How Diet Affects ADHD

Recently, there’s been a growing call for alternatives to conventional medical treatments in treating ADHD. For a more detailed explanation of what the brain of someone with ADHD is like, head over to our previous post. In this post, we’re going to discuss some of these more natural approaches, specifically focusing on diet-based interventions and supplements. 

Diet and ADHD – What’s the link?

Although there isn’t any evidence to suggest a causal link between diet and ADHD, research has found that certain dietary changes and supplements can be beneficial in improving its symptoms. In fact, studies have shown that those with ADHD are more likely to suffer from allergies. Two of the key avenues of research regarding ADHD and behavior are known as elimination studies and supplement studies. So, let’s break them down:

Elimination diets

This type of diet is gaining a great deal of traction within ADHD communities, with a growing body of evidence to suggest that certain trigger foods directly affect behavior. 

An elimination diet involves cutting out these potential trigger foods and then slowly reintroducing them to ascertain whether any of them are exacerbating symptoms. This includes things like:

• Food additives 

• Artificial colors

• Preservatives

• Sweeteners

• Allergenic foods.

Supplements

Supplementation diets are based on the theory that a lack of certain nutrients is a root cause of ADHD symptoms. By supplementing the diet with these missing elements, it is hoped that patients’ symptoms improve. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the guidance for an ADHD-friendly diet overlaps heavily with the advice for a brain-friendly diet. Nutrients that are the most closely studied for ADHD and often supplemented include:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: children with ADHD commonly have lower levels of this essential heart and brain healthy fat.

• Micronutrients: these are the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that play crucial and varied roles in brain function. Several promising studies noted that those receiving zinc and iron supplements noticed improvements in their ADHD symptoms overall.

• Herbal supplements: there has been some work to look into herbal supplements like ginseng, bacopa, and ginkgo biloba in ADHD, although more research is required. 

So what’s the best approach?

So with all of that information in mind, where do you start with trying alternative treatments for ADHD? Well, the answer is that you start from wherever works best for you or your child. An elimination diet is a great place to determine whether or not there are things within the diet that can be taken away. Once that’s complete, a deeper look into whether any gaps in nutrition might be contributing to symptoms is a sensible approach. 

Ultimately, there is no one size fits all, and what works for one person may not work for another. However, through trial and error, it’s certainly possible to make progress. Although these alternative treatments may prove helpful, it’s also useful to consider a multi-disciplinary, holistic approach, combining personalized elements of diet and nutrition along with more traditional medical treatments and psychological interventions.