VANTASTIC

Some children are easily irritated or suffer from having a ‘short fuse’ (For example, they may have anger outbursts or lose their temper easily). This is a common problem among children and adolescents. Due to frustration, anger, impatience or even despair, they may behave in a way that could harm themselves or others. Being easily irritated frequently occurs in children with attention problems and hyperactivity (ADHD), but also with behavioral problems (for example oppositional behavior or aggression), anxiety, depression or mood problems. Therefore, it is important to reduce irritability. Nutrition may play a role in this.

Some researchers claim that food supplements could help if someone is easily irritated. Food supplements contain so-called micronutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and trace elements (for example vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, iron), which are also part of our food. Food supplements might also have a favorable effect on other problems, such as fatigue, sleep problems, negative feelings, anger outbursts, or concentration difficulties. But is this true? And to what extent can food supplements indeed help children and adolescents? Unfortunately, as of yet, these questions have not been answered sufficiently. So far, only few high-quality studies exist on this topic. Therefore, in this study we would like to examine if food supplements have an influence on behavior, emotions and overall wellbeing.

In this study, we would like to find out if taking food supplements may help children and adolescents to reduce their irritability and other emotional and behavioral problems. The participants will take 3 food supplement capsules for 20 weeks, two capsules in the morning and one in the evening. The study is a so-called ‘randomised placebo-controlled’ trial. In the first 10 weeks half of the participants get the food supplement, while the other half get a fake one (placebo). Group assignment will be done by drawing lots. After these initial 10 weeks all participants get the food supplement for 10 weeks. A total of five visits will take place at Accare. This will be the end of the study. 

During the study, current medication and other treatments can be continued as usual. Also, the child should continue to eat and drink like he or she is used to. Child and parents will receive a gift voucher and reimbursement of travel expenses. 

From Accare, the VANTASTIC study is conducted by Lieke Bruinsma (coordinator, research psychologist), Marieke Messchendorp (research psychologist), Tess Praamstra and Nienke Markensteijn (remedial educationalists). Also involved in the study are Dr. A. (Andrea) Dietrich and Prof. Dr. P.J. (Pieter) Hoekstra of the Accare Child Study Center, in collaboration with the University Medical Center Groningen, and Dr. Alexander Haege and Prof. Dr. Tobias Banaschewski of the Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheid-CIMH, Mannheim, Germany.

VANTASTIC is a part of the Eat2beNICE project within 18 European clinical centers. Eat2beNICE investigates the influence of nutrition and lifestyle on mental health.

The study is financed by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 project running from 2017 to 2023. More information can be found on www.eat2bnice.eu  

For more information about the study, feel free to call us at +3150 368 11 00 (Accare Groningen), send an email to VANTASTIC@accare.nl or use our weblink.

During this research study we work together with Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheid-CIMH, located at Mannheim, Duitsland