Natural Alternatives: Efalex

Efalex - Natural Remedies for ADD / ADHD

This is a combination of a fish oil and evening primrose oil, which I am informed can be bought at most Boots Chemists and if effective, direct from manufacturers.
Shelley Johnston writes......

"Just a quick note to pass along, we have found effalex to be ineffective for Jeffrey and are currently looking for alternatives. I have tried Pycnogenol with out much success but I must say it helped my older son who suffers from adhd but in a much less severe fashion."

Joanne Hall writes......

"We live in Vancouver , Canada. Our 9 year old son is ADD. He has been taking ritalin for 18 months now with marked improvement in his academic peformance. About 3 months ago, we began giving him Efalex Focus. Since then we have noticed that he is more cooperative, less argumentative and less upset when things don't go his way. Since the ritalin is out of his system when we are with him in the evenings, and he doesn't take it on weekends we will continue giving him the efalex focus and hope that it continues! "

Gordon writes......

"Efalex works % 100 on our friends thirteen yr. old son ,contrary to some ill informed people.His parents gave him tablets without telling him why and in one weeks time he was a "new boy". Enough said"

Catherine writes......

"I've done a great deal of research on natural remedies. My son is a gifted kid with ADHD, 9 years old.

EFAs (Omega 3, fishoil, primrose oil) He did best on a Max DHA supplement, I switched him at some point to a Max EPA supplement, and he got in trouble every day that week in school. I think fishoils that have vitamin E or supplements like Efalex with only DHA are the best. When I first started him on EFAs, the next morning he got up and fixed his own breakfast. My sister's kid actually did his homework on the way home in the car (homework is something she had to really nag him to do). Overall, I'd have to say he matured a good 6-8 months once he started taking these."

In addition to the above information you should also be aware of the following...

Supplement firms to settle charges on ADHD claims
May 15, 2000
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Two manufacturers of dietary supplement products touted as helping to manage or cure attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that the claims they made for their products lacked adequate scientific substantiation, the FTC said.

The companies, Boston-based Efamol Nutraceuticals and Massena, Iowa-based J&R Research, would be prohibited by the proposed agreements from making certain claims about their products without adequate substantiation.

Efamol markets two supplements containing essential fatty acids, Efalex and Efalex Focus, which the company has promoted in a series of magazine advertisements.

One Efalex ad claims that studies "show that some children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder... have problems converting essential fatty acids into the long chain forms the body needs to maintain optimum eye and brain function."

"Only Efalex provides the precise combination of these important fatty acids--G.A., DHA and AA--to properly manage this deficiency," the ad states.

Another ad asserts that "nutritional research conducted at a major American university" has backed up the essential fatty acid deficiency theory for ADHD.

To promote its pycnogenol supplement for ADD/ADHD, J&R Research--a general partner in the Longmont, Colorado-based multi-level distributorship Kaire International--created advertising materials that it sold to Kaire distributors.

Pycnogenol "is becoming a very attractive first-line method of choice by many physicians, in preference to conventional drug administration" for children with attention disorders, the materials state. "Also, in most cases, traditional drug therapy can usually be discontinued--or significantly reduced--provided the patient continues to consume pycnogenol."

The FTC noted that the two new agreements represent the agency's third and fourth cases involving products marketed to treat ADHD. Companies advertising unsubstantiated treatments for the condition "prey on a vulnerable population of parents who seek a 'natural' alternative to prescription medications," such as Ritalin, according to a statement released by the agency.

"Our fear is that parents who fall for the claims may ignore proven, and perhaps essential, treatments for their child's disorder," FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jodie Bernstein explained. "That's why parents should exercise caution in giving supplements to their kids."

Along with barring the companies from making unsubstantiated claims, the proposed agreements include other provisions, such as a clause requiring the firms to make copies of advertising and consumer correspondence available to the FTC on request for a period of 5 years.

The commission has voted five to zero to accept the agreements for public comment. The Efamol and J&R Research proposals will be published in the Federal Register and open to comment until June 12 and July 12, respectively. After the comments period closes, the FTC will decide whether to make the agreements final.

The FTC has developed "Promotions for Kids' Dietary Supplements Leave Sour Taste," which offers pointers for parents. It is available on the Internet at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2000/08/natorganics.shtm

The following article was published by Reuters in April regarding Fish Oils.

Whilst we have no knowledge of any problems with this product we feel that this concern needs to be highlighted so that people are aware that even Natural products can have implications.

April 08, 2002 Fish oils could be over EU safe limit By Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor

MANY fish oil products on the British market are likely to exceed new European Union safety limits for pollutants due to be imposed in July. A study by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland found that only one-third of the brands marketed there fell within the limits, which define levels of dioxins permitted in fish oils and fish oil capsules. One brand, Solgar Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, had levels of dioxins five times greater than the EU limits. Other brands were double or triple the limits. The best-performing was Eskimo-3 Stable Fish Oil Supplement, which was well within the limit and also contained low levels of PCBs, a related chemical. Many of the same brands are on sale in Britain. Food Safety Agency researchers found in 1997 that fish oil could make "a significant contribution to dietary exposures to dioxins". A new study to see if levels have fallen since then has been completed, but is not expected to be published until June. The Irish report concluded that nobody was likely to be harmed by consuming the fish oils according to the manufacturers' recommendations. Nor, since the EU limits have yet to come into force, are any in breach of regulations. Dioxins are a group of chemicals produced by the combustion of plastics and other chlorine-containing materials. They are toxic, and in sufficient doses, carcinogenic.

Note: Please remember, we do not endorse any treatments and strongly advise you to check with your doctor before using, stopping or changing any treatment.

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