Is it true that flax seed oil will help a child with ADD?

My son was recently diagnosed with ADD and I was told by someone to give him flax seed oil daily instead of Rx medications. Any thoughts out there?Is it true that flax seed oil will help a child with ADD?
Actually, Abby is the closest. DHA is one OF the Omega-3 fatty acids, which is naturally occurring in Fish Oil, not Flax Oil.


It sounds like whoever recommended the Flax Oil heard about Omega-3 and assumed the wrong product. Flax Oil has the Omega-3 fatty acid ALA (Alpha Linolenic Acid), which is quite different than DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and DHA is the one that is most beneficial for brain health. The body can convert between some of the Omega-3 fatty acids, but it takes a lot more effort for the body and it may not convert as much as you need for the benefits you're looking for.





Also, there have been a lot of studies that have shown that Fish Oil can help with ADD/ADHD. It contains both EPA and DHA, which help with all sorts of things including heart health, skin health, and brain health.


Give it a try... it's economical, safe, and easy. Just make sure that the company you get it from uses Molecular Distillation because that's currently the only safe way to remove any trace contaminants of any heavy metals. Of course, if you aren't sure about the dosage or the benefits, you may want to consult with a holistic doctor, as they may have other additional options available to them. Good luck and I hope I helped!Is it true that flax seed oil will help a child with ADD?
Just weighing in to help sort out the contradicting info.





Abby is 100% correct. A couple of additions to her info:


- Most people do not have difficulty with the breakdown/conversion of flax oil into DHA. The DHA component of flax is significant, but not as high as fish oil. And fish oil is more absorbable, so you can use less oil to get the same effects. (Oh - and there are fish oil sup's that are specifically made for kids, flavoured with strawberries, etc. So getting 'em to take the fish oil supplement can be a lot easier if your child is a picky eater.)





This difference in bio-availability/content of DHA is important only because using omega-3s for ADD/ADHD has a dose-dependent effect for many kids.





- There remains some controversy as to whether supplementing with flax oil over long term causes mild to moderate hormonal disruption. (Flax contains phytoestrogens... can have a slightly estrogenic effect.) For my own comfort, I avoid prescribing flax supplementation to kids (especially boys) until the hormonal impact is 100% resolved.
Trying a natural, alternative method is always the first thing you should do before resorting to mind-altering drugs that can result in a plethora of negative side-effects.





Flax Oil contains Omega-3 (a fatty acid), a building block in the majority of your body's processes. When broken down in the body, Omega-3 is converted into DHA, one of three components produced. DHA is important in the development of the brain, and for controlling hormonal responses, since most hormones are run on a ';fat-based'; system.





In an ideal world, your diet would contain sufficient good fats to maintain all of the brain's processes. But it is typical nowadays to find mainly adulterated fats in the diet. Without sufficient healthy fats in the diet, malfunctions in the system can occur, and this is why in my opinion behavioral problems and learning disabilities have have increased in children recently.





There was a study in England recently where they took a number of school children that were known for their behavioral issues and put them on flax oil (that was added to their breakfast) for about two months. Teachers agreed unanimously that they saw a significant decrease in behavoiral incidences, as well as an increase in attentiveness, which showed in increase in tests scores as well.





So, as you can see, since flax oil contains nutrients that your body needs anyway, it can't hurt to try it before resorting to drugs.





For a child under 12, I would recommend that your boy take 1 tablespoon a day (either straight or mixed with already cooked food) for at least a month or more if you can take the time. Let his teacher know that you are doing this so she can also monitor his behavior in class (as children tend to act differently in large groups than at home).





If he has never taken an Omega-3 supplement before, he might experience a gassy stomach for the first couple days. His system should adjust soon afterwards.





Try it! I can guarantee that you won't be sorry afterwards!





ADDED NOTE:


Although it is true that Fish oil contains pure DHA and the Omega-3 in flax oil needs to be broken down by the body, it is NOT true that the body has trouble with this conversion. The only people that have trouble with this conversion are people with comprimised systems, such as diabetics, obese people, etc.





Also, though DHA is an important factor in brain processes, you body DOES need the other components as well, including the ALA mentioned. Also, Flax oil also contains Omega-6 which breaks down into GLA, a large component in a lot of natural behavioral treatments, like the European-produced Efalex.
YES.... I never tried flaxseed oil but my son was on ADHD medication for a few years. He was always thin and the medication just made him skinnier since it's an amphetamine. He had trouble sleeping and headaches. Not to mention if he slept late and didn't take it in time he experienced the ';rebound'; effect - he was bouncing off the walls.





I finally got him on homeopathic ADHD drops that work just as well for him as the RX without any side effects.





I can only find it online and there's a few sites you can get it at for about $20 - just google ';energique add hp';





Also about 30% of the kids with ADHD can be controlled with diet but they have to be on a diet like a diabetic - I couldn't do it, I'd never have been able to keep him away from sugar!





Good luck.
No, it won't. In fact, it will bind with essential vitamins so that the body can't absorb them. Long-term use can lead to serious vitamin-deficiency disease. Such diseases can cause profound harm, even death.