hold a conversation
with teachers.
He called for government funding for schools to give omega-3 to
pupils. "This would be a significant help for some children," he
said.
Children were given Boots Smart Omega-3 fish oil every day of the
week, including during holidays. The project is ongoing and is now
being rolled out to older pupils.
The school, which is situated in a deprived area, has some 350
pupils, about a quarter of whom have special educational needs.
Omega-3 oils are polyunsaturates or 'good' fats which are important
for the functioning of the body. The essential fatty acids are found
in fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, herring and trout.
A recent study discovered that daily doses of fish oils could improve
children's GCSE performance. Pupils aged 15 and 16 at Fleetwood
Sports College in Lancashire took capsules containing omega-3 for
12 weeks in the critical run-up to their exams last year.
On average, they exceeded the results predicted for them by one
grade. Research from Durham local education authority revealed that
toddlers whose communication skills were below average could catch
up in months by taking essential fats found in fish and seeds.
At the start of the trial, almost half of the 65-strong group of
children aged 18 to 30 months were rated as having 'poor' or 'very
poor' behaviour.
But after receiving daily doses of eye q smooth - a combination
of omega-3 fish oil and omega-6 evening primrose oil - for five
months, nine out of ten had improved to moderate or good ratings.
Last year, an exclusive Daily Mail study showed impressive improvements
in children at a school in Hertfordshire who were given the supplement
eye q.
Case study
Morgan Crabtree is a changed child after taking daily doses of
omega-3 fish oils. The eight-year-old used to have problems concentrating,
threw regular tantrums and became bored very easily.
But her parents can now see dramatic changes since Morgan began
taking the supplements at Newhall Park Primary School last September.
Her concentration levels, behaviour, reading and hand-writing skills
have all markedly improved. Her mother Lindsey, a 33-year-old civil
servant, said: "She's like a totally different child. Before,
she didn't have long concentration spans.
"She's much quieter and calmer and will happily do her homework
without any prompting. She's had good school reports this year and
she was praised at parents' evening."
Her father Jason, 35, a mechanic, added: "Her reading has
come on in leaps and bounds. She's always been a neat writer but
the way she puts sentences together has come on an awful lot.
"Her temper tantrums are also few and far between whereas
before they were the norm."
Children's Mental Health: Diet is Critical
Letters to
the Editor, The Independent, United Kingdom
By Professor Michael A. Crawford and Jack Winkler
June 26, 2006
Sir: The British Medical Association's report on the increase in
children's mental problems is a pre-emptive warning of an impending
crisis (report, 21 June). Admirable, too, that they recognised the
critical role of diet in these issues.
However, it is not just sugary foods that cause problems but, even
more fundamentally, increasing deficiencies in brain-specific omega-3
fatty acids, from a child's time in the womb onwards.
What we need is not more research, but action. The current growth
in mental ill health was predicted back in 1972, based on the science
available then. An EU audit last year found the brain disorders
have surpassed every other disease category in the costs of ill
health.
It was The Independent on Sunday which broke the story of the Government's
proposals to provide omega-3 supplements to children. Ministers
recognise that the scientific evidence is already sufficient to
justify prompt remedial action. But this is just an interim solution.
Over the long term, we need to put a health component into EU food
and fisheries policies, so we have a sustainable supply of appropriate
fish, and stop subsidising products rich in fat, sugar and salt.
We also need to restore nutrition education to the school curriculum,
so children know what constitutes a healthy diet, where to shop
for it, how to cook it, and actually enjoy eating it.
What is now at stake is the health and abilities of children yet
to be born.
Professor Michael A. Crawford
Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human
Nutrition, London Metropolitan Unversity
Jack Winkler
Director, Food & Health Research, London N1
