The Oxford-Durham Study

[misty]

Charlie Girl.................Thread Started on Mar 17, 2006

I keep reading about this study but have never actually read it. I thought that maybe some others would be interested in it also.

pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/115/5/1360

PEDIATRICS Vol. 115 No. 5 May 2005, pp. 1360-1366 (doi:10.1542/peds.2004-2164) This Article



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Nutrition & Metabolism

The Oxford-Durham Study: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Dietary Supplementation With Fatty Acids in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder
Background. Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) affects 5% of school-aged children. In addition to the core deficits in motor function, this condition is associated commonly with difficulties in learning, behavior, and psychosocial adjustment that persist into adulthood. Mounting evidence suggests that a relative lack of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids may contribute to related neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders such as dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Given the current lack of effective, evidence-based treatment options for DCD, the use of fatty acid supplements merits investigation.
Methods. A randomized, controlled trial of dietary supplementation with -3 and -6 fatty acids, compared with placebo, was conducted with 117 children with DCD (5–12 years of age). Treatment for 3 months in parallel groups was followed by a 1-way crossover from placebo to active treatment for an additional 3 months.

Results. No effect of treatment on motor skills was apparent, but significant improvements for active treatment versus placebo were found in reading, spelling, and behavior over 3 months of treatment in parallel groups. After the crossover, similar changes were seen in the placebo-active group, whereas children continuing with active treatment maintained or improved their progress.

Conclusions. Fatty acid supplementation may offer a safe efficacious treatment option for educational and behavioral problems among children with DCD. Additional work is needed to investigate whether our inability to detect any improvement in motor skills reflects the measures used and to assess the durability of treatment effects on behavior and academic progress.



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Alexandra J. Richardson, DPhil(Oxon)* and Paul Montgomery, DPhil(Oxon),

* University Laboratory of Physiology, Oxford, United Kingdom
Departments of Psychiatry
Departments of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford, United Kingdom



Key Words: developmental coordination disorder • fish oil • supplementation • RCT • reading • spelling • behavior • omega-3 fatty acids • dyspraxia


Abbreviations: ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder • DCD, developmental coordination disorder • DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition • CTRS-L, Conners' Teacher Rating Scales, Long Version



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Accepted Jan 13, 2005.





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[misty]

cynthiatweedle

Since then those in the know have started using a 7:1 ratio of EPA to DHA. A new product has come out using that ratio.

Here's some information on what to buy:

O3mega Joy
serving size: 2 capsules
servings per container: 30
ratio: 7:1, 1000 EPA/50 DHA
$19.99 for 60 capsules (with shipping 25.98) Best buy at the moment!
www.genuinehealth.com

There's a sale on at the following if you can get it work.
www.feelbest.com

I have just purchase this product at $25.98 for 60 capsules. If your child is around six years old, you might get by with only one capsule per day. I think for my granddaughter I will use the 2 capsules dosage, as I don't want to waste time experimenting.

Dr. Richardson later wrote:

Fish oil contains two major omega-3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA. Both are necessary, but until recently, it wasn’t at all clear which of these was more important in producing the benefits reported for ADHD and related conditions. In early life, plenty of DHA is needed for the growing brain – and because this fatty acid is so important for actual brain structure, it was thought that this must be reason for the apparent benefits from fish oil.

However, the latest research makes clear that it is EPA, not DHA, which is more effective in reducing the problems with attention, perception and memory that are associated with ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.

This is probably because EPA plays a more important role in the minute-by-minute functioning of the brain, and also helps to make many other substances (such as prostaglandins) that are crucial for proper signalling between cells.

Of the omega-3 fatty acids, the latest evidence indicates that it is EPA - not DHA - that is likely to be most beneficial for these purposes.”

For the full article written by Dr. Richardson see:
fp03-146.web.dircon.net/new_page_55.htm

Further she says:

"The appropriate dosage will vary between individuals (and in the same individual over time). It is also very important to recognise that it can sometimes take up to three months for the maximum benefits from supplementation to become apparent, owing to the slow turnover of these fatty acids in the brain. Unlike medications, they do not work rapidly to change mental functioning, and although we have found that some individuals report clear benefits as rapidly as two weeks after starting supplementation, in other cases the changes are much more gradual.

A higher dose is therefore usually recommended for this ‘trial period’. An initial dosage of fish oil supplying around 500mg daily of EPA is probably most appropriate for dyslexia and related conditions, and if evening primrose is also included, around 50mg per day of GLA (which converts easily to DGLA and AA) is likely to be sufficient. After three months, reducing the dose to half or one-third of these levels may be appropriate, but requirements vary – both between individuals and according to circumstances - so dosages are best determined from experience and careful personal monitoring. We have found that some people may need high levels on a long-term basis to prevent symptoms from re-appearing."

From elsewhere I caught this mention on dosage.

For uses linked to stress, anxiety and depression, studies suggest that it is necessary to take a dose of 1000 mg to 2000 mg (1 to 2 grams) per day of the essential fatty acid EPA. Fish oil contains other omega-3 fatty acids which are perhaps not so useful in the field of emotional health.

So we are talking about 500 to 1000 mgs of EPA alone. They are debating as to whether the DHA is necessary at all because some of the EPA will convert to DHA.