 These elements include iron, magnesium, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and zinc.
All of these substances are known to be necessary for optimal brain development and function. However, no difference between children with or without ADHD has been shown for levels of zinc, iron, magnesium, or vitamin B6, and no links between these low levels and ADHD-type behavior have been established to date. No significant improvement in ADHD behaviors has been demonstrated when supplemental doses of these substances are provided. As with all children, any true nutritional deficiency should be corrected with a standard supplement or a change in daily diet. But supplementation should not exceed the daily recommended allowance because higher levels of some elements (zinc in particular) can prove toxic.
Additional Supplements to Improve Performance
A number of other dietary supplements have been proposed to replace the use of stimulants in treating ADHD. Principal among these are nootropics, antioxidants, and herbs. Nootropics, specifically a substance called piracetam, have been advocated as cognitive enhancers for children with Down syndrome, dyslexia, and ADHD. While there is no scientific proof of positive effects relating to Down syndrome, one convincing study did show improvement in reading ability and comprehension among children taking piracetam supplements. While there is a rational basis for theorizing that piracetam may also improve ADHD-type behaviors because it is believed to enhance the transmission of the same brain chemicals influenced by stimulant medication (dopamine and noradrenaline), no controlled studies have yet been published, so this treatment cannot be recommended.
Children with ADHD as well as people who eat a modern American diet may have low levels of certain EFAs (including EPA and DHA). In a study of nearly 100 boys, those with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids had more learning and behavioral problems than boys with normal levels. Studies examining whether omega-3 fatty acids can help improve symptoms of 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