the role of nutritional supplements in the treatment of adhd: what the evidence says

Some studies suggest that certain nutritional supplements can ease symptoms of ADHD. Zinc is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in brain health. A zinc deficiency may have an effect on other nutrients that help the brain function.

Full Answer

Are natural supplements effective in treating ADHD?

Feb 07, 2017 ·

Can fatty acids help with ADHD?

Does magnesium supplementation help with ADHD?

Feb 01, 2017 · Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder in children and adolescents and may persist into adulthood. Insufficient nutritional supply of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and other components including various minerals has been suggested to play a role in the development of ADHD symptoms.

Is zinc good for ADHD in children?

Feb 07, 2017 · This review presents the evidence regarding the role of nutritional PUFA, zinc, iron, and magnesium supplements in the treatment of ADHD with a focus on the critical evaluation of the relevant literature published from 2014 to April 2016.

Is there evidence that diet has an effect on ADHD?

Can you treat ADHD with supplements?

What supplements help people with ADHD?

How does nutrition treat ADHD?

What supplement is good for concentration?

Are there natural supplements for ADHD?

Does Focus Factor help with ADHD?

What vitamins are people with ADHD lacking?

What to do to help ADHD?

What foods can make ADHD worse?

What supplements are used for ADHD?

Two dietary supplements, omega-3 fatty acids in treating ADHD symptoms and melatonin in treating sleep-onset insomnia in children with ADHD (but not primary ADHD symptoms) have strong supportive evidence of efficacy. However, many other dietary and herbal supplements have widespread use in the United States for ADHD despite minimal evidence of efficacy. Some herbal remedies such as Gingko biloba, and St. John’s Wort are fairly frequently used to treat ADHD despite non-existent to negative evidence of efficacy and clear evidence for possible side-effects. Given the widespread use of many dietary supplements by families of children with ADHD (and possible interactions with many traditional medications), it remains imperative that clinicians inquire about their use with families and coordinate pharmacological management of ADHD with them. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids, have fairly convincing evidence of efficacy in treating ADHD across a sizable number of randomized, controlled trials. That being said, the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids for ADHD appears well below the treatment gains achieved from traditional medications for ADHD such as psychostimulant medications. The use of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of ADHD should generally be reserved for mild cases of ADHD and as an adjunctive treatment in more severe ADHD cases. Melatonin appears to be an excellent option to treat sleep problems in ADHD (stimulant-induced or not) if behavioral treatments have been unsuccessful and reducing or adjusting psychostimulant medication use is not feasible.

What is the goal of the ADHD review?

The goal of this review is to synthesize and evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the potential efficacy and side-effects of natural supplements and herbal remedies for ADHD. We additionally will provide clinicians with recommendations regarding their potential use and role in overall ADHD treatment.

What is the best treatment for ADHD?

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common and impairing health condition affecting school-aged children.1, 2Pharmacotherapies are currently considered the cornerstone of evidence-based treatment for ADHD. Over 70% of children with ADHD respond to psychostimulant medications.3Other medications such as atomoxetine, alpha-2 agonists, bupropion and tricyclic antidepressants have also demonstrated efficacy in treating ADHD.4–6However, many families elect not to use traditional pharmacotherapies to treat ADHD. This decision is often related to concerns over possible short-term side effects or doubts regarding long-term efficacy or effects on development of these medications.7–10Instead, alternative and complementary treatments such as natural supplements are often used by families to treat ADHD.11

Is carnitine good for ADHD?

An initial randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled crossover trial of L-carnitine in 24 children with ADHD failed to demonstrate a significant difference compared to placebo.38Similarly, two other randomized, placebo-controlled trials of acetyl-L-carnitine in children with ADHD have also failed to demonstrate any evidence of efficacy in treating children with ADHD.39, 40Based on currently available trial data in children with ADHD, there is no evidence to suggest carnitine is a more effective treatment for ADHD than placebo.

Does melatonin help with sleep disorders?

