Omega 3 oils contain essential fatty acids that are supposed to help brain functioning. I've seen them recommended for pregnant women, the elderly, students, ok pretty much everyone. If anyone is short on essential acids it could help them to take supplements, the same as if anyone was low on vitamin C they could take supplements.
If any child, including an autistic one, was lacking they could be helped by having supplements.
I am sure there is no magical effect going on.
I try to take vitamin supplements, but I always forget!
Tried things like those little containers for one a day, with the names of the days written on, but still cant remember.
Oh well.. :roll:
I tried things like that, and filofaxes, but then I forget to look in them, and just carry on with whatever my interest is, ie, on the computer, whatever.
I've tried things like that, and writing it on my hand, but it just seems to "disappear".
Curebie quacks have been pushing supplements as a cure for autism for years it seems. I've been taking various supplements for months and still remain autistic (just a rather healthier autistic). Fish oil in particular by the way is normally sold in gel capsules which are easy to swallow whole. I take 3000mg every morning.
I still like to eat real fish itself sometimes, just not on a daily basis. I actually find that the supplements have no taste (as I swallow them whole, unlike a certain irishman by the name of "ZONK LAW" who has probably not seen this thread yet, but who I will show in a minute in the hopes of a humerous comment).
The idea of omega 3 for autism is possibly based on this line of thinking:
Autism be bad for brain
Omega 3 good for brain
Omega 3 be cure for autism!
*clubs head and gives fish oil to autistic kids, see's mild improvement in mood/behaviour as would be expected in anyone and takes this as proof*
Cod liver oil is good in low doses at certain times of year, but it's very easy to overdose on Vitamin A. I prefer generic fish oil in capsule form. I once accidentally burst a capsule in my mouth and it was unbelievably foul tasting. I like fish but I couldn't drink fish oil.
Gel capsules of fish oil are fine
If you are not deficient you probably won't see much difference, I noticed some improvement in my mood when I started to take fish oil, but no changes in my core personality. I would advise everyone who isn't allergic to take fish oil daily for the health benefits - the same goes for other nutrients that can supposedly cure autism.
To clarify - many nutrients have been pushed by curebies as a supposed cure for autism - they aren't. They can however help general health (unless you overdose on them like some curebies force their kids to do - such as the parents who literally force tablets down their kid's throats).
Red meat has more protein and choline too, but has a lot more fat/cholestrol. This is why people consider white meat healthier. Though, choline rocks. Tis one of my favourite nutrients and I take large doses of it daily.
Anyone will get high cholestrol levels from consuming lots of it, personally I am not too concerned by this and eat lots of red meat all the time for the protein, fat and choline. Gaining weight and enhanced cholinergic function.
If you aren't seriously deficient you won't, and it takes a long time to get any effect regardless. You need to keep taking a strong omega3 source for at least a few weeks or months to notice any changes.
Taking lots of omega 3 over a long time period does cause improvements in mood and general cognitive functioning, but the effects are quite subtle unless you were deficient.