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Post by Mayleng on May 28, 2007 12:44:08 GMT -5
Try the NOW E-100 100% Mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), and 500mgs of Vitamin C a day.
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Post by cozysmom on May 28, 2007 13:49:44 GMT -5
Thank you!! What about the L-Carnitine?
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Post by Mayleng on May 28, 2007 14:50:19 GMT -5
According to Catatonic in an earlier post in this very long thread.
"For carnitine, it's been used in clinical studies in doses ranging from 50mg - 3,000mg. Since most carnitine capsules come in a 500mg size, and that is a safe and effective dose for a child, just go with 500mg. "
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Post by cozysmom on May 28, 2007 16:38:01 GMT -5
Mayleng, Thanks for your extra time. For now, all I want is to give the Omega 3's a good chance to help. I have always made sure to give my children Omeaga 3's in the form of eggs and sometimes Flax. I have never upped the amount for my ADHD dd until a few weeks ago. I thought it was worth a try, since there seems to be so many positive results for kids. So, I have been reading here and realized the mom's here add other supps when giving higher quantities of Omega's. Right now, I am confused and trying to figure it out on my own, isn't working!! If my quest right now is to up the Omega's, and really see if it helps, what supps for that alone, do I need to give? Thanks again, Mayleng!!!! Martha
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Post by Mayleng on May 28, 2007 20:53:10 GMT -5
If you are giving Omega3s than just add 100iu of Vitamin E .
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Post by crescentcitygal on Aug 2, 2007 22:28:24 GMT -5
Hello, everyone. From reading these messages, I see that a good number of you have said your children reacted to the flavorings in some of the fish oil products. I have noticed the Nordic Naturals brand mentioned in particular several times. That is the brand we use (Complete Omega 3-6-9 liquid). Could some of you elaborate on what kind of reactions you have seen in your children from the flavored fish oil? Behavioral changes? physical? How did you trace it to the fish oil? Was it that obvious a change when it was started, then stopped?
I ask because my son had a really rough year in Kindergarten last year (some behavior problems started to appear that we hadn't seen before). Looking back, I realize that we switched to the NN liquid around the time he started K. I'm wondering if there is a connection there (hard to tell since the behavior could be due to his frustration over the greater expectations in kindergarten). We switched to the NN liquid from the NN ProEfa capsules because our grocery store started carrying it, and it was much easier to put a tsp. into his orange juice than to squeeze out the oil from the capsules (and he needs about 4 of the capsules to equal what he's getting from 1 tsp. of the liquid).
I'm considering stopping the NN liquid and switching to something else (probably won't go back to the NN capsules since those contain lemon flavoring as well). I felt comfortable with NN since they are independently tested for purity (and I can buy it locally now). Any recommendations for something else I can try that is potent and safe (and preferably easy to find)? And I would really be interested in knowing how other children have reacted to NN fish oils!
Thanks, Paula
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Post by TerryB on Aug 3, 2007 9:55:59 GMT -5
Is anyone using diet alone to increase the Omega 3 fatty acids? My dd feels weird taking so many pills as it is between her allergies and the ADD. I also have her taking a multi-vit. She just wants to feel like a normal kid right now. We already have salmon once per week and she likes it. She likes eggs also. Do you need to worry about the Vit E so much with natural sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Sorry for my ignorance but I tend to be a bit skeptical about suppliment claims because of the lack to government oversight. So much of the info. seems pretty quacky to me so it is hard sorting out the genuine from the snake oil. I just give up reading about suppliments for the most part. On the other hand, the research for the Omega 3's is quite a bit more convincing to me than the usual. It seems that everyone should be getting more Omega 3 fatty acid and there needs to be a large government study to confirm the growing evidence from numerous small studies.
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Post by Mayleng on Aug 3, 2007 10:14:13 GMT -5
Terry, natural food is a good source, however I don't think you get enough of it to be on a theraputic level. There is also fear of mercury in some fishes. With the capsules, it is at least purified.
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Post by cester on Dec 13, 2007 7:27:57 GMT -5
I'm wondering if I'm giving my 10 year old son too much fish oil. I read somewhere that kids with ADHD should get 1,000 mg EPA. I give him 2 MorEPA's a day which equals 1162 EPA and 140 DHA (total Omega-3 1502). The doseage on the bottle is 1 capsule and I believe that is for adults. We've been doing this for a while with no adverse affects but I'm noticing that a lot of people seem to be giving their children less. I'm wondering if I should cut back?
