Abstract
The use of “natural medicines,” food supplements, and in particular long-chain polyunsaturated
fatty acids (omega-3/6) for a large variety of ailments including attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other developmental behavioral disorders has dramatically
increased in the past few years. In recent publications, doubts have been raised in
regard to the benefits and risks of this form of treatment for ADHD. In this article,
a short history of the way this treatment has evolved, its theoretical basis, and
evidence-based data on the value of this popular supplementation will be reviewed.
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - omega-3 - omega-6 - long-chain polyunsaturated
fatty acids - dietary supplements