In one sentence
A 2016 Cochrane review concluded there is not enough reliable evidence to say whether polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements help children with specific learning disorders improve reading, writing, or math.
What the researchers did
Specific learning disorders affect about 5% of schoolchildren and include unexpected difficulty with reading, writing, or mathematics that is not explained by low intelligence, poor teaching, or social deprivation. Some children with these disorders also have ADHD or autism. Because omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important for brain development, some families and clinicians have wondered whether supplements might help.
Cochrane reviewers searched medical databases through November 2015 for randomised trials comparing PUFA supplements with placebo or no treatment in children under 18 with a formally diagnosed specific learning disorder. Two small trials with 116 children, mostly boys aged 10–18, met the inclusion criteria. Both gave a combination of omega-3 and omega-6 supplements for three months.
What they found
Neither included trial reported standard reading, writing, spelling, or mathematics test scores, so the review could not assess effects on core learning outcomes.
Low-quality evidence suggested PUFA supplements did not clearly increase gastrointestinal side effects. No other adverse effects were reported. Both trials measured ADHD-related behaviour, but the outcomes were reported in incompatible formats, so the reviewers could not combine them in a meta-analysis and could not draw firm conclusions about behaviour change.
One trial was industry-funded with company involvement, and reporting bias was a concern in at least one study. Overall, the authors judged the evidence insufficient to support any conclusion about learning benefits.
What this means for families and therapists
PUFA supplements should not be treated as an evidence-based treatment for specific learning disorders. This review does not support using them to improve reading, writing, or math skills.
If a child already takes omega supplements, the included trials did not show clear harm, but families should still discuss any supplement with a qualified clinician, especially when autism or ADHD is also present.
When evaluating new interventions, it is reasonable to ask whether standardised learning outcomes were measured in properly designed trials — not just parent reports or behaviour ratings.
Limitations and what we don't know yet
Only two small trials with 116 children were included, and neither measured the primary learning outcomes the review wanted to assess.
Participants were mostly older boys, so results may not apply to younger children or girls. Treatment lasted only three months, so longer-term effects are unknown. Many potentially relevant studies were excluded because diagnoses were not robust enough. An updated review with newer trials would be needed before conclusions change.
This is a simplified summary of Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for children with specific learning disorders by Tan M.L, Ho J.J, Teh K.H, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2016).
Source license: CC-BY-NC-4.0.
This is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.