Children with ADHD- has anyone tried Vayarin or Phosphatidylserine /DHA/EPA supplements ?

[Breathless Wonder]

I was wondering if anyone has tried Vayarin or Phosphatidylserine/DHA/EPA supplements?  It was prescribed for one of my children today, and I would be interested in hearing first hand stories regarding effectiveness, compared to more traditional treatment.  Thanks!

[Emmeline II]

Not specifically. I give my Ds with ADHD Dr. Mercola's kids Krill Oil capsules at present. I used to use Dr. Sears Omega-3 DHA supplements but there not available now as Sears is apparently reformulating his supplement line.

I noticed a slight positive difference in Ds' behavior when I added it back in to his diet in addition to his medication (I stopped for awhile when he ate a whole box ). My provider also recommended fish oil supplements for me when I was diagnosed as well.
 

[kfen1000]

Our 10 year old son has ADD. His pediatrician started him on Vayarin in May 2012. He has been taking Vayarin after breakfast, almost every day for 2 1/2 months. In the last few days, I have seen a huge turn around in his ADD. He is off his Focalin for the summer. Usually, this is a very stressful time (because we must repeat ourselves over and over, he is usually very unorganized, and lost in space with a daydream and never planning ahead). In the last two days, I have observed a huge turnaround. He is planning ahead, doing thing when asked the first time, hearing us when the TV is on, his auditory processing is better, he is more focused! I am thrilled. It has taken 10 weeks to get to this point, but well worth it. I wish you and your family good luck. Would love to hear if it works for you. 

[wcwag1226]

We've just started today with our son...Would you please let me know how your son has responded since your last post....Are you still seeing improvement?

[heatherdeg]

We got my husband (SEVERE ADD) off of over a decade of meds with intensive dosing of Omega-3 fish oil with a 2:1 EPA to DHA ratio.  It's been a little over 4 months since he weaned off of his last med and it's been absolutely incredible.  He's a different human being.

That being said, the same dosing for my son has not appeared to have an affect on his ADHD.  He's never been medicated--we're still working through the long list of non-med alternatives.

[Breathless Wonder]

I appreciate the replies.  We are still waiting to start the Vayarin.  No one in our area carried it, and it had to be ordered. There was a snafu with the ordering, so I am hoping we can pick it up soon, and try it out. 

[mom1]

I took my 9 year old son off aderall this summer to transition him to vayarin while he was out of school since we had heard it would take longer to get in his system. It has taken 2 months to get in his system but we are seeing very positive results, even more so than the aderall. Some of the positive signs we are seeing are huge improvement jumps in his level of motivation, handwriting, notetaking, eye contact, responsibility, etc.  We are still into the beginning of his school year but we are already in awe of his improvements. The best news is that the vayarin has zero side affects and my son finally has a normal appetite. In addition, my son loves it because of the no side affects and he is adament on remembering to take it because he tells me he can tell a difference. Other good news is that it doesn't wear out of his system like the stimulant medicine. I am very thankful that god led us to this medicine and I am praying nothing will change with what we are seeing. My son will never be a straight A student, but he is average. Therefore I have reasonable expectations with him while observing him on the medicine. If he can maintain decent grades I will keep him on the vayarin. 

[CleoS]

I have just discussed this with my doctor and am thinking about starting my son on Vayarin too based on what I read here. Neither one of us had heard of it before but she did tell me later that insurance probably won't cover it.   I was wondering what the cost is since there is apparently no generic for it. I am in VA.  

In the meantime, does anyone have any recommendations for tasty Omega 3 chewables with a good DHA/EPA ratio for an ADHD child (almost 7 yrs. old)? I have been giving him 2-3 Lil Critters Omega 3's and my ped. said I could even up it to 4 a day (dose says 2) but I thought there must be a better one out there.

If anyone else has any experience with Vayarin I would love to hear about it too. Thanks! 

[Breathless Wonder]

CleoS: We were finally able to pick up the Vayarin this week.  It was about $70, and insurance did not cover it.
 

[janlynnrobin]

Our granddaughter that we are raising is 8 years old and we have had her on Vayarin since June of this year.  It makes a big difference.  She has not been on any other medication, but was diagnosed ADHD in June.  The doctor recommended that we try Vayarin first.  It has just become available in Texas and I have been happy with it so far.  We will see how this year at school progresses.  The cost in Texas is about $48.23 for 60 tablets.  This is a 30 day supply.  That is at Walmart.  They have to order it special in for us because they don't keep it in stock and the insurance does not cover it.  Good luck.

