ADHD is a disorder of the brain that arises from defective connections between the nerve cells that controls attention. There is no strong scientific evidence that the cause is due to diet or nutritional deficiency. But, according to research, specific food products may likely play a role in affecting symptoms of ADHD among patients. In order to be acquainted with the safe and non-safe foods for your children, please read. This article will answer your questions about the diet of ADHD patients, including foods that aid in improving symptoms of ADHD, supplements and elimination diets.
What is an ADHD diet?
Preferably, the diet of a kid diagnosed with ADHD is intended to help the brain function better and lessen the symptoms of ADHD, like lack of focus and restlessness. The diet comprises of the food you take and nutritional supplements you take. ADHD diets are described as:
Overall nutrition for ADHD:
This comprises of the daily food you eat. How can your general nutrition be good or bad for ADHD? The theory is that certain foods worsen or improve symptoms of ADHD.
Supplementation diets for ADHD:
This means adding other nutrients, vitamins and minerals that help make up for the insufficiencies in your diet that are contributory factors to symptoms of ADHD.
Overall Nutrition and ADHD
Scientific studies conducted about ADHD diets are very limited and outcomes are mixed. Numerous health experts do believe that relieving symptoms of ADHD are linked to diet.
According to Richard Sogn, MD, an expert on ADHD explains that whatever it is that is good for the brain is more likely to be good for ADHD.
To help you get started, below are helpful nutrients you can get from a healthy diet.
Thiamine (Vitamin B1):
This aids in improving behavior.
Niacin (Vitamin B3):
This nutrient is helpful in maintaining social relationship and helps for symptoms like failing school performance and hyperactivity.
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6):
Pyridoxine is very effective for the treatment of hyperactivity. B-vitamins are normally found in food, and if you decide to take supplements, it is advisable that you take them as a B-complex instead of individual B-vitamins. B vitamins are usually found in fish, nuts, meat, organ meat, green leafy veggies, eggs, brewer’s yeast and more. Also take note that B12 is a B-vitamin that can only be found in animal foods.
Magnesium:
This helps in relieving anxiety, restlessness and excessive fidgeting.
Calcium:
This helps with hyperactivity. Calcium is a good alternative for melatonin. When used in the evening along with magnesium, has a relaxing effect that helps in lessening anxiety and troubled sleep.It is ideal that the ratio of calcium and magnesium is 1:1, because they need to balance each other out. Dairy products have high calcium levels but have low magnesium levels, and generally several people have lower levels of magnesium as compared to calcium. You can get calcium and magnesium from seeds, nuts, salmon with bones, sardines and green leafy veggies.
Zinc:
Zinc helps in decreasing impulsivity, hyperactivity and aiding with irritability. Good sources of zinc are red meat, sesame seeds, oysters, eggs and pumpkin seeds.
Iron:
This helps with memory, irritability and attentiveness. Be careful when supplementing iron, for it is usually not suggested unless absolutely needed. Your healthcare professional can aid in identifying if your low iron count is because of poor absorption or deficiency. Consuming foods rich in vitamin C can aid in enhancing iron absorption. You can get iron from foods like red meat, beans, egg yolks, nuts and organ meats. Cooking with cast iron may also aid in increasing iron intake for some of the iron is transferred to the food.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
This aids with sleep problems, improving mood, focus, temper tantrums and memory. This one is the most vital if the aim is improving symptoms of ADHD. A lot of children hate taking Omega-3; however, there are various methods of taking it so that you will not experience the fishy smell. If you have taken the flax variety, it is not that potent as compared to the fish variety, which means you will have to take more flax oil to get the needed amount of Omega-3.Good sources of Omega-3 are salmon and halibut and you can also opt for organically farmed, pasture-raised meats which are also high in Omega-3.
Nutritional Supplements and ADHD
According to the recommendation of some experts, people with ADHD should take 100% supplement of vitamin and mineral every day. But other nutrition experts believed that vitamin and mineral supplements are not needed for people who eat a balanced and healthy diet, and claimed that there is no sufficient evidence that taking vitamin and mineral supplements can help children with ADHD. Though multivitamins are good for kids, teens and adults that do not eat a balanced diet, large doses of vitamins are dangerous and must be avoided.
Symptoms of ADHD differ from one person to another. Always consult your physician before taking any additional supplements.
Elimination Diets and ADHD
An elimination diet means identifying a specific ingredient or food that you think can be a contributory factor or is worsening the symptoms of ADHD. Then you refrain from eating foods containing that identified substance. If the symptoms are lessened or are subsiding, then you stay avoiding the substance.
Does eliminating certain foods from your daily diet improved the symptoms of ADHD? Studies in these areas are still ongoing and results are mixed, though a lot of scientists do not support this as a conventional approach in the management of ADHD. However, here are a few common areas of concern and recommendations of some experts.
Food allergies or additives
According to an allergist, late Benjamin Feingold, MD, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives result to hyperactivity in some kids. From his early theory, child behavior experts and researchers fiercely argued on this issue, with some seeing his original drastic dietary restrictions as baseless and not supported by scientific evidence. A study recently showed that several food coloring and one certain preservative did intensify hyperactivity in some kids. But, effects varied by age and additive.
From this study and other latest studies, the American Academy of Pediatrics is now settled on the idea that taking away preservatives and food colorings from the diet is practical solution for children with ADHD. Several experts suggest that those with ADHD should avoid the following substances:
- →Artificial food coloring, particularly red and yellow
- →Food additives like MSG (monosodium glutamate), aspartame and nitrites; certain studies have also associated hyperactivity to the consumption of the preservative sodium benzoate.
- →Sugar and ADHD
After eating candies and other foods high in sugar, some children showed becoming hyperactive. But, no evidence has shown that this is the reason for ADHD. For a good overall health, it is advisable to consume sugary foods in small quantities.
Caffeine and ADHD
According to several studies, minor amounts of caffeine can help with a few symptoms of ADHD among children. But, the side effects of caffeine are greater than the possible benefits. Many ADHD experts suggested avoiding or minimizing caffeine intake.
