ADD and Omega 3 Fish Oil

When a child or adult suffers from ADD, their lives can
seem insurmountably difficult. Not only are they unable to
concentrate in their work or school time, but they can also
become easily frustrated by their inability to keep up with
their normal friends. They find themselves moving from one
task to another without being able to complete things as
well as their intelligence might suggest. While science
has tried to create medications that can control this
disruption in the brain's chemistry, often these
medications can cause more troubles than they are worth.

Defining ADD and ADHD

ADD or attention deficit disorder has become a sort of joke
in society. When someone has troubles concentrating, they
are referred to as ADD in a very negative sense. However,
there are many children and adults that are truly suffering
from this condition. Whether it's a condition of their
environment and inability to interact in this environment
without certain skills or if it's a condition in which the
brain chemistry isn't working well, ADD is a serious
condition that is no laughing matter.

ADD occurs when the brain in unable to process the messages
it receives from the outside environment. Often, the brain
is working at too fast a speed to process the information
easily, causing the child or adult to not be able to do
anything with the things they are learning. They can't
keep up with themselves, in a sense, so they're always
looking for new pieces of information to keep them
stimulated. As this happens, they can have troubles
remembering what they are supposed to be doing at their
particular moment or what they have already done.

Children and adults may exhibit symptoms like:

Problems with focussing
Issues with completing tasks on time
Low test scores
Problems with work assignments
Inability to concentrate on long term projects

Many times, they will also have troubles with mood
balancing at the same time. They might become so
frustrated with the way their brain doesn't work that they
can also begin to have troubles with depression and anxiety.

Treatments in ADD Right Now

One of the most popular ways to deal with ADD right now is
with the use of Ritalin as well as other newer prescription
medications. These medications work to slow the brain down
so that it can process information more easily. In many
children, it can be quite effective, but it's not without
side effects that have made many parents unwilling to try
this treatment. For example, there is some concern that
these kinds of medications can actually accentuate feelings
of depression, often resulting in children or adults that
are suicidal. And if the child is always suffering from
depression, this kind of treatment plan is only going to
perpetuate the feelings.

Some newer treatments are including holistic methods like
acupuncture, acupressure, mediation and changes in diet.
These seem to be working well for many patients, but they
are not the only option.

Why More People are Turning to Fish Oil

A few years ago, schools in the UK were actually
considering making fish oil supplementation a part of the
school day because of its promising effects. A study done
by Oxford-Durham in 2005 noted that children that took fish
oil supplements that contained EFA were more likely to
report fewer problems with concentration and anxiety than
those in the placebo group.

By studying 100 students, giving half of the students a
supplement six times per day of fish oil and EFA and the
other half a pill with olive oil in it, researchers noticed
that students that received the EFA were able to spell
better and to read better over the course of the first
three months. As time continued, these results continued
to improve.

Other studies done at Ohio State University noted that
adults can also benefit from fish oil supplementation when
they had been diagnosed with ADD and ADHD.

How to Add Fish Oil to a Child's Day

When you are ready to try to add fish oil supplements to
your child's diet or to your own, you have a number of
options to consider. The easiest way to make sure that the
patient is receiving consistent levels of the essential
fatty acids is through fish oil supplements. High quality
supplements will ensure that the right amount is taken each
day, without needing to prepare anything for a meal.

Of course, if the patient or family has the time to cook,
sources like oily fishes are the best choice. By eating
only two servings of these fishes a week, the benefits of
the fish oil fatty acids can be seen. Since the body can
not make these essential fatty acids on its own, it's
imperative that they be taken into the body via the diet or
by supplements.

Conclusion

If a child or adult is suffering from ADD, adding fish oil
to the diet can be a good way to help to regulate the
symptoms as well as to provide a side effect free way to
help their lives.

----------------------------------------------------
Dave McEvoy is an expert in omega 3 fish oil EPA with over
20 years experience; for more information about fish oil
and how it can help come and visit.
http://www.mind1st.co.uk/addfishoil.asp