Wiggly, disruptive boys have been part of the classroom scene since . . . well, since classrooms first existed. And make no mistake: Although girls do sometimes cause problems in the classroom, any teacher will tell you that the difficult-to-manage youngsters are far more likely to be boys.
Recent decades have seen both boys and girls lining up in schools across the nation to receive the medications that keep them in their classroom seats and focused on the tasks at hand instead of almost literally bouncing off the walls.
Medical experts say that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) manifests itself mainly in the form of three types of behaviors—inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive actions. And while all children exhibit these traits from time to time, in a child with ADHD, the problems are so extreme that they interfere with quality of life. This is definitely a diagnosis for a medical expert to make, not a teacher, not a parent, not a social worker.
Labeling these behaviors as a disorder is a relatively recent phenomenon, as is giving stimulant medications as a treatment. (In children with ADHD, the stimulant Ritalin has the opposite effect from what would be expected. It typically calms a child and helps him or her to stay focused.)
Even newer on the scene than the use of Ritalin are studies showing that dietary interventions and individual nutrients really can make a difference in a child’s ADHD-related behavior.
For years, doctors outside the mainstream have touted the potential of certain dietary restrictions for taming ADHD behaviors. These consisted mainly of avoiding food additives and artificial colors and making natural, unprocessed foods the mainstay of the diet. Most notable among those taking this approach are proponents of the Feingold Diet, an elimination-style program developed by Ben Feingold, M.D.
Anecdotal evidence has accumulated from many parents who’ve maintained that changing their child’s diet has done the trick. All the while, the official medical position on dietary interventions has ranged from cautiously skeptical to downright negative. But that negativity is starting to change. What’s different now?
“Now we’re getting credible research that backs it up,” says Alan Logan, ND, author of The Brain Diet. The new research has “certainly legitimized” all those earlier anecdotal claims that things like food additives and artificial colors contribute to behavior extremes in children, he says.
In a large review of several studies, researchers from Harvard University and Columbia University came to the conclusion that artificial food colorings can indeed trigger hyperactive symptoms in children with ADHD.
Another study, published in the British medical journal The Lancet in 2007, took a look at whether artificial food colors and additives can have any impact on the behavior of healthy children who do not have ADHD. Researcher Donna McCann, PhD, and colleagues at two medical schools in the United Kingdom focused the study on groups of children age 3 and ages 8 and 9. Children of each age group were given either a drink containing preservatives and food colorings or a placebo—a similar drink without the additives.
At the end of the study the researchers concluded: “Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.”
This is by no means the only study to show that food additives and dyes can spark ADHD-like behavior. But it is recent and possibly the most convincing.
The researchers concluded their paper: “The implications for the regulation of food additive use could be substantial.”
Indeed. European food safety regulators are already debating whether certain food additives should be completely banned or whether food package warning labels are sufficient. Don’t hold your breath waiting for action from the US Food and Drug Administration, however.
It’s entirely appropriate to eliminate artificial food dyes and additives from your child’s diet to see whether it will make a difference in ADHD behavior, says Dr. Logan. “At least do some serious label reading,” he suggests.
Your best bet, according to Dr. Logan, is to completely eliminate processed foods from the diet and to concentrate instead on making meals from fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and fish. Such a diet, he says, is better for health in general and particularly helpful for a variety of mental health problems, including ADHD. Adults with ADHD can also benefit, he notes.
Before we look at individual nutrients that can be helpful for dealing with ADHD, there are a couple of other dietary strategies to consider.
“There’s a wealth of research on the importance of breakfast,” says Dr. Logan. “The breakfast connection is enormous.” Several studies show that eating a breakfast high in fiber and low in sugar helps mood, mental acuity, and classroom performance, reports Dr. Logan.
Children with ADHD seem to be especially sensitive to bloodsugar lows, he says. When these children have a sugary treat, their blood sugar spikes quickly, then drops. “It can happen within the hour,” he says. The blood sugar low triggers a stress reaction in the body and contributes to ADHD behaviors, he explains.
The solution? Before they head off to school, make sure children have a breakfast of cereal that is low in sugar and high in fiber, advises Dr. Logan. Oatmeal is one good choice, he says.
