Green lipped mussel trial

Late last year, someone read something in the paper and thought it might be of interest to me. It was about a trial that Swinburne University of Technology were going to be running to test the effects of naturally occurring omega 3s on kids with with hyperactivity and inattentiveness. Of course I was interested! Anything natural that could help my son is always of interest to me. I sent the appropriate email and waited for a response. It took a few months for me to hear anything back, aside from the confirmation message I received after shooting off my email. Last Wednesday I received a call and after answering a few questions, we were accepted into the trial. We went into the university yesterday to meet the researcher and to learn more about the trial and we will be back there next Wednesday to begin.

The purpose of the trial is to look at the effects that a naturally occurring combination omega 3s has on kids who have symptoms of ADHD, whether formally diagnosed or not. Omega-3 fatty acids are lipids found in the cell membranes, mostly in the human nervous system. Since our bodies are unable to synthesise these fatty acids, we can only obtain them through diet, but the "typical" western diet is rather deficient in them. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential in maintaining proper tissue level throughout our bodies, including our heart and brain and they have been used for sometime to help manage arthritic complaints. Numerous studies have been done on omega 3s and they have been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of ADHD also.

The formula being used in the study are extracted from the New Zealand green lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus). They are made up of several compounds, triglycerides (forming the biggest portion), free fatty acids, phospholipids and sterols. The fatty acids in them are mostly polyunsaturated, the majority being omega-3, but they also contain omega-6 fatty acids. It is hoped that this naturally occurring combination will reduce the symptoms of ADHD.

I'm really interested to see if they make any difference in our lives. Of course there will be 2 test groups, one will be on the supplement and the other group will be on a placebo and we won't know which group we are in until the end of the trial. I guess we'll be able to work out which group we're in if we notice an improvement in my son but if we notice nothing, we'll really be none the wiser. At the end of the trial we will be given a 4 month supply of the treatment which will be fantastic. If we notice an improvement, we'll certainly be staying on them!

I'll keep you all updated as we progress through the trial.