Author: Dr. Achim Zinggrebe
Many parents think that if their child experiences pronounced fluctuations in concentration, the pediatrician will immediately resort to heavy artillery in the form of medication. But this doesn't have to be the case. Pediatricians, in particular, are always looking for natural, well-tolerated treatment options. This is where dietary supplements come into play when it comes to fluctuations in concentration. Read this chapter to learn how omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to your child's health.
The mysterious omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are long-chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are essential for the human body, meaning the body cannot produce them itself. We must obtain them through our diet.
This is especially true for alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). After infancy, the body's metabolism can convert it into other important omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Good dietary sources of EPA and DHA include fatty marine fish, vegetable oils from rapeseed, walnut, or flaxseed, green leafy vegetables, and chia seeds.
Essential omega-3 fatty acids play an important role as building blocks of brain nerve cells. One-third of the structural fats in the central nervous system consist of DHA. Omega-3 fatty acids also improve blood circulation, inhibit blood clotting, lower blood pressure, positively influence lipid metabolism, and can have anti-inflammatory effects.
Concentration fluctuations and omega-3 fatty acids
Scientists at the University of Toronto described in a 2016 study (1) that children with pronounced concentration fluctuations have an increased ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 acids in their blood compared to control patients. Other studies have also reached this conclusion. (2, 3, 4) But that's not all. Even during pregnancy, an unfavorable ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids appears to increase the risk of pronounced concentration fluctuations in children. (5) Lopez et al. from Barcelona therefore recommend nutritional supplementation even during pregnancy.
The results of a 2019 study by the Spaniard Fuentes-Albero (6) are not surprising. Children with concentration fluctuations consume significantly too few omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, and researchers have even observed deficiencies in healthy children. The necessary foods, such as fatty seafood, are not particularly popular with many children, as you can probably attest from experience. A logical conclusion to all these discoveries is a therapeutic approach that regularly supplies affected children with essential omega-3 fatty acids.
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