Volume 3, 2001
AD/HD supplement fails test
DHA supplements do not improve the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (AD/HD) in children, according to a CNRC study in the August
issue of the Journal of Pediatrics. DHA, or docosahexonic acid,
is a fatty acid found in fish like salmon and fish oil.
 "Children
with AD/HD have low levels of DHA in their plasma and red blood
cells, suggesting that their brain levels might also be low,"
said Dr. William Heird, a Baylor College of Medicine professor of
pediatrics and CNRC fatty acid expert who conducted the study with
Dr. Robert Voigt. DHA is normally found in high concentrations in
brain membranes, where it is thought to be involved in maintaining
the brain's "electrical wiring."
Although stimulant medications like Ritalin are quite effective
in controlling the symptoms of AD/HD, these medications have a number
of side effects. "For these reasons, some parents seek out
alternative forms of therapy, such DHA supplements, to treat the
disorder," Heird said. "However, the effectiveness of
DHA has not been tested until now."
During the four-month study, 63 children ages 6 through 12 took
a daily capsule that contained either DHA or a "placebo."
All were also were being treated successfully for AD/HD with stimulant
medications. Changes in AD/HD symptoms were measured using standardized
tests of inattention and impulsivity, which were administered following
a 24-hour period when the children were medication-free. Parents
also monitored their children's behavior using two standardized
scales. No one knew which children received the DHA until the end
of the study.
"By increasing blood levels of DHA, we hoped to improve the
transmission of nerve impulses in the brain and, as a result, improve
the symptoms of AD/HD," Heird said.
But despite an average 2.6-fold increase in blood-DHA levels in
the supplemented group, there was no measurable improvement in symptoms
when compared to the unsupplemented group.
"This study shows that supplemental DHA is not a quick cure
for AD/HD," Heird said. "But, the relationship between
DHA and AD/HD deserves further study."
 Calcium-boosting
carbohydrate studied
A new CNRC study called BoneMax is testing whether a carbohydrate
called inulin can help growing kids absorb more calcium and build
stronger bones. A pilot study completed last year at the CNRC suggests
it can.
"In our earlier study, inulin supplements increased the amount
of calcium adolescent girls absorbed from a high-calcium diet by
nearly 80 milligrams or 18 percent," said Dr. Steven Abrams,
a professor of pediatrics at Baylor and the principal investigator
of the study. Older children normally absorb only about 30 percent
of the calcium present in their diets. So, an 80-milligram boost
is equivalent to drinking an extra seven ounces of milk.
Inulin's ability to "raise the bar" of calcium absorption
among kids who consume a high-calcium diet led Abrams to believe
it might also help kids whose calcium intakes are less than optimal.
High in soluble fiber and low in calories, inulin is considered
a "partially digestible" carbohydrate, yielding just 1.5
calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram for fully digestible
carbohydrates like sugar and 9 calories per gram for fat. Natural
sources of inulin include onions, asparagus, leeks, garlic, artichokes,
bananas, wheat, rye, barley, and chicory. Refined inulin is used
to add texture to reduced-fat foods like spreads, yogurts, baked
goods, and low-fat meats.
The BoneMax study is currently seeking Houston-area 9- to 12-year-old
boys and girls who are interested in joining the study. Children
enrolled in the study will drink calcium-fortified orange juice
or milk containing a small amount of a flavorless inulin powder,
or a placebo, every day for one year. The study also involves periodic
body composition tests, including bone density and percent-body
fat scans, and calcium balance studies. All orange juice and inulin
powder required for the yearlong study and a stipend is provided.
For more information contact Keli at 713-798-7085 or sign up for
BoneMax at www.bcm.tmc.edu\cnrc\BoneMax.htm
"Encouraging kids to consume plenty of calcium-rich foods
is very important," he said. "But, if inulin can help
kids absorb more calcium from the foods they already eat, the impact
on developing skeletons, especially in kids with marginal diets,
could be significant."
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