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Post by Mayleng on Dec 13, 2007 8:31:36 GMT -5
If your child is doing well on the current dose, I don't think it is necessary to cut back.
Also a reminder for those whose kids are on Omega3, stop the Omega3 two weeks before any surgeries. Also do tell the doctors that your child is taking Omega3s.
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Post by TerryB on Mar 22, 2008 19:43:46 GMT -5
fiona, if you are still visiting, I think you were onto something when you posted that a 7:1 ratio of EPA to DHA was ideal. I visit another board and many of the moms are moving to the 7:1 ratio. I was also listening to our local public radio and the psychiatrist was saying that he recommends Omegabrite to his patients because it has been studied more that any of the other brands. It has a 7:1 ratio but it is rather expensive. I'm seriously considering "Source Natural Artic Pure EPA." There are so many health benefits from the omega 3's that at least three of us in our family should be taking them.
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Post by jisp on Mar 22, 2008 21:00:04 GMT -5
I don't have time to read all the past posts, but I do want to respond to somebody who commented that they were wondering if their child could be getting too much. Among children who are diagnosed with Bipolar disorder there have been reports of high doses of Omega 3 supplements triggering manic like reactions.
As for the ratios. According to our pdoc (who is a colleague of Andrew Stoll) the ratio is important and you do want to make sure that your child is getting the proper ratio.
Finally for the person looking to use food as a natural source of Omega 3's. The best most nutritious source for Omega 3 fatty acids is Sardines. We get boneless skinless in Olive Oil. Try serving them to your daughter with creamcheese on toast with capers, onions and tomato. Also walnuts and flax seeds are good as well.
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Post by Mayleng on Mar 22, 2008 21:01:19 GMT -5
jisp, what is the correct ratio for BP?
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Post by Mayleng on Mar 22, 2008 21:02:44 GMT -5
jisp, this was the article posted by Fiona that Terry was referring to:
"Generally Recommended Amounts for Children
Oxford University’s Dr. Alexandra Richardson has written quite a bit on the benefits of fatty acid supplementation for children, especially those suffering from dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrom and autism. On November 7, 2003 at the 6th Nutrition and Health Conference in Brussels, Belgium, she presented her current dosage recommendations:
Decisive Characteristic Recommended Amount Dyslexia and Dyspraxia 500 mg EPA/day ADHD 1,000 (1g) EPA/day Current research uses supplements with an EPA/DHA ratio of at least 7/1. The importance of a combined omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid supplementation cannot currently be precluded. The addition of a daily dose of 50-100 mg GLA is a further option, especially if the patients are also suffering from eczema. The Belgian Health Council advises taking 0.4 mg a-tocopherol equivalents (aTE - vitamin E) per gram PUFA to minimise peroxidation. Good fish oil supplements already contain vitamin E. Fish liver supplements are not suitable because they are rich in vitamin A. To obtain high doses of EPA from fish liver supplements, you would be simultaneously consuming high doses of vitamin A.
For a more thorough overview, please see Useful applications of Omega-3 fatty acids, part 2: behavioral problems, learning difficulties, immunomodulation by Dr. Apr. Geert Vergote.
Note: Your child does not have to be considered dyslexic, dyspraxic, etc. to benefit from fatty acid supplementation. The Middlesbrough Trial has already demonstrated that high-EPA supplementation benefits kids of all abilities. (I can definitely say they have been of great benefit to my two sons.)
If you are considering supplementing your children with high-EPA and they do not present with any specific behavioral or learning condition, between 250 mg - 500 mg of EPA should suffice. Explains educational psychologist and lead researcher Dr. Madeleine Portwood on a recently televised BBC documentary:
To determine omega-3 content, simply take the amount of EPA or EPA plus DHA per serving, as listed on the label, and divide it by the serving size to determine how much omega-3 is in each capsule. That’s not understood well by many people. It is important that people read labels carefully. They get fooled.
The FDA requires that supplement manufacturers list the ingredients or nutrients by serving size. But the company can put in any serving size they want, so it may look like there is a lot of EPA, for example, in a product, but the serving size may be 10 capsules. Consumers should be sure to divide whatever value is in the column for the amount of EPA by the number of capsules in a serving, and read labels carefully.”