[lalacravens]

After the pediatrician prescribed Vayarin for "questionable" ADHD (I think it's anxiety) for our 5 year old daughter, we were that quirky family that decided to go to a nutritionist (test for food sensitivities, mineral deficiencies, etc.) (imagine that...) and we ended up on supplements containing PS and taurine, along with a little extra zinc and magnesium in her multi, which also included omegas.  But she's taken omegas for well over a year anyway...  We did see improvements over a 2-3 month period but they didn't seem to be dramatic or consistent in our situation.  Currently wondering if we are not giving her enough of the omegas... must do research to see how much a child under 50 lbs takes.  But then we heard that taking Varayin might deliver omegas with the PS in such a way that they cross the blood brain barrier.  (and supplements from a health food store may not do the same?? must research).  We are getting ready to ask the pediatrician if she will prescribe Vayarin again so we can actually give that particular prescription to our daughter instead of buying supplements separately, and see if we get better results.  After all, if we are still seeing anxiety, nervousness and meltdowns while she is on 200 mg of PS and a good omega in supplement form, perhaps a.) it doesn't work for her b.) wrong diagnosis, hence, wrong treatment, or c.) supplements are not formulated the same way and cannot duplicate the Vayarin food-drug formula.  Back to the never-ending research and trial and error that can take months to judge....  

I look forward to trying the Vayarin to compare results with the supplemental approach.  I've read about families that have successfully used PS and omega supplements, but parents need to know how Vayarin compares to supplements since it claims to consist of nothing but PS and omegas.  They should know if the Vayarin formula has a better delivery secret compared to supplements... and understand it, don't you think?  It could spare folks a lot of time and money and stress!

[lalacravens]

(See last post) I'm the one who was giving my 6 year old daughter phosphatidylserine (PS) 200mg daily and omega 3,6,9 1000mg daily, separately, and was wondering how it might compare to giving her Vayarin instead, which consists of PS 150mg and omega 3.  We got some, but minimal results obtaining our products from a health food store in separate bottles, yet we continue to hear about successes people are having with Vayarin.  In our situation, diagnosis is questionable, but we see occasional hyperactivity and inability to focus.  I am in Greenville, SC, the US Headquarters of Vaya Pharma who manufactures/produces Vayarin, so I called the company directly and asked them how the two approaches might compare.  Here is the response, I believe from headquarters in Israel, where Vayarin was started and gained a very successful reputation last year:

Thank you for contacting VAYA Pharma.

Vayarin® is Phosphatidylserine-omega 3  molecule(PS-omega3 in short), i.e. PS and omega-3 which are chemically bonded.

As such it is a unique molecule make it a little like comparing apples and oranges trying to match it with the over the counter materials.

Unlike the products you have asked about, the efficacy (and safety) of the PS-omega3 molecule was repeatedly demonstrated in double-blind controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals.  

Hope this answer your question.

Feel free to contact me with any future questions.

Kind regards,

Yonatan Manor, PhD

This is good for parents to know.

[Rtinnova]

Hi,

For folks in Va, what was your process for getting a prescription? I have tried for over 6 months to get a rep to contact our pediatrician because she had questions on the product and how to write a prescription. The company reps have taken my info and promised to follow through but still nothing. It is very frustrating. I feel like they do not know how to distribute to consumers/doctors which makes sense because it mostly is a biomed company based in Israel but stil...

In the meantime we are patching together supplements to mimic the specified formula that Vayarin (Enzymotec) produced for some of the original studies done in Europe. We are seeing results but the delivery is tedious and Vayarin has told me that their product will be more effective with a lower dose due to the way it's bound.

Any updates from people using this would be great as well as info on the prescription writing process. Regarding the family who thinks they may be dealing more with anxiety than ADHD, you might want to check out studies on magnesium and B6. We also are using that and it has been very helpful. It is addressing anxiety and behavior symptoms more than focus but the difference was within days. If you are interested I can advise what brands, etc since that seems to make a difference for some reason.

Thanks.

[lalacravens]

Yes please advise brands of B6 and Magnesium.  We currently have our daughter on Natural Vitality Kids Calm Multivitamin, which has amino acids, whole foods, and extra magnesium.  We also do an extra B6 and D3 from Biotics Research (reputable).  We think all of this is generally helpful to her since she's a picky eater and deficiencies may result.
 

After some discussion, we've decide to try Attend with our daughter since it has such a good reputation, and we haven't given it a chance yet. If we don't see results, we'll go the more expensive route and try the Vayarin.  As stated in earlier post, we feel that the PS and Omegas in separate bottles - both purchased through a nutritionist as high quality products sold through health professionals - were only a little affective.  Vayarin, bonded as it is, may be more affective in it's biological delivery as VayaPharma claims.

I think Vayarin is not available in every state yet because of typical red tape.  They may have to gain US demand with a year of use in the few, agreed upon, states first.  I can only imagine the logistics...

One thing worth noting with our daughter's behavior challenges, which you may want to consider with your own child too: a teacher can really play a large role in making or breaking at least some of this label, particularly if the child seems "part time" with it, even if extreme at times, where the ADHD label is questionable. Be aware as to whether or not the school experience they are having might be contributing to the behavior.  We should never forget, within reason, that genuine behavior modification cannot be sold in a bottle.  I can elaborate if anybody's interested.  Just food for thought, if it can help other parents perspectives.

[Rtinnova]

Thanks for your suggestions and ideas.  Definitely the school experience is affected by teacher attitude and skill.  We've seen that first hand and it affects behavior during the school year.  However, we see during the summer how most all symptoms persist if only somewhat less impactful (but not always).  For example, it's hard for DD to read a book (which is expected and necessary for older kids), be motivated for typical household or personal responsibililties (making bed, clearing plates after meals, etc.), and controlling impulsive behavior towards younger sibling. 