Melatonin is a hormone secreted primarily by the pineal gland in response to variations in the circadian cycle and has been used for the last two decades for the treatment of sleep disorders in adults and children. In contrast to most available sleep medications, melatonin has little dependence potential, is not associated with habituation and typically produces no hangover. Given its reported hypnotic effects, relatively benign side-effect profile and over-the-counter availability, melatonin has been widely utilized in the United States.34Melatonin has been demonstrated in meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials to decrease sleep latency, increase total sleep time and improve sleep quality in both children and adults with primary sleep disorders.35Given that sleep problems are common in children with ADHD and are hypothesized to possibly be related to the pathogenesis of the disorder there remains the possibility that melatonin may help improve both sleep problems and ADHD symptoms in children with both conditions. It has been hypothesized that a subset of children with ADHD experience chronic sleep-onset insomnia that leads to excessive daytime sleepiness associated with disinhibition, hyperarousal, and problems with executive function that mimics ADHD. Two, randomized placebo-controlled trials of melatonin have been conducted in children with ADHD and sleep problems. An initial cross-over study in 27 stimulant-treated children with ADHD and sleep-onset insomnia demonstrated a significant benefit of melatonin in improving sleep outcomes (decreased sleep onset latency) but not ADHD symptoms.36The second trial which examined the efficacy of melatonin in reducing sleep problems in 105 children with ADHD and chronic sleep onset insomnia demonstrated a significant benefit of melatonin on primary sleep measures (decreased time to sleep onset and increased total sleep time) but demonstrated no effect on ADHD symptoms.37Taken together, these trials and meta-analysis suggest that melatonin has CEBM Level 1 evidence for reducing sleep-onset latency in children with chronic sleep-onset insomnia (regardless of a comorbid diagnosis of ADHD) but there is no evidence to suggest melatonin improves ADHD symptoms. Melatonin should be prescribed in a single, night-time dose of 3–6mg (depending on child’s weight) approximately 30 minutes before bedtime.

Is omega 3 good for ADHD?

Cumulative evidence suggests that there is currently CEBM level-1 evidence demonstrating the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of ADHD. Current evidence would recommend supplementation with a dose of 1–2g daily with a substantial content of EPA within the omega-3 formulation. However, evidence supporting supplementation much less clear when examining ADHD symptoms in children with other primary disorders (such as dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder and with reading impairments). Table 1summarizes the results of randomized, placebo-controlled trials of nutritional supplements in ADHD.

Does iron help with ADHD?

Iron is a cofactor for tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme of monoamine synthesis and thus is critical for dopamine and norepinephrine production. In a recent meta-analysis of case control studiespatients with ADHD have been demonstrated to have lower serum ferritin levels compared to healthy controls.41A small, pilot, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 23 children with ADHD and abnormally low serum ferritin levels demonstrated a significant improvement in ADHD symptoms in children randomized to ferrous sulfate (80mg/day) compared to placebo.42Further trials are needed to establish whether iron supplementation has any clinical utility beyond ADHD patients with evidence of iron deficiency.

Do supplements really help ADHD symptoms?

Heather M. Jones is a freelance writer with a strong focus on health, parenting, disability,and feminism.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential nutrient that you must get from your diet since your body doesn't produce them. Dietary sources include fatty fish like salmon and tuna, seeds such as flax and chia, and nuts such as walnuts. 3

Iron Supplements

Iron is used by the body to make hemoglobin in red blood cells. Hemoglobin transports oxygen to nourish your tissues. Dietary sources include meat (especially red meat), tuna, and dark leafy greens.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that you need to get from your diet for the proper functioning of your body. Vitamins are produced by plants or animals, while minerals come from soil and water and then are incorporated into plants and animals that we eat.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone secreted primarily by the pineal gland (located deep in the brain). It regulates your sleep-wake cycles.

What to Look For

So many CAM treatments are suggested for ADHD that it can be hard to separate fact from fiction.

Summary

Stimulant medications are the treatment most supported by evidence in the treatment of ADHD, but other treatments are sometimes suggested. While dietary supplements may not help ADHD symptoms on their own, they can help manage deficiencies that affect ADHD symptoms.