Free fatty acid supplementation produced small but significant reductions in ADHD symptoms even with probably blinded assessment s , although the clinical significance of these effects remains to be determined .
Artificial food color exclusion produced larger effects but often in individuals selected for food sensitivities .
OBJECTIVE Nonpharmacological treatments are available for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , although their efficacy remains uncertain .
The authors undertook meta-analyses of the efficacy of dietary ( restricted elimination diets , artificial food color exclusions , and free fatty acid supplementation ) and psychological ( cognitive training , neurofeedback , and behavioral interventions ) ADHD treatments .
CONTROLLED TRIAL OF OLIGOANTIGENIC TREATMENT IN THE HYPERKINETIC SYNDROME
76 selected overactive children were treated with an oligoantigenic diet , 62 improved , and a normal range of behaviour was achieved in 21 of these . Other symptoms , such as headaches , abdominal pain , and fits , also often improved . 28 of the children who improved completed a double-blind , crossover , placebo-controlled trial in which foods thought to provoke symptoms were reintroduced . Symptoms returned or were exacerbated much more often when patients were on active material than on placebo . 48 foods were incriminated . Artificial colorants and preservatives were the commonest provoking substances , but no child was sensitive to these alone
Free fatty acid supplementation produced small but significant reductions in ADHD symptoms even with probably blinded assessment s , although the clinical significance of these effects remains to be determined .
Artificial food color exclusion produced larger effects but often in individuals selected for food sensitivities .
OBJECTIVE Nonpharmacological treatments are available for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , although their efficacy remains uncertain .
The authors undertook meta-analyses of the efficacy of dietary ( restricted elimination diets , artificial food color exclusions , and free fatty acid supplementation ) and psychological ( cognitive training , neurofeedback , and behavioral interventions ) ADHD treatments .