A pilot randomized controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids for autism spectrum disorder
Open accessAbstract
We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility and initial safety and efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids (1.3 g/day) for the treatment of hyperactivity in 27 children ages 3-8 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After 12 weeks, hyperactivity, as measured by the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, improved 2.7 (± 4.8) points in the omega-3 group compared to 0.3 (± 7.2) points in the placebo group (p = 0.40; effect size = 0.38). Correlations were found between decreases in five fatty acid levels and decreases in hyperactivity, and the treatment was well tolerated. Although this pilot study did not find a statistically significant benefit from omega-3 fatty acids, the small sample size does not rule out small to moderate beneficial effects.
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Other antioxidants including omega-3 fatty acids have been studied in ASD with mixed results.
“Other antioxidants have been studied in ASD including omega-3 fatty acids [71, 72] with mixed results”
From An Update on Psychopharmacological Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (2022) · cites this paper as [71]
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- Authors
- Bent, S., Bertoglio, K., Ashwood, P., Bostrom, A., & Hendren, R. L.
- Affiliations
- San Francisco VA Medical Center (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bent, Stephen
- Venue
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Published
- 2010-08-04
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 545-554
- ISSN
- 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3432
- PMC
- PMC3076562
- OpenAlex
- W2009214635
- Cited by
- 156
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 7.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Funders
- Autism Speaks (AS2311)
- Emch Foundation
- National Institutes of Health (RR024131)
- University of California, San Francisco (UL1RR024131)
- National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR024131, RR 024131, UCSF-CTSI Grant Number UL1 RR024131)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- omega-3 fatty acids, autism spectrum disorder, hyperactivity, dietary supplementation, children, Aberrant Behavior Checklist, fatty acid levels, treatment safety, feasibility
- MeSH terms
- Child, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Hyperkinesis, Male, Pilot Projects, Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Treatment Outcome
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