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Post by jisp on Mar 22, 2008 21:52:39 GMT -5
jisp, what is the correct ratio for BP? Oh Mayleng I don't know and my dyslexic brain would probably screw it up if I tried to remember. But I do know that when we discussed potential Omega 3 supplementation with our pdoc for my DH he suggested that we get Nordic Naturals EPA because that had the right amount of EPA versus DHA in it. He also said he could also use Omegabrites. The mania issue is very real and our son's pdoc doesn't use Omega 3's with his Empower patients because he has had too many problems with it clinically. In fact he warned me to watch our son carefully after a gastro doctor recommended that we add some ground flaxseed to his diet to help with bowl issues. But that was 3 years ago and I don't know if his song and dance has changed on the subject. Thankfully we haven't been struggling as much with stability lately.
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Post by Mayleng on Mar 22, 2008 22:09:34 GMT -5
I believe omega can cause mania in some people. It does affect moods even if the person is not BP. My hubby is a prime example. When I tried giving him Omega3s he got real cranky. But it seems to be working well mood wise for my non ld 15 yr old hormonal teenager. Since taking Omega3s, he has been very pleasant and NICE! versus being a cranky moody teenager. My 12 yr old ADDer can't take Omega3s because he gets nosebleeds. He has always had nosebleeds when younger, but now he only gets it if I gave him Omega3s. So I don't even try it with him anymore.
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Post by codyjr on Mar 22, 2008 23:22:29 GMT -5
Mayleng,does your youngest do okay with just eating fish? like salmon?
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Post by TerryB on Mar 23, 2008 7:52:07 GMT -5
Just noticed that elizam started an Omegabrites thread that has more info on high EPA omega 3's.
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Post by Mayleng on Mar 23, 2008 10:39:30 GMT -5
cody, my son doesn't like salmon. He will eat flounder, tilapia and grouper and is ok when he takes fish (ie. no nosebleeds).
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Post by jisp on Mar 23, 2008 21:17:27 GMT -5
In getting kids to eat fish, especially the small fish like sardines and smelts that are very high in Omega 3 fatty acids and low on the bad stuff that accumulates in the fattier and larger fish...I find that frying works wonders. My kids will eat anything that is dipped in batter and deep fried. Especially if served with Ketchup. I know that goes against some health rules but I figure I fry in healthy clean oil and I use a beer batter made with Whole Wheat Pasty Flour so it couldn't be that bad. Plus it is awfully tasty.
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Post by m00mma on Mar 24, 2008 11:03:49 GMT -5
Also a reminder for those whose kids are on Omega3, stop the Omega3 two weeks before any surgeries. Also do tell the doctors that your child is taking Omega3s. thank you for posting that mayleng....it looks like one of my children may have to have her tonsils out....i would have never thought of stopping the omega3s before taking her to the dr and we are possibly going to change to a not so great insurance soon...so we have to get this done soon if we want it covered at a decent rate...if it is getting done that is (mind you that wouldn't be the deciding factor LOL!) so we stopped the omega3s the second i read that and she has been off them for 3 days now. we will still tell the dr of course, but it is nice to be able to get a head start, just in case she does have to get them out. My poor baby
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Post by Mayleng on Mar 24, 2008 11:36:22 GMT -5
You are welcomed. I hope all goes well if she had to have the surgery. Lots of ice cream after that.
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Post by TerryB on Apr 4, 2008 9:38:28 GMT -5
Just thought that I would add information about this problem I have come across. We all know that you are suppose to add Vit E to omega-3 suppliments. I just got my ArcticPure EPA vitamins in and I notice that tocopherols are listed as "other ingredients". This is the chemical name for vitamin E. There is no mention of how much Vit E is included in the suppliment. I've read that omega-3 suppliers are now adding in Vit E because it is depleted by omega-3's and I am also reading that it is added to keep the oil from spoiling. Before I add more Vitamin E, I would like to know how much is already in the suppliment. Maybe there is enough Vit E in the omega 3 capsule and adding more would be detrimental. The manufacturer's customer service number should be available in 30 minutes or so, so I'll try to get an answer.
