As many as 18% of children in the United States suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), making it the most prevalent childhood medical condition. I know many people personally who feel that they or their children suffer from ADHD, although not all of them have had an official diagnosis. Since eating healthier to improve brain function can be helpful but challenging, supplements shown to provide benefits should be considered. Here is where the science stands on ADHD, based on a thorough recent review of the literature*: Omega-3 fats help the most, and food additives hurt the most.
· Omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3) cut in half the 1-year school comprehension deficit of children 5-12 years old. Omega-3s are important for nerve signaling in the brain at the synapse. I studied fats and synaptic fusion for 5 years in graduate school, so this number 1 supplement benefit for ADHD strikes close to home for me. I recommend vitamin E supplementation to protect against oxidative damage to omega-3s being consumed and that are already in the body.
· The minerals zinc, manganese, and iron have shown significant positive effects, but at levels higher than the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) Upper Tolerable Levels of Intake (UTLI). The UTLIs are the safe levels of daily supplementation before potential negative side effects occur. I recommend supplementing with no more than ½ of the UTLI (see below), and supplementing with vitamin C instead of iron since iron absorption will increase significantly without the health risk that comes with supplementing with iron.
· Vitamin B6 (pyroxidine) has not been tested independently for ADHD, but it is activated by zinc to increase serotonin production. B6 has an UTLI about 100 times higher than daily needs, so it is worthwhile considering B6 supplementation even if its benefits are thus far only theoretical.
· Antioxidants may be beneficial. Pycnogel, from maritime pine bark, showed benefits in one study.
· Food additives, particularly artificial colors and flavors, have been linked to worsening the symptoms of ADHD.
Clyde’s Thoughts: When I think about vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega fats, what comes to mind are vegetables, nuts, seeds, and low-mercury fish like salmon and sardines. When I think about the typical American diet, and in particular the foods that children like to eat, a very different set of edibles come to mind. I hesitate to call chips and sweets “food”, so I will use the term “edibles” instead. Changing our habits from edibles to food can be difficult and take years, so we shouldn’t wait until our diets are perfect before we take advantage of scientific findings. This is where supplements come in. But we always want to make sure that the amounts we are taking, and the specific forms those supplements are in, are safe. Otherwise, they may help us with one condition while giving rise to another.
Clyde’s Advice:
For ADHD, anyone over the age of 4
could consider supplementing daily with 500-1000 mg of omega-3s (1 or 2 fish or
flax oil capsules), 250-500 mg vitamin C, 5-10 mg zinc, and 50-100 mg
magnesium. As a support for these
supplements in the brain, consider 200-400 vitamin E (as natural mixed
tocopherols) and 25-50 mg vitamin B6.
Antioxidants, such as 25-50 mg pycnogel can also be considered.
The Bottom Line: Eat a dark salad (such as spring mix, mixed green, or spinach) with a few different types of veggies on top each day, and on days that salmon or sardines are not being eaten, have 1 or 2 fish or flax oil tablets. Until then, supplement not only with fish or flax oil capsules, but also with vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium in the amount of up to 2 times RDA (see the label of your multivitamin).
*Reference: “Nutritional and dietary influences on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder”, Natalie Sinn, Nutrition Reviews 558 2008 66. Research paper quality score: 1.5
Thought you would be interested in this short omega-3 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIgNpsbvcVM
Posted by: susan allport | November 05, 2008 at 05:24 AM