Flaxseed Oil

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
Duckie's allergist has her on 1 tsp of flaxseed oil daily to fight inflammation. She's about 40lbs. She's good about drinking it straight, I don't need to mix it into anything.
 
Flaxseed oil can provide important Omega 3's that seem to help kids with ADHD. It's good to check with our doctor to make sure that there are no interactions with medications. It is also important that your child has the right balance of Omega 3's and Omega 6's.
"Omega 3 fatty acids appear to be particularly important for cognitive and behavioral function as well as normal growth and development. The omega-3 fatty acids are important components of nerve cell membranes. They help nerve cells communicate with each other, which is an essential step in maintaining good mental health."
 

SuzyfromTexas

New Member
I'm sure I'm just imagining this but I've had my son (6 yrs. old) on Coromega (Omega 3 supplement with DHA and EPA, 2000mg) for about 5 days now and things just seem calmer. It's a pudding like substance I squeeze onto a spoon. He does not seem as hyper at times when he is at his worst (before bedtime).

I don't know, maybe we are going through a good phase right now. I think I read that it should take several weeks to kick in....
 

pepperidge

New Member
While flaxseed oil has many positive things going for it, I believe that I have read that it doesn't provide the same omega 3 benefits that oil from fish sources provides. So I wouldn't use it instead of fish oil omega three.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
I use flaxseed for myself... recovering from breast cancer and not able to use hormones.
I use fish oil for difficult child. Of course, he hates it, so I sneak it his food. Right now he's eating homemade gluten-free cookies with-fish oil in them. Shhh! Don't tell!
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Our psychiatrist suggested omegas, in particular fish and flaxseed oils. I buy this one that is called some kind of super omega (I can't remember the name) from our organic health food store. It has fish, borage and flaxseed oils in each capsule and the recommended dose is 2 capsules per day. There is 800 (mg?) of each oil per capsule, so that amounts to basically 1600 of each per day. I take them and I feel better when I do.

I can't get difficult child to take them daily...I have to force her to take them and stand there to make sure she swallows them. I think they are beneficial for her especially since she's not eating a normal diet due to her schedule and refusal to eat some days. She takes a multi at night but again, I have to stand there and watch her swallow it. I can't understand her aversion to being healhty.
 

moonglow

New Member
Hey I am thinking about trying this with Nate...sorry my sig isn't upto date...he is 11 now..he cannot take any of the regular medications for ADHD so I was wondering about this. I got some yesertday but it says on there not to give to anyone under the age of 18. He takes two allergy medications and buspar and clondine still. Why does it say not to give to anyone under 18? Also I posted eslewhere and another member replied saying her doctor said this:

Although flax seed oil is often recommended as an omega-3 supplement for children, there is a problem. Flax seeds contain the omega-3 fatty acid ALA that must be converted to DHA by an enzyme so that the body can incorporate it into cells. Children make this enzyme only in small amounts, if at all. If they do not have the enzyme they will not benefit from the omega-3 fat in flax seeds. Newborns are completely unable to convert ALA to DHA. A study of breastfeeding mothers who took a flax seed oil supplement had no resulting increase in their own plasma or breast milk levels of DHA, showing that adults do not make this conversion either (Francois et al., 2003). Flax seeds are not an adequate source of DHA.

I recommend that children and adults take a fish oil or cod liver oil supplement. Cod liver oil has the added benefit of vitamins A and D, especially helpful in the winter months when sun exposure may be inadequate to provide enough vitamin D. An alternative omega 3 source for vegetarians is an algae-derived DHA supplement (trade name Neuromins).


I have tried the fish oil before and burped it all day long...yuck! Plus I am concerned about the mercury that might be in it...especially since the US allows for higher levels of mercury in our fish then other countries...:( I don't think Nate would last long on taking this because of the problem with it making people blech it all day. But if this dr is right, then giving him flax seed oil won't do a thing! So now I am just really confused...

Does anyone have an links on studies or anything showing this actually helps kids with ADHD...I also read it can help kids with learning disablities too of which Nate also has. thanks

Julie
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
Julie, I was curious about your comment regarding the mercury content so I looked it up. This is what I found.

****Contrary to popular rumor, fish oil supplements are not loaded with mercury. These supplements are made primarily from smaller fish that live near the top of the ocean (e.g., sardines, anchovies, herring, menhaden). Their short life cyle and high water location minimizes the opportunity to accumulate mercury. As a metal, mercury is water soluble and would be found in the protein, not the fat tissue, of the fish. Even so, these oils also go through distillation in their production. Independent testing has consistently shown that fish oil supplements are relatively free of contamination


I found it at this site, where there is a lot of info on Omega 3s.
 

moonglow

New Member
Julie, I was curious about your comment regarding the mercury content so I looked it up. This is what I found.

****Contrary to popular rumor, fish oil supplements are not loaded with mercury. These supplements are made primarily from smaller fish that live near the top of the ocean (e.g., sardines, anchovies, herring, menhaden). Their short life cyle and high water location minimizes the opportunity to accumulate mercury. As a metal, mercury is water soluble and would be found in the protein, not the fat tissue, of the fish. Even so, these oils also go through distillation in their production. Independent testing has consistently shown that fish oil supplements are relatively free of contamination


Ok thanks...and thanks for the link. I had read eslewhere on the net that the mercury is found the worse in the fish liver and the liver is where they extract the oil...so that was my concern.

For now I am going to try the flax seed oil...I finally got the go ahead on that, that is won't interfer with his other medications...though the pharmastic wanted to know why I wanted to give it to him...said he seriously doubted it would help any with his ADHD or his Learning Disability (LD)...that since natural treatment isn't regulated by the FDA they can say anything they want about what it can help with. He said on their list it only helps with consiptation and dry skin. I said well my son is having alot of consiptation problems due to the allergy medications he takes and the doctors want me to give him a laxative but my concern is him getting dependant on those and I would like to have him use something more natural.

I also told him we have tried all the other RX for ADHD and Nate had has bad reactions to them...the clondine only helps a little with that. So since he can't take RX medications for it why not try natural treatment? I am only going to give him one a day since it says for an adult to take two a day...though Nate weights about a 100 pds and probably could take an adult dose on some things. I am just going to try that to start with while I continue researching this.

Thanks for your help!
 

Arttillygirl

New Member
I cant take flaxseed oil. It makes me very nervous, heart race. i thought I was crazy then I found somewhere that it can cause this in people with bipoloar conditions.
I am on wellbutrin for pms and have not been diagnosed with anything else but am not taking it anymore.
I wish I could, I want the benefits.
B
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Very interesting link. Didn't know that about the water solubility of mercury, or how it works in proteins vs fats. Thanks!
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
Animal Parade came out with an Omega-3 that has fish, Borage, Olive and flax oil in it. It's a chewable soft gel that is Called Omega 3/6/9. I just picked it up for Missy. I had gone to the health food store to pick up the Animal Parade DHA, but this new one has much more in it and it's a chewable soft gel that can be chewed or swallowed. It has a lemon taste to it. The store owner said it tastes good. I've tasted Missy's DHA and I could taste the fish oil in it, but Missy likes them. I'm sure she'll like these as well.
 

Doc Bob

New Member
Omega 3's from golden flax seed are the most beneficial. Buy the flax seeds...grind them in an amount you will use over week or so...(use small coffee bean grinder and store extra in freezer)...then add ground flax seed to your breakfast or lunch food....Flax seed oil has much lower concentrations of omega 3's, go rancid too quickly when left out...and you have no idea of quality of oil you are buying..
 
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