 ADHD have found mixed results. A few studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids helped improve behavioral symptoms, but most of these were not well designed. One study that looked at DHA in addition to stimulant therapy found no effect. More research is clearly needed, but for now eating foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids is certainly a reasonable approach.
Deanol (DMAE), lecithin, and phosphatylserine are other cognitive enhancers (nootropics) frequently found in over-the-counter ADHD remedies available in health food stores or on the Internet. Lecithin and phosphatylserine have not yet been sufficiently studied as treatments for this condition, but DMAE has seemed in one reliable study to be as effective as the stimulant methylphenidate in treating target behaviors. It is clear, then, that though these nootropics cannot currently be recommended as a substitute for stimulants due to insufficient evidence, they are currently being researched and warrant further study as a potential future treatment or complementary supplement for the symptoms of ADHD.
Antioxidants and herbs, used for many centuries in traditional medicine, have only recently come under scientific study. Some of the substances that have been marketed as treatments for ADHD include pycnogenol, an antioxidant derived from pine bark; melatonin, another antioxidant known to successfully treat sleep cycle disturbances in certain children; gingko biloba extract, often used in Europe to treat circulatory and memory disorders; and such herbs as chamomile, valerian, lemon balm, kava, hops, and passion flower. While melatonin can be useful in addressing sleep disturbances in a child with ADHD, and the herbs mentioned may also be useful as mild sleep aids, the reported positive effects of these antioxidants and herbs as treatments for ADHD core symptoms have been solely anecdotal so far, and there is insufficient scientific evidence to support their use.
If you do decide to administer any of these substances to your child, it is important to inform your child’s pediatrician and then carefully monitor their use because some can lead to harmful effects if used in combination with other medications. Gingko biloba extract, for example, must not be taken with aspirin, anticoagulants, or antidepressants, and the herbs listed should not be used when taking sedative medications due to the danger of compounding the sedative’s effects. It is necessary to keep in mind that these substances can vary considerably in potency from one preparation to another, and that they are not standardized or regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Other theories about the causes of, and treatment for, ADHD have evolved from the hypothesis that certain substances that are present, rather than absent, in a child’s diet may lead to or worsen the condition. The suspected harmful substances include artificial food additives, preservatives, sugar, or other elements speculated to cause allergic responses or yeast infections that can lead to the development of ADHD. According to these theories, eliminating such elements may eliminate or diminish the symptoms of ADHD.
In the mid-1970s a groundswell of concern about the effects of food additives, artificial flavorings, and dyes in the American diet accounted for, in part at least, to the huge popularity of the Feingold Diet as a treatment for ADHD. Dr Benjamin Feingold, a practicing allergist, theorized that these food additives, as well as substances called salicylates (contained in many fruits and vegetables), were causing hyperactivity and learning disabilities in many children.
In his book, Why Your Child Is Hyperactive, Dr Feingold claimed that when these children were given a special “elimination diet” that omitted these substances, half of them showed a dramatic improvement in behavior. When the elements were reintroduced into the children’s diet, the symptoms returned. Most controlled studies do not support that elimination of these substances leads to better outcome for children with ADHD. Only about 2% of children with ADHD