Omega-3, focus and mood in children: what the research says

Many omega-3 products for children promise better concentration, calmer behaviour or a brighter mood. Parents understandably want to know whether that is true. The honest answer is that the research is much less certain than the advertising.

What omega-3 does in the body

DHA and EPA, the omega-3s in fish, are part of the membranes of every cell. DHA is found in especially high levels in the brain and in the retina of the eye. That is why fish is part of healthy eating advice for children from an early age.

That omega-3 is part of the brain does not mean that taking more of it as a supplement makes a healthy child concentrate better or feel happier. Those are different questions, and they have been studied.

Focus, attention and ADHD

The largest review of this question is a Cochrane systematic review published in 2023. It pooled 37 trials with more than 2,300 children and teenagers with ADHD, most of them comparing omega-3 or omega-6 supplements with a placebo for two weeks to six months.

It found:

• no difference from placebo in parent-rated ADHD symptoms overall, in inattention, or in hyperactivity and impulsivity, with high certainty;
• a possible improvement in some medium-term measures, but with low certainty, so the authors had little confidence in it;
• side effects no different from placebo.

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements likewise says that more research is needed to understand any benefit of omega-3 for ADHD. Omega-3 supplements are not a treatment for ADHD, and a child with attention problems should be assessed by a doctor.

Mood and emotional health

A small number of studies have looked at omega-3 and low mood in children and teenagers. They are few and small, and their results are mixed, so they do not show that omega-3 improves mood in children. Persistent sadness, worry or changes in behaviour need a conversation with a doctor, not a supplement.

What does help focus and mood day to day

• Enough sleep, on a regular schedule.
• Regular meals, including breakfast, with a variety of foods: fish twice a week, eggs, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and dairy.
• Physical activity and time outdoors every day.
• Limits on screens, especially before bed.
• Routine and attention at home, and support at school when a child is struggling.

Fish and other omega-3 foods are part of a healthy diet for every child, for their own sake. See omega-3 foods for children for ideas.

When to talk to your child's doctor

Talk to your child's doctor if your child has ongoing problems with attention, learning, behaviour, sleep or mood, if a teacher has raised a concern, or if you are thinking of giving any supplement for these reasons. The doctor can look for causes and point you to the right support.