The Influence of Omega-3 and Fatty Acids on Cognition and Attention in Children with ADHD: A Systematic Review
The Influence of Omega-3 and Fatty Acids on Cognition and Attention in Children with ADHD: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51473/rcmos.v1i1.2025.1198Keywords:
ADHD. Nutrition. Supplementation. Gut microbiota.Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurobehavioral condition in childhood, with a multifactorial etiology involving genetic, environmental, and nutritional factors. This study aimed to analyze the influence of nutrition on the management of ADHD symptoms. It is an integrative literature review based on scientific studies published between 2019 and 2024, focusing on the relationship between diet and ADHD. The findings indicated that nutritional deficiencies, especially omega-3 (EPA and DHA), zinc, and iron, are associated with symptom worsening, while supplementation, particularly with omega-3, showed benefits in improving attention and reducing hyperactivity. The relevance of the gut-brain axis was also highlighted, as intestinal dysbiosis may exacerbate symptoms. Diets such as Feingold, which restrict food additives and sugars, and the ketogenic diet proved effective in specific cases. Additionally, reducing the intake of ultra-processed foods contributed to symptom control. It is concluded that personalized nutritional interventions, grounded in scientific evidence, represent a valuable complementary strategy in the treatment of ADHD, improving patients’ quality of life. Therefore, neuronutrition emerges as a promising field in the integrated management of this disorder, although further studies are required to establish specific protocols.
Downloads
References
AARTS, E. et al. Gut microbiome in ADHD and its relation to neural reward anticipation. PLOS ONE, v. 14, n. 9, e0221359, 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221359. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221359
ALMEIDA, J. M.; NADER, R. G. M.; MALLET, A. C. T. Microbiota intestinal nos primeiros mil dias de vida e sua relação com a disbiose. Research, Society and Development, v. 10, n. 2, e35910212687, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i2.12687. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i2.12687
ANDRADE, C. et al. Omega-3 supplementation in ADHD: Dose-response meta-analysis. Nutrients, v. 16, n. 2, p. 45, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010045. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010045
ANDRADE, N. G. A. et al. A suplementação de Ômega-3 em pacientes com Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade. Brazilian Journal of Implantology and Health Sciences, v. 6, n. 4, p. 1200-1216, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36557/2674-8169.2024v6n4p1200-1216
ARAÚJO, A. K. F. P. et al. Consumo alimentar e as implicações de deficiências nutricionais em escolares com déficit de atenção e hiperatividade: uma revisão. Research, Society and Development, v. 9, n. 10, e6399108974, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i10.8974. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i10.8974
BARBARINI, T. A. Corpos, Mentes, Emoções: Uma Análise sobre TDAH e Socialização Infantil. Psicologia: Ciência e Profissão, v. 32, p. 3058, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-0310/2020v32173058
BARROSO, S. et al. Disbiose como fator influenciador das características fisiopatológicas do transtorno do déficit de atenção com hiperatividade. Conexão Unifametro, 2019.
BOSCH, A. et al. A two arm randomized controlled trial comparing the short and long term effects of an elimination diet and a healthy diet in children with ADHD (TRACE study). BMC Psychiatry, v. 20, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02703-z. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02576-2
CARPENA, M. X. et al. Consumo de açúcar e regulação adrenérgica em crianças com TDAH: um estudo de coorte. Nutrients, v. 13, n. 8, p. 2701, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082701. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082701
CHANG, J. P. C. et al. High-dose eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) improves attention and vigilance in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and low endogenous EPA levels. Translational Psychiatry, v. 9, n. 1, p. 303, 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-019-0633-0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-019-0633-0
CHEY, W. D. et al. Emerging therapies targeting the gut-brain axis for neuropsychiatric disorders. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, v. 119, n. 2, p. 256-269, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14309/ajg.0000000000002531. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14309/ajg.0000000000002531
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Amanda Souza Rios Lima, Juliana Malinovski (Autor)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This means you are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
The use of this material is conditioned upon proper attribution to the original author(s), providing a link to the license, and indicating if changes were made. The license does not require permission from the author or the publisher as long as these conditions are met.
The Creative Commons license logo is displayed permanently in the footer of the journal.
The copyright of the manuscript can be retained by the authors without restrictions and can be requested at any time, even after publication in the journal.