Anyway, here is what we are using for vitamins (11 year old).  I usually order these online. 

1.  Magnesium:  New Beginnings Liquid Magnesium at about 260 ml/day.

Note, I've also tried the Natural Vitality Calm drink which she likes but does not seem to be as effective despite the similar dosage. 

2.  B vitamins:  BrainChild Nutrionals B-Complex.  1/2 the recommended dose which provides a super dosage of all B vitamins including B6 at about 12mg. 

Studies I've seen on this combo (Mg and B6) either dosed Mg at 200mg, or used weight to determine dosage and so I'm targeting the 260mg of Mg and 18mg of B6.  I didn't want to risk an imbalance of the B vitamins so I opted for the complex formula and end up with slightly less B6 but it seems to work fine for her. 

3.  PS-Omegas:  Minami Nutrition MorEPA Chewable with vitamin C (2 caps) and Nature's Way Phosphatidyl-Serine (2 caps) daily.  This combo resembles the formula

that Enzymotec (parent company to Vayarin) used for their European study in about 2004. One of the study aims was to demonstrate the results of PS-Omega 3s vs. Omega 3s alone. 

Based on what their rep told me, it was the success of that study that led them to develop Vayarin.  The company specializes in Phospholipids.  It takes several weeks for impact to be seen but when it kicks in we see better short term memory/executive function, better focus and motivation for doing homework.   

DD cannot swallow pills so I look for liquids and powders whenever possible and mix into juice which works fine so far.  For the PS-Omega I cut open the gels and squeeze it onto a spoon.   This deliver is difficult and last school year she just didn't want to take it so we're starting up again now.  That's why I'm hoping to get the Vayarin product since long term compliance would possibly be better, not to mention potentially better results at a lower dosage.  She's also casein intolerant so we have to supplement calcium so it's a lot to manage each day. 

Hope that helps.   

[MarciaD]

Do anyone of you use Feingold along with (or without) supplements?

[heatherdeg]

We used Feingold and at the time, I don't believe we used other supplements on my son; but my husband was on Vyvanse. My husband saw minimal but noticeable improvement. But we go on dietary changes as a family and my son and I both had some significant changes that had nothing to do with focus/attention but were enough for us to continue eating at Stage 1 Feingold even now, 2 years later.

Feingold gets a lot of press for ADD/ADHD but it really does address a very broad range of issues.

[MarciaD]

We use Feingold plus omega 3s. We've tried other supplements but Feingold/omega 3's have been enough for us.

[lalacravens]

Rtinnova, thank you so much for sharing brands & routine. Personally, I'm not sure I trust brainchild products completely, for the price -- would prefer supplements from GMP certified manufacturer. One has to remember, unfortunately, how uncertain these times & products can be without regulation. I think I might like our current protocol -- things are working well.... So far. My 6 y/o takes kids calm multi, and that with a healthy diet supplies her with enough calcium, magnesium, b6, & zinc, plus omegas, ever so conveniently... We just can't top that, all in one bottle.

We occasionally add a drop of Biotics Research liquid vit d3, and Child Life vit c, especially for autumn & winter.... occasionally 1 tablet of b6 from Biotics Research. We also give her Attend now every morning, and so far, seeing great results from that. Wanted to keep "pill popping" as minimal as possible, seeing how we usually have to dose other things too during cold & flu season (smart silver, homeopathic allergy/sinus spray, collostrum, sometimes herbal immune support). We also take AMP w/ l-glutamine & probiotics daily for gut health. So far, with a great teacher included in the mix, we are now more able to positively apply behavior modifications successfully. (I think that's more crucial than anything in a bottle, but then you have to be ABLE to get the child to that point as well). Every child is different, which makes all this a challenge to figure out.

I think we've sort of abandoned the PS approach for now... Having seen minimal results combined w/ omega 3... Or put it on hold until further notice. We just found out from our very loved & respected nutritionist that since our dd has the herpes virus (cold sores on mouth - no we have no idea how she got this other than putting her mouth on everything when she was little) that this could play a HUGE part in ALL of her behaviors, and elevated neurotransmitter levels. He was all excited when he found this out, and kinda fussed at us for not telling him earlier. Herpes virus causes brain swelling, and camps out in spinal column. Hm... Who knew? So now we are going to add 500mg of l- lysine daily & make sure she gets those vit d drops more often. I see more research in my future. : )

*** we are gluten/wheat - free, and almost dairy free (refuse to give up occasional cheese & ice cream). I think we'd fall face down on the feingold diet, unless somebody could show me an easy way to accomplish it without feeling overwhelmed and conquered by an extremely picky eater.

[shemcreek657]

I am from Mount Pleasant,SC, if I may ask, how is your 6yr old doing on the Vayarin after your last post? My son, 13, was just prescribed it and started taking it this morning. Where was the cheapest retailer? I will be calling around.

Thanks !