Here is a quote from medline: "Fish oil taken for many months may cause a deficiency of vitamin E, and therefore vitamin E is added to many commercial fish oil products. As a result, regular use of vitamin E-enriched products may lead to elevated levels of this fat-soluble vitamin. Fish liver oil contains the fat-soluble vitamins A and D, and therefore fish liver oil products (such as cod liver oil) may increase the risk of vitamin A or D toxicity. Since fat-soluble vitamins can build up in the body and cause toxicity, patients taking multiple vitamins regularly or in high doses should discuss this risk with their healthcare practitioners."
Now really folks, are the healthcare practitioners going to be able to give any advice for children or even adults.... I think we have to do our own research and it still might be faulty.
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Post by Mayleng on Apr 4, 2008 9:45:14 GMT -5
You also have to remember aside from the supplements you take, that what you eat in your meals also contains these vitamins, so remember not to exceed the limits.
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Post by TerryB on Apr 4, 2008 18:05:17 GMT -5
The constumer service rep called me back and there are between 3 and 4.5 mg of Vit E per capsule which converts to 4.5 to 6.75 IU of vit E (multiply by 1.5 to convert.) So, it is a pretty neglible amount. I have Thera Tears Omega-3 capsule and there are 183 IU of Vit E. So, check those labels.
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Post by lucasmom on Apr 5, 2008 18:15:43 GMT -5
I've been reading this board for a long time, and have read all 16 pages of this thread many times.
My son, 11yrs old and 52 lbs, was recently taken off Strattera due to bad side effects. He was on it 6 months, prior to that he was on 10mg Adderall XR for 2.5yrs. We are looking forward to a new period with trying to get through the day without meds. He is ADD inattentive, but has shown he can work through it without meds.
So, after all that I've read, I'd like an opinion on what vitamin supplements to give him. I was thinking the following:
Now DHA 250 Now Vit E 100iu Natrol My Favorite Multiple Vitamin
Is this too much for his weight? I'd also like my non-ld 9 yr old, who is 74 lbs, to be taking the same combination.
Thanks for the help! Nancy
Nancy
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Post by TerryB on Apr 5, 2008 18:19:38 GMT -5
I finally finished my research. There really isn't a firm recommendation on how much Vit E is needed to add to the omega 3 suppliments. After visiting other forums and medical sites, I've decided to go with only 100 IU of Vit E to go along with my ArcticPure EPA omega 3 suppliments. 2 capsules provide 1000 mg of EPA and 180 mg of DHA. That's a 5.5:1 ratio, not quite the 7:1 ratio that is becoming so popular. Cost and purity influenced my decision to go with the ArcticPure but there are a number of high EPA suppliments now to consider. Most parents seem to be reducing the Vit E. Some rely on the tiny bit that is included in most omega 3 suppliments now and some go as high as 100 IU. I see very few giving 200 or more IU's. I think the vitamin E scare has made people reconsider the amount of the Vit E they want to use. Apparently, Vit E deficiencies are still extremely rare even with many people taking Omega 3's without Vitamin E. The omega 3's are helpful in so many health conditions that the industry is just booming. The Vitamin E deficiency risk might not be as great as was once thought but I'm going to play it safe and add in the extra 100 IU's. There is Vit E in dd's multivit and we eat pretty well so I feel confident that dd will be getting enough Vit E without supplimently too heavily. I also feel that 100 IUs won't someday be considered too much and harmful.
Just a warning, if you go with the ArcticPure EPA capsules you only need 2 capsules per day but they are BIG. My dd is really good at swallowing pills so it has worked out fine for us.
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Post by lucasmom on Apr 11, 2008 11:39:36 GMT -5
Does the dosage of omega-3s depend on weight of the child? With my son only weighing in at 53 lbs at 11 yrs old, I don't want to overdose him.
My previous message (2 back) mention what I'd like to give him daily.
Thanks!
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Post by Mayleng on Apr 11, 2008 14:34:40 GMT -5
To replicate clinical studies that have found Omega-3 successful in reducing ADHD symptoms, you would want to use approximately 480mg DHA and 720mg EPA daily.
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Post by TerryB on Apr 11, 2008 19:27:44 GMT -5
lucasmom, I didn't find any reference to omega 3 dosing being dependent on weight. My dd is 55 lbs and you can see what I have decided to give her (above post.) Isn't there any EPA in your omega 3 supplement? I like the clinical study that Fionna posted on the previous page.
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