Fish Oil and Children -The Durham Trials

Research has shown that when the brain does not get enough of the right of the fatty acids are also used spare fatty acids, which are not ideal and this can have a negative impact on the way the brain functions. Consequently, fatty acid deficiencies, a factor that are worthy of attention in learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children.

The Durham Local Education Authority in England were at the growing number of children, which seemed to be affectedThese include for example due to an inability to concentrate and focus on a task for a long time and trying to find out whether could to supplement their diet with omega-3 fatty acids make a difference.

Dozens of schools and hundreds of children have now taken part in several research studies with fatty acid supplementation by fish oil. These studies, conducted by Dr Madeleine Portwood, Durham now have the trials are known, and after a substantial mediaAttention both in Britain and abroad for the dramatic effects of fish oil appears to learning and behavior in the class have. So far, studies on the pre-primary, primary and secondary school children were conducted.

The Oxford Durham Study

The largest of these studies was conducted in 2002 and more than 100 primary school students from 12 different schools in County Durham, all parties had to coordinate the development of disorder, and someadditional problems with concentration and learning. This study, how to run the well-known Oxford-Durham study was conducted in collaboration with the Dyslexia Research Trust in Oxford, and Dr Alex Richardson of Oxford University, who is an expert on fatty acids and the brain.

The children in the study received either fish oil capsule daily or a placebo and the study was a double blind, no one knew what the child got what. During the week the children weremanages the addition of school staff. Each child was given six 500mg capsules per day, Monday through Friday, each capsule containing either fish oil or a placebo. The parents gave the children the capsules on the weekends and assessments were regularly during the trial.

It can take weeks to show the effect of supplementation with fatty acids, the study over a period of six months, with half of the children taking fish oil for which was carried out,entire 6 months and the other half taking a placebo for the first 3 months and fish oil for the second 3 months.

In the first 3 months, shown on the fish oil from the beginning, dramatic improvements in reading, spelling, and behavior with the placebo group, showing similar improvements when they started, the fish oil. In the original fish oil group in the first 3 months was the average profit for the reading of more than 9Months and just over 6 months for spelling and show them to continue to improve after the first 3 months. In the placebo group, fish oil changed, they showed a reading gain of more than 12 months and 6 months for spelling after only 3 months on fish oil.

The results of this study have not yet been fully analyzed, but the early indications are "encouraging", and according to Dr Madeleine Portwood, up to 40% of children have significantImprovements.

Preschool Trial

Another trial involved the Durham kindergarten children aged between 18 months and a half years old, of which 47 completed the study. After 5 months 91% of those who had improved as assessed under very bad behavior at the beginning of the study, with only 4% is still bad or very bad behavior assessed.

Similar improvements were seen for the concentration by 79%, it's rated good or very good levels after5 months supplementation. Language skills have improved significantly compared to the control groups.

Secondary school study

This study was conducted in 2004 and concentrates such as fatty acids could help school children with symptoms of ADHD, the results were published in March 2006.

At the beginning of the study were 94% with moderate to severe ADHD and assess the same score for inattention, and 89% as additional problems with impulsivity. After 3 Months, the ratings for ADHD and impulsivity to 28% with reduced inattention fell to just 17%.

Conclusion

The results of the Durham trials appear to confirm claims that the brain were used to develop the right kind of fatty acids needs and to function normally. The fish oil in these studies, the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), which is assumed to be fatty acids primarily responsible for the efficient functioning of the brain itself high.

> Fish oil is rapidly gaining recognition for the fact that an effective way to improve the functioning of the brain not only lowers the risk of other health problems, so much indicate that the British government the possibility of fish oil to all school children to consider moves to improve nutrition in general.