High fiber content in a cereal will slow the rate at which the sugars in the cereal enter the bloodstream and will also lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, explains Dr. Logan. And forget about the brightly colored sugary “juice” drinks, he says. These are not a good choice for breakfast or at any other time, for that matter.
In addition to dietary strategies, a number of nutrients can be helpful in dealing with ADHD.
To begin with, it’s a good idea to give your child a daily multivitamin to ensure that he or she is getting all the necessary nutrients every day, says Dr. Logan. And, he adds, do make sure you avoid multivitamins that contain artificial colors! “There are certainly good multivitamins for kids,” says Dr. Logan. They don’t have to be brightly colored and shaped like cartoon characters.
Several kinds of nutrients warrant special attention in children with ADHD.
Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals, naturally occurring molecules that damage the body, including the brain. Among the best known antioxidants are vitamin C and vitamin E. But taking supplements of individual antioxidants just doesn’t do it for ADHD, says Dr. Logan.
There are literally thousands of beneficial phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables, and many of those are antioxidants. The best bet for children with ADHD is to make sure that they eat lots of colorful plant foods. And for additional insurance, he suggests giving children a dehydrated super-foods supplement, either one made from greens or one made from berries. Better yet, alternate back and forth between the two.
Dehydrated superfoods supplements are readily available in health food stores and natural grocery stores. Some of these products are specifically made for children. You can mix the powder in either fruit smoothies or yogurt, says Dr. Logan.
“Four very good-quality studies show that omega-3 fatty acids are very important and they matter,” says Dr. Logan. The brain is made mostly of fat, he explains, and the kinds of fats we eat get incorporated into the structure of the brain and nerves.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found mainly in fish. Studies have found, says Dr. Logan, that two omega-3 fatty acids—EPA and DHA—are helpful in children with ADHD. A breath test shows that children with ADHD have much higher breakdown products from omega-3 fatty acids, meaning that they use these fatty acids at a higher rate, he says.
He suggests giving children school age and older fish oil in supplement form, enough to ensure that they get 500 to 900 milligrams of EPA and DHA. The EPA and DHA content varies from product to product, so you’ll need to read labels and do the math to achieve the right dose. Adults with ADHD can take more, he says, up to 2 grams daily. In addition, he says, all adults should eat at least two servings of fish a week.
Studies have shown that blood levels of the mineral zinc are 30 percent lower in children with ADHD, reports Dr. Logan. Specifically, both parents and teachers have reported in studies that inattention is greater in those children who were found to have low blood levels of zinc, he says. Among other things, zinc helps the body metabolize fatty acids.
In one Turkish study conducted in 2004, researchers gave either zinc supplements or a placebo (a look-alike, but inactive, substance) to two groups of school-age children with ADHD. They did not find any difference in the two groups’ ability to pay attention. However, the group taking the zinc supplements scored better in socialization, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The researchers noted that zinc is involved in the body’s manufacture of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of calmness and well-being. They also noted that zinc helps metabolize essential fatty acids, the helpful nutrients found in fish oil.
Bottom line: “Zinc is huge,” says Dr. Logan. He suggests giving a zinc supplement in the range of 10 to 15 milligrams daily to children school age and older. Adults with ADHD can take more, he says, in the 25-milligram range.
The Brain Diet: The Connection between Nutrition, Mental Health, and Intelligence by Alan C. Logan, ND
Feingold Association of the United States, feingold.org
If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, he or she should be under a doctor’s care. Do discuss any supplements you wish to give your child with the doctor and do not attempt to reduce or discontinue medications without discussing it with the doctor.
Antioxidants |
Provide children with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as well as a superfoods supplement made from greens or berries. |
Omega-3 fatty acids |
Children should take enough fish oil to get 500 to 900 milligrams of EPA and DHA; adults can take enough fish oil to get up to 2 grams of EPA and DHA* |
Zinc |
10 to 15 milligrams for children; 25 milligrams for adults |
*The EPA and DHA content of fish oil can vary from product to product. You’ll need to read labels and do the math to determine the right dose. Fish oil has a blood-thinning effect. If you’re taking any kind of blood-thinning drug, talk to your doctor before taking fish oil supplements.