what does it do?

[sarahsmom]

Hi just a quick question, what exactly is the magnesium and omegas suppose to do for the adhd child? And how does it work? Thanks Lisa

[catatonic]

Lisa,
I would recommend a couple of books to you for detailed, readable, scientifically accurate answers. I'll give you a brief summary, but the books are better.

"The Magnesium Factor" by Seelig and Rosanoff
"The LCP Solution" by Jacqueline Stordy

Magnesium is critically important to a number of physiological processes, but the one most relevant to ADHD is that it serves as the gatekeeper that regulates opening and closing of the connections between neurons in the brain. It's been estimated that upwards of 90% of ADHD children may be magnesium deficient, and that this makes their neurons function inefficiently so that neurotransmitters are not able to travel through the brain and do what they are supposed to do.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are also critical to the central nervous system's proper functioning. They are key in regulating neural transmission, thus essential for a healthy brain. For a good summary of the role of Omega-3, take a look at this brief article, "What Role Do EFA's Play In The Body?" (EFA's are essential fatty acids, and Omega-3 is the name given a family of essential fatty acids.)
www.omega-3info.com/efas.htm

What we've found through using magnesium and Omega-2 (in the form of fish oil) is that attention and focus have improved noticeably. The "acting out" type behaviors were already pretty well under control thanks to the Feingold diet when we started supplements, but attention span and time on-task remained poor. They're much better now. It wasn't a fast process, though. An Omega-3 deficiency requires about 12 weeks to correct. We saw obvious results at about the 6-week mark. Took a lot of patience, but has been well worth the wait.