scholarly journals The Feasibility of the “Omega Kid” Study Protocol: A Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial Investigating the Effect of Omega-3 Supplementation on Self-Regulation in Preschool-Aged Children

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Lauren A. Roach ◽  
Mitchell K. Byrne ◽  
Steven J. Howard ◽  
Stuart J. Johnstone ◽  
Marijka Batterham ◽  
...  

Self-regulation, the regulation of behaviour in early childhood, impacts children’s success at school and is a predictor of health, wealth, and criminal outcomes in adulthood. Self-regulation may be optimised by dietary supplementation of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs). The aim of the “Omega Kid” study is to investigate the feasibility of a protocol to investigate whether n-3 LCPUFA supplementation enhances self-regulation in preschool-aged children. The protocol assessed involved a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 12 weeks duration, with an intervention of 1.6 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day (0.3 g EPA and 1.3 g DHA) in a microencapsulated powder compared to placebo. Children (n = 78; 40 boys and 38 girls) aged 3–5 years old were recruited and randomly allocated to the treatment (n = 39) or placebo group (n = 39). The HS–Omega-3 Index® served as a manipulation check on the delivery of either active (n-3 LCPUFAs) or placebo powders. Fifty-eight children (76%) completed the intervention (28–30 per group). Compliance to the study protocol was high, with 92% of children providing a finger-prick blood sample at baseline and high reported-adherence to the study intervention (88%). Results indicate that the protocol is feasible and may be employed in an adequately powered clinical trial to test the hypothesis that n-3 LCPUFA supplementation will improve the self-regulation of preschool-aged children.

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 3561
Author(s):  
Lauren A. Roach ◽  
Mitchell K. Byrne ◽  
Steven J. Howard ◽  
Stuart J. Johnstone ◽  
Marijka Batterham ◽  
...  

Supplementation of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) may enhance self-regulation (SR) and executive functioning (EF) in children of preschool age. The aim of the Omega Kid Study was to investigate the effect of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation on SR and EF in typically developing preschool-aged children. A double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial was undertaken, the intervention was 12 weeks and consisted of 1.6 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day compared to placebo. The HS-Omega-3 Index® was assessed by capillary blood samples at baseline and post-intervention. Seventy-eight children were enrolled and randomised to either the n-3 LCPUFA treatment (n = 39) or placebo (n = 39) group. Post intervention, there was a significant three-fold increase in the HS-Omega-3 Index® in the n-3 LCPUFA group (p < 0.001). There were no improvements in SR or EF outcome variables for the n-3 LCPUFA group post intervention compared to the placebo group determined by linear mixed models. At baseline, there were significant modest positive Spearman correlations found between the HS-Omega-3 index® and both behavioural self-regulation and cognitive self-regulation (r = 0.287, p = 0.015 and r = 0.242, p = 0.015 respectively). Although no treatment effects were found in typically developing children, further research is required to target children with sub-optimal self-regulation who may benefit most from n-3 LCPUFA supplementation.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 248
Author(s):  
Michael J. Patan ◽  
David O. Kennedy ◽  
Cathrine Husberg ◽  
Svein Olaf Hustvedt ◽  
Philip C. Calder ◽  
...  

Emerging evidence suggests that adequate intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), which include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), might be associated with better sleep quality. N-3 PUFAs, which must be acquired from dietary sources, are typically consumed at suboptimal levels in Western diets. Therefore, the current placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial, investigated the effects of an oil rich in either DHA or EPA on sleep quality in healthy adults who habitually consumed low amounts of oily fish. Eighty-four participants aged 25–49 years completed the 26-week intervention trial. Compared to placebo, improvements in actigraphy sleep efficiency (p = 0.030) and latency (p = 0.026) were observed following the DHA-rich oil. However, these participants also reported feeling less energetic compared to the placebo (p = 0.041), and less rested (p = 0.017), and there was a trend towards feeling less ready to perform (p = 0.075) than those given EPA-rich oil. A trend towards improved sleep efficiency was identified in the EPA-rich group compared to placebo (p = 0.087), along with a significant decrease in both total time in bed (p = 0.032) and total sleep time (p = 0.019) compared to the DHA-rich oil. No significant effects of either treatment were identified for urinary excretion of the major melatonin metabolite 6-sulfatoxymelatonin. This study was the first to demonstrate some positive effects of dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFAs in healthy adult normal sleepers, and provides novel evidence showing the differential effects of n-3 PUFA supplements rich in either DHA or EPA. Further investigation into the mechanisms underpinning these observations including the effects of n-3 PUFAs on sleep architecture are required.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 563
Author(s):  
Ryohei Tsuji ◽  
Kamiyu Yazawa ◽  
Takeshi Kokubo ◽  
Yuumi Nakamura ◽  
Osamu Kanauchi

(1) Background: Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) is a unique strain which directly activates plasmacytoid dendritic cells, resulting in the prevention against broad spectrum of viral infection. Additionally, we found that LC-Plasma intake stimulated skin immunity and prevents Staphylococcus aureus epicutaneous infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of LC-Plasma dietary supplementation on skin microbiome, gene expression in the skin, and skin conditions in healthy subjects. (2) Method: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted. Seventy healthy volunteers were enrolled and assigned into two groups receiving either placebo or LC-Plasma capsules (approximately 1 × 1011 cells/day) for 8 weeks. The skin microbiome was analyzed by NGS and qPCR. Gene expression was analyzed by qPCR and skin conditions were diagnosed by dermatologists before and after intervention. (3) Result: LC-Plasma supplementation prevented the decrease of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus pasteuri and overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes. In addition, LC-Plasma supplementation suggested to increase the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes but not tight junction genes. Furthermore, the clinical scores of skin conditions were ameliorated by LC-Plasma supplementation. (4) Conclusions: Our findings provided the insights that the dietary supplementation of LC-Plasma might have stabilizing effects on seasonal change of skin microbiome and skin conditions in healthy subjects.


Trials ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Tao Liu ◽  
De-Zhi Tang ◽  
Xiao-Feng Li ◽  
Zhi-Gang Zhang ◽  
Wan-Bo Ji ◽  
...  

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1854
Author(s):  
Bernadette P. Marriott ◽  
Travis H. Turner ◽  
Joseph R. Hibbeln ◽  
Jill C. Newman ◽  
Marcie Pregulman ◽  
...  

Studies have assessed omega-3 fatty acids and cognitive decline among older adults and cognitive development among children, although less is known about cognitive or neurological effects among young adults. We examined whether omega-3 supplementation from krill oil could improve cognition and resilience among young military officers compared to a control. This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 555 officers (mean age 23.4 ± 2.8, 98.6% male) entering the United States (US) Army Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course (IBOLC) with the intention to complete the US Ranger Course. Volunteer participants consumed eight dietary supplements daily of krill oil containing 2.3 g omega-3 or control (macadamia nut oil) over an approximate 20-week period. Cognitive functioning, resilience, and mood were assessed during a well-rested period at approximately 14 weeks and after a battlefield simulation at 16 weeks. Blood spot samples were collected to monitor compliance and dietary intake was assessed. All hypotheses were tested using both ‘Intention to Treat’ (ITT) and ‘As Per Protocol’ (APP) approaches. Of the 555 randomized individuals, 245 (44.1%) completed the study. No statistically significant group-by-time interactions indicating treatment effect were found on any outcomes. Poor compliance was indicated by lower than expected omega-3 elevations in the treatment group, and may have contributed to a failure to detect a response.


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