References

(1) Physicians’ Desk Reference. 52nd ed. Montavle (NJ): Medical Economics Data Production Company, 1998

(14) Myers, R Focus: A Comprehensive Psychoeducational Program For Children 6 to 14 Years of Age To Improve Attention, Concentration, Academic Achievement, Self- Control and Self-Esteem Villa Park (CA): Child Development Institute 1998

Diet

The subject of diet modification in the treatment of ADHD continues to be controversial.  Many parents insist that eliminating certain foods from a child's diet leads to a significant reduction in ADD symptoms.  As we have stated elsewhere, removing sugar from diet does appear to help some children particularly younger children.  Also, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry believes that the removal of certain dyes and other substances may be beneficial to some children (again very young children).  Our viewpoint is that removal of sugar and other substances thought to be harmful to children may help and this action will not cause any harm.

The most widely followed diet for the treatment of ADHD is the Feingold Diet.  While it does have it's supporters, generally, the scientific and medical communities do not recommend this diet.  There are certainly a large number of parents who feel this diet has been extremely beneficial to their children.  We do not recommend the diet but we also would not discourage any parent from giving it a try.  We have provided several links which provide useful information about the Feingold Diet.  They provide both pro and con discussions of this approach to treating ADD.

• The Feingold Association of The United States
• Quack Watch
• National Network for Child Care
• University of Virginia: Information and Links About the Effects of Sugar and Diet on Children's Behavior

References

Practice Parameters for the Assessment and Treatment of Children, Adolescents and Adults With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder  Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36:10 Supplement, October 1997

Taylor, M Evaluation and Management of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. American Family Physician 1997: 55 (3); 887-894

Supplements

There are a wide variety of "natural" remedies for ADHD being promoted on the world wide web and elsewhere. The official position of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry is: "Megavitamin therapy, the prescription of vitamins in quantities greatly in excess of the Recommended Daily Allowance guidelines, has been suggested as a treatment for hyperactivity and learning disabilities.  Extreme claims have been made from uncontrolled studies.  Not only is scientific evidence of effectiveness lacking, but there is a possibility of toxic effects....Herbal remedies also have no empirical support." 

There is one substance that has been shown in some scientific studies to be beneficial in treating ADHD, L Tyrosine.  This is an amino acid (a protein) that the body uses to synthesize dopamine and norepinephrine, the two neurotransmitters believed to be involved in ADHD.  These neurotransmitters are the targets of the medications used to treat ADHD.  Some studies have shown that children with ADD may have lower levels of this amino acid.  By increasing the intake of L Tyrosine through diet or supplements, it is possible to increase the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine available in the brain.

[The figure above shows the biochemical process in which the body synthesizes L Tyrosine into dopamine and norepinephrine.]

Biochemically, ADD/ADHD is likely caused by a deficiency in dopamine, a natural "feel-good" brain chemical called a neurotransmitter. Some of the dopamine that brain cells make, projects to and activates the frontal lobes. One of the most important functions of the brain’s frontal lobes is the integration of thoughts, feelings, sensory information and updated feedback about current motor activity. The frontal lobes compile all this information and are instrumental in "choosing" the next task to attain goal completion. So it is little wonder that when dopamine activity is compromised, thus interfering with the frontal lobes, a person becomes unfocused and distractible.

How can we put natural dopamine back into our bodies?  First, a brief lesson in basic chemistry. Dopamine is made from tyrosine, or phenylalanine, two of the essential amino acids which are the building blocks of all life. These are converted by our enzymes (made from the DNA in our genes) into the next natural brain chemical called L-DOPA. Folic acid, Vitamin B3 (niacin) and iron, (a mineral) are required for this enzyme to make L-DOPA from tyrosine. Next, another enzyme, (from our DNA), converts the L-DOPA into dopamine, as long as there is enough Vitamin B6 available. Dopamine converts to norepinephrine, as long as Vitamin C is available. And finally converts to epinephrine. Norepinephrine deficiency can cause depression and dopamine deficiency causes ADD/ADHD. Both can be treated with nutrients and amino acids, the raw materials the body uses to make these neurotransmitters, naturally.

The original dopamine deficiency may be caused by a combination of factors: exposure to environmental pollutants, nutritional deficiencies, food or airborne allergies, stress of a high paced lifestyle, gastrointestinal injury and genetic vulnerabilities. These all combine to cause changes in brain chemistry which underlie the behavioral problems listed above.

It could be just a dietary deficiency of the necessary nutrients mentioned above. It could be a "brain allergy", such as a food allergy causing the deficiency. Most of the time, if it’s an allergy, it has something to do with casein (milk protein) or gluten (wheat protein). So it is wise to eliminate these offending foods from the diet. If the allergy is due to an airborne allergen, like pollen, then allergy shots may help.

If the allergy is due to Leaky Gut Syndrome, which allows proteins to leak into the bloodstream, causing an immune problem, that can also be tested for and treated properly. Intestinal damage can be caused by toxins in the environment and the free radical by-products created when the body rids itself of those toxins. The Nutrient Transfer® in NSR Focus helps heal the GI tract while delivering the necessary nutrients. Antioxidants also may help in this situation.

Supplementing the nutrients listed above may be enough to alleviate many ADD/ADHD symptoms. However, if the cause is due to a complicated combination of factors mentioned above, other companion treatments may be necessary.

The natural alternative, Focus, by Natural Solutions Research, Inc., is recent to the market. Focus contains the tyrosine and other nutrients needed to replenish dopamine, naturally. Since Focus is an all-food product, it is therefore much safer than drugs to bring about the control of ADD/ADHD!

References

Bornstein, R et al, Plazma Amino Acids in Attention Deficit Disorder   Psychiatry Research  1990 33(3) 301-306

McConnell, H  Catecholamine Metabolism in the Attention Deficit Disorder: Implications for the use of Amino Acid Precursor Therapy  Medical Hypotheses  1985  17(4)   305-311

Nemzer, E et al, Amino Acid Supplementation as Therapy for Attention Deficit Disorder  Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1986 25(4)  509-513

Practice Parameters for the Assessment and Treatment of Children, Adolescents and Adults With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder  Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36:10 Supplement, October 1997

Shaywitz, S & Shaywitz, B  Biologic Influences in Attentional Deficit Disorders in Levine, M et al Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, W.B. Saunders Company, Philidelphia 1983

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