PHARM - Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Dietary and Nutritional Treatments

2014

L. Eugene Arnold
[email protected]
614-685-6708

Key points Most ingestible complementary/alternative treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have an inconclusive evidence base, but some are safe, easy, cheap, and sensible (SECS) enough to be tried while awaiting better research. With more than a dozen placebo-controlled trials of varying quality, omega-3 (ω-3 or n-3) fatty acids seem to have a small to medium benefit. Herbs are essentially crude drugs, mostly without good standardization and quality control. Some may be contaminated with heavy metals. Only one (Pycnogenol) has placebo-controlled evidence of modest effectiveness in ADHD. RDA/RDI multivitamin/minerals are reasonable for patients with poor diets, especially with appetite loss from stimulant medication. This may not treat ADHD but can provide nutritional support.

ADHD, dietary, nutritional, treatments

Peer-reviewed publications in scholarly journals Published/In Press

Professionals

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