Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

We conducted a systematic review to determine the safety and efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids for autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Articles were identified by a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database using the terms autism or autistic and omega-3 fatty acids. The search identified 143...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2009-08, Vol.39 (8), p.1145-1154
Main Authors: Bent, Stephen, Bertoglio, Kiah, Hendren, Robert L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antisocial Behavior
Anxiety
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autistic Disorder - drug therapy
Autistic spectrum disorders
Behavior Modification
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Brain
Child
Child and School Psychology
Child Behavior
Clinical skills
Communication Problems
Complementary Therapies
Evidence
Fatty acids
Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - therapeutic use
General pharmacology
Humans
Hyperactivity
Information Seeking
Language Skills
Literature Reviews
Medical sciences
Mental Disorders
Neurosciences
Nutrition
Observation
Original Paper
Outcome Measures
Patients
Pediatrics
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Psychology
Public Health
Randomized Controlled Trials
Rating Scales
Schizophrenia
Scientific evidence
Search Strategies
Symptoms
Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
Systematic review
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Summary:We conducted a systematic review to determine the safety and efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids for autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Articles were identified by a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database using the terms autism or autistic and omega-3 fatty acids. The search identified 143 potential articles and six satisfied all inclusion criteria. One small randomized controlled trial ( n  = 13) noted non-significant improvements in hyperactivity and stereotypy. The remaining five studies were small ( n  = 30, 22, 19, 9, and 1) with four reporting improvements in a wide range of outcomes including language and learning skills, parental observations of general health and behavior, a clinician-administered symptom scale, and clinical observations of anxiety. Due to the limitations of evidence from uncontrolled studies and the presence of only one small randomized controlled trial, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence to determine if omega-3 fatty acids are safe or effective for ASD.
ISSN:0162-3257
1573-3432
DOI:10.1007/s10803-009-0724-5