12 Natural Tools For Managing ADHD Before Trying Medication

What’s that you said? Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention! Unfortunately, attention, concentration, and hyperactivity disorders have reached epidemic proportions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ADHD diagnoses jumped by 41 percent (1) between 2003 and 2011, and in 2016, more than 9 percent of children between the ages of 2 and 17—more than 6 million children in total—were diagnosed with ADHD. Unfortunately, many of these kids don’t grow out of the problem—according to the National Institutes of Health, about 4.5% of adults have an ADHD diagnosis, (2) and many more are probably undiagnosed, living with constant life-impacting issues like trouble concentrating, paying attention, remembering things, and staying calm.
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The many symptoms of ADHD
You probably think you know the “ADHD kid” when you see them. They are the little kid dashing wildly around the classroom unable to stay seated or listen. While that is sometimes the case, the symptoms of ADHD aren’t always so obvious. ADHD is characterized by the inability to keep focused, listen, and remember things, especially that are not of interest to the child (or adult). Other features include increased impulsivity (the child that hits without thinking of consequences first, the adult who spends money or speaks his or her mind without thinking of the consequences first), that can make school and other structured settings challenging. There are three main subtypes of attention deficit disorders: hyperactive-impulsive, inattentive, and combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive, all of which can contribute to symptoms such as:
- Trouble listening
- Inability to sit still
- Lack of organizational skills
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Anger management problems
- Difficulty staying focused
Typically, conventional medicine’s solution to ADHD (and other brain-related problems such as anxiety) is medication. ADHD drugs are designed to help manage symptoms by targeting certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Adderall and Ritalin are two of the most common ADHD medications, and they work to dull symptoms for many people, but they also come with a variety of side effects, including trouble sleeping, depression, and mood swings, sometimes severe. A few studies have looked at the long-term effects of these medications, and suggest that they do not improve symptoms significantly. What’s worse, the studies also suggest that those taking ADHD medications had lower self-esteem than those who weren’t prescribed medication for their condition. That doesn’t mean that medication is not a good choice for everyone. It has certainly helped many children get through school, and has helped some children get better grades. What it does mean, however, is that it is important to know all the possible options before resorting to medicating your child (or yourself).
Natural Remedies for ADHD
As a functional medicine practitioner, I try to avoid medications and the side effects that come with them as much as possible. ADHD can be a real and legitimate problem for many people, impairing their functioning, but by clinically investigating the underlying and often overlooked factors that contribute to ADHD, we can then target and address these problems naturally (and effectively) to avoid a lifetime of ongoing and sometimes debilitating symptoms. Here’s where to start:
1. Feed the brain
References:
- Data and Statistics About ADHD CDC October 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.htmlAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) NIMH November 2017. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd.shtml
- Kozielec T, Starobrat-Hermelin B. Assessment of magnesium levels in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Magnes Res. 1997;10(2):143-148.
- Starobrat-Hermelin B, Kozielec T. The effects of magnesium physiological supplementation on hyperactivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Positive response to magnesium oral loading test. Magnes Res. 1997;10(2):149-156.
- Arnold LE, DiSilvestro RA. Zinc in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2005;15(4):619-627. doi:10.1089/cap.2005.15.619
- Dodig-Curković K, Dovhanj J, Curković M, Dodig-Radić J, Degmecić D. Uloga cinka u lijecenju hiperaktivnog poremećaja u djece [The role of zinc in the treatment of hyperactivity disorder in children]. Acta Med Croatica. 2009;63(4):307-313.
- Sun H, Yuan F, Shen X, Xiong G, Wu J. Role of COMT in ADHD: a systematic meta-analysis. Mol Neurobiol. 2014;49(1):251-261. doi:10.1007/s12035-013-8516-5
- Stevens LJ, Burgess JR, Stochelski MA, Kuczek T. Amounts of artificial food colors in commonly consumed beverages and potential behavioral implications for consumption in children. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2014;53(2):133-140. doi:10.1177/0009922813502849
- Niederhofