ADHD affects close to 6.1 million U.S. children. This is one out of every nine children ages four to 17 years of age. Worse, an estimated 50% of those cases may persist into adulthood. In the workplace from misdiagnosed cases, ADHD is estimated to be in one out of every six adults. Related conditions are treated with medication or behavioral therapy. Or, a combination of the two. Yet, up to 30% of patients do not respond to stimulant medications. There are growing concerns surrounding the side effects and long-term safety of stimulants.
The past 40 years of research has shown that children with ADHD have much lower levels of essential fatty acids (EFA) in their brains. This is due to genetic differences in the way they metabolize dietary fats. ADHD sufferers are not able to remedy this from their diet alone. They need to supplement.
EFA deficiencies affect cell membrane structure and integrity. This imbalance affects signaling molecules and creates inflammation in your brain. The more inflammation you have the more brain fog and forgetfulness increase. In turn self-direction and concentration decrease for both children and adults.
Not all EFAs are good for you. While a biggie size bottle may be better for the wallet, they are often filled with bad fats that make ADHD worse because they cause more inflammation. Or, they don’t have antioxidants in the capsule. EFAs need a stabilizing agent that must be an antioxidant or when you open the bottle it becomes rancid. This is how a mega-size fish oil or omega 3 capsules are sold at such a discount. They are missing vital ingredients to enhance your health and make the EFAs beneficial. Worse off, missing necessary antioxidants, and the potential to be full of heavy metals such as mercury means taking a cheap EFA will keep you sick. At the same time, the companies knowingly turn a profit at the expense of your wallet and your health.