Can omega-3 & 6 fatty acids improve your kid’s reading ability?
Fatty acid supplementation could very well improve your child’s attention span.
Is your little one having some trouble reading? You might want to hold back on hiring tutors to make the problem go away. It could very well be your child’s diet affecting the way they think. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg recently found that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids could have a discernible positive effect on kids with reading difficulties and inattention issues.
The fatty acids your body needs
Just what exactly is omega-3 and 6? First of all, these are essential fats that the body is unable to make by itself. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can only be acquired from our food intake. Foods that are rich in omega-3 include oily fish, nuts, flax seeds and vegetable oils, and omega-6 mostly comes from vegetable oils.
The study and its results
Our cell membranes in the brain, made up largely of polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 and 6, require these fatty acids to promote good signal transmission between nerve cells and also to regulate the brain’s signaling systems.
After an extensive study involving 154 school children, the research team found that after 3 months of taking capsules containing omega-3 and omega-6, the subjects with mild attention problems achieved positive improvements and heightened reading speeds.
Perhaps this is a good reason to be investing in those cod liver oil supplements!
Angela Goh
Photo: Getty Images
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