ADHD SUPPLEMENTS

What Is Known About the Role of Supplements In The Treatment of ADD & ADHD?

Do minerals and supplements play a role in the treatment of ADHD? 

• Some people claim that that supplements are a "cure" for ADHD. 
• Others state that they are helpful and can make a marked difference in behavior, attention and impulse control. 
• Still others state that a patient with ADHD gets all the minerals and vitamins they need in their diet.  They claim that taking additional vitamins, minerals and supplements do no good whatsoever. 

HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE.  There are no good placebo-controlled, double-blinded, peer reviewed studies PROVING that any supplement or mineral makes a difference in the outcome of ADHD or ADD.

THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT SUPPLEMENTS ARE OF NO VALUE IN THE TREATMENT OF ADD AND ADHD.  THERE IS JUST NO PROOF AT THIS POINT.

I have many patients and parents of patients who say that the supplements make a huge difference.   Some parents even state that their kids are able to get off all meds when they use supplements.  I find that most do better with a combination of supplements and medication.

There are many articles suggesting that certain supplements can help focus, attention, impulsivity, memory, brain function, and depression.

Following are some of the supplements and minerals which may be of help in ADD and ADHD:

1. OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS & OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS   These are considered essential fatty acids , meaning that they are essential to human health, but cannot be manufactured by the human body. They, therefore, must be obtained from food or supplements.
   1. Foods containing these include the following:
      1. Fish--Certain ones, including salmon, tuna, halibut, algae, krill, mackerel, lake trout, herring, and sardines. (PROBLEM: These fish often contain high levels of mercury, which is toxic)
      2. Plants--Purslane, nut oils, flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, perilla seed oil, andwalnuts
   2. Function of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
      1. Crucial role in brain function. (Highly concentrated in brain tissue)
      2. Very important for cognitive function--memory and performance
      3. Also very important in behavioral function
   3. Symptoms of deficiency of Omega-3 Fatty acids:
      1. Extreme tiredness and fatigue, poor memory, dry skin.
      2. Also heart and circulation problems, mood swings, or depression.
   4. Possibly useful as treatment for many conditions, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, weight loss, arthritis, osteoporosis, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, ADHD, eating disorders, burns, skin disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, macular degeneration, menstrual pain, colon cancer, and breast cancer.