Research paper
Efficacy and Safety of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Supplementation in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials
Study answer
What this study found
PUFA supplementation did not provide a clinically meaningful benefit for ADHD symptoms or related outcomes overall. Parent-rated core symptoms showed a small improvement (SMD -0.17, 95% CI -0.32 to -0.02; k = 23), but teacher-rated symptoms were not improved (SMD -0.06, 95% CI -0.31 to 0.19; k = 10). Behavioral difficulties were null for both parent ratings (SMD -0.02, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.14; k = 7) and teacher ratings (SMD -0.04, 95% CI -0.35 to 0.26; k = 5), and quality of life was unchanged (SMD 0.01, 95% CI -0.29 to 0.31). Adverse effects were not substantially increased, including…
- Study & population
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 clinical trials in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years with ADHD diagnosed by ICD-10 or DSM criteria.
- Intervention
- Polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation, including omega-3 and/or omega-6 formulations, was evaluated in children and adolescents with ADHD.
- Key limitation
- Certainty of evidence was low to very low because of risk of bias and imprecision.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Based on epidemiological and animal studies, the rationale for using polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as a treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) seems promising. Here, the objective was to systematically identify and critic…