Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28168597›Full record

ReviewCurrent psychiatry reports2017

The Role of Nutritional Supplements in the Treatment of ADHD: What the Evidence Says.

Klaus W Lange, Joachim Hauser, Katharina M Lange, Ewelina Makulska-Gertruda, Yukiko Nakamura, Andreas Reissmann, Yuko Sakaue, Tomoyuki Takano, Yoshihiro Takeuchi

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Current psychiatry reports, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
3.8field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.

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  7. Association between infant feeding and ADHD development in childhood: a birth cohort study in Taiwan.Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Klaus W LangeDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93040, Regensburg, Germany. klaus.lange@ur.de.
Joachim HauserDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
Katharina M LangeDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
Ewelina Makulska-GertrudaDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
Yukiko NakamuraDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
Andreas ReissmannDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
Yuko SakaueDepartment of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shiga University of Medical Science, Tsukinowa, Seta, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan.
Tomoyuki TakanoDepartment of Pediatrics, Shiga University of Medical Science, Tsukinowa, Seta, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan.
Yoshihiro TakeuchiDepartment of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shiga University of Medical Science, Tsukinowa, Seta, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan.
University of Regensburg · DEShiga University of Medical Science · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder in children and adolescents and may persist into adulthood. Insufficient nutritional supply of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and other components including various minerals has been suggested to play a role in the development of ADHD symptoms. This review presents the evidence regarding the role of nutritional PUFA, zinc, iron, and magnesium supplements in the treatment of ADHD with a focus on the critical evaluation of the relevant literature published from 2014 to April 2016. The evaluation of therapeutic nutritional LC-PUFA supplementation in ADHD has shown mixed and inconclusive results and at best marginal beneficial effects. The benefits of PUFAs are much smaller than the effect sizes observed for traditional pharmacological treatments of ADHD. The effectiveness of PUFA supplements in reducing medication dosage has been suggested but needs to be confirmed. Zinc, iron, and magnesium supplementation may reduce ADHD symptoms in children with or at high risk of deficiencies in these minerals. However, convincing evidence in this regard is lacking.

Indexed as

Dietary SupplementsEvidence-Based MedicineAttention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityCentral Nervous System StimulantsChildCombined Modality TherapyFatty Acids, Omega-3Fatty Acids, UnsaturatedHumansMineralsTreatment OutcomeCentral Nervous System StimulantsFatty Acids, Omega-3Fatty Acids, UnsaturatedMineralsADHDIronMagnesiumNutritional supplementsPolyunsaturated fatty acidsZinc

Identifiers

PMID28168597
OpenAlexW2587305491

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.