Equazen Eye Q Trial Shows Exceptional Results

MEDIA RELEASE: 13 November 2007

Third Equazen Eye Q™ Trial Shows Exceptional Results For Adhd-Affected Youth

New research further proves efficacy of first-class fish oil

Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a difficult and unremitting process, and for many parents seeking medical advice regarding their child’s deteriorating and anxious behaviour, the future is filled with trepidation and uncertainty. In their review, Green et all (1999) estimated a prevalence of ADHD of between 1.5 to 12 percent in children of primary school age in this country. In the United States, almost 400,000 young people are receiving psychoactive, stimulant medication such as methylphenidate (Ritalin is an example) to treat the disorder. Of the estimated 500,000 children in Britain with ADHD, most receive no treatment at all; those that do are prescribed stimulant medication.

As we go to print with this release, the BBC has obtained and published information from an influential US study that says prescribed use of stimulant medications works no better than therapy after a three year period. The findings also suggest long-term use of the drugs could stunt children’s growth.

So, what if a natural, proven treatment alternative was available? And what if continuing research on this natural alternative kept getting better? The Ministry of Health’s booklet, Complementary Therapies in Mental Health, outlines that the use of Omega 3 shows promising results, and one international producer of premium Omega 3 products, Equazen, is paving the way forward with supporting, breakthrough research.

Pharmabroker Sales, the distributor of Equazen eye q™ products in New Zealand, is excited to release further evidence highlighting the efficacy of this top-quality fish oil produced to stringent EU and World Health Organisation guidelines – eye q™ contains certain fatty acids that play a vital, proven role in the development of vision, co-ordination, learning ability, memory and concentration, in both children and adults. The latest clinical trial¹, performed at Göteborg University in Sweden, expands on these effects markedly, revealing that young people diagnosed with ADHD showed significant improvements in their symptoms after taking eye q™. Unlike other previously recorded clinical trials, the Swedish research extended its treatment period to six months – and the effects of the longer treatment showed remarkable results. The findings, presented at last week’s Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) conference in Washington, outlined:

• Of the treatment group participants, 26% responded with a 25% or more reduction of ADHD symptoms after three months (compared to 7% on placebo)
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• Of these ‘responders’ 12% in the treatment group, compared to none in the placebo group, showed a reduction in symptoms of more than 50%
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• After six months 47% of the treatment groups responded with a reduction in symptoms of more than 25%, and 12% showed an improvement of more than 50%
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• The group showing the most improvement was the ADHD inattentive subtype with co-morbid neuro-developmental disorders (reading/writing difficulties, learning disorders, DCD and ASD)
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* A 47% response sets the clinical research benchmark in trials performed with behavioural-afflicted subjects using fish oil products, proving the premium quality of Equazen eye q™. This unique formulation of marine fish oil and virgin evening primrose oil, contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and GLA (gamma linolenic acid): long chain polyunsaturated essential fatty acids proven to play an important role in the development of co-ordination, learning ability, memory and concentration.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial recruited 75 participants aged between eight and 18, all diagnosed with ADHD. Participants were grouped so that comparisons could be made between those with other co-morbid conditions such as: motor coordination problems, reading/writing and visual perception difficulties.

Both groups on active and placebo supplementation received treatment for three months, at which point the placebo group was crossed over to the active treatment and both groups received treatment for a further three months. The measured outcomes were participant, parent- and teacher-rated ADHD symptoms; reading and handwriting.

The Swedish trial results support the findings of previous clinical trials using Equazen eye q™ supplementation in children with learning difficulties, such as the Oxford-Durham² and Adelaide³ trials. The researchers concluded that fatty acid supplementation produced the best improvements in children and adolescents who are predominantly inattentive and who have a co-morbid disorder such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.

Dave Vousden, Consulting General Manager at Pharmabroker says, “We are incredibly excited about the Swedish findings and are collaborating with research bodies here to begin similar research in New Zealand. Already we have seen great results in our informal research, working with Kiwi families to help alleviate the crippling condition that is ADHD. How wonderful that a natural alternative, with absolutely no side effects, is proving its success as a treatment for ADHD and all its co-morbid afflictions.”

Mats Johnson M.D., Sven Östlund B.A., Gunnar Fransson B.A., Björn Kadesjö M.D. Ph.D., Christopher Gillberg M.D. Ph.D. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg University, Sweden

² The Oxford-Durham Study: a Randomized, Controlled Trial of Dietary Supplementation with Fatty Acids in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. Pediatrics, 2005; 115;1360-1366

³ Sinn, N. & Bryan, J. (2007). Effect of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids and micronutrients on ADHD-related problems with attention and behaviour. Journal of Developmental & Behavior docosahexaenoic al Pediatrics, 28(2), 82-91.

Not all fish oil supplements share the same benefits or perform to the same level. As this year’s Consumer (May 2007) research highlighted, some fish oil products even contain lower amounts of the good oil than was stated on the label.

Equazen and Pharmabroker are dedicated to ongoing research on its unique formulations to explore the health benefits that they can offer. Watch this space!

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