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Micronutrients absorbed via the oral mucosa reduce emotion dysregulation in 5-10-year-old children: A three-phased randomized wait-list-controlled trial
Prior studies have demonstrated that micronutrient capsules may enhance children’s ability to regulate their emotions. The safety of using a micronutrient powder that would be absorbed via the oral mucosa and its impact on emotion dysregulation in children aged 5 to 10 were investigated in this three-phase, randomized, open-label, waitlist-controlled research by Katta et al. (2024). The Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) and the Revised Clinician-rated Temper and Irritability (CL-ARI) scales were used to collect the primary outcome variables. Forty-eight children with moderate-to-severe irritability symptoms were randomized into either the initial treatment group (ITG) or the waitlist control group (IWLG), which had a four-week delayed start. Each group took the micronutrients for four weeks and then had a four-week rest. During the final three months of the trial, both participant groups received the micronutrient powder regularly. In the study, adherence was high (at 93%). At the end of the trial phase, there were significant group differences, with 67% of children in the ITG showing ‘much’ or ‘very much’ improvement on the CGI-I, compared to 8% in the IWLG. When compared to the IWLG, the ITG also showed a clinically significant decrease in symptoms of ADHD and ODD, as assessed by the Child Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV Questionnaire 26 (SNAP-IV). The treatment effects decreased when people stopped taking the micronutrients, but they returned when they started taking them again. The benefits were sustained over time. The IWLG reported significantly more headaches and sweating at the trial’s end. The study concludes that oral mucosal absorption of micronutrients is a safe and efficient treatment for children with emotion dysregulation. To validate these findings, more double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies are required. [NPID: Micronutrients, emotion dysregulation, children, irritability, ADHD, ODD, treatment safety]
Year: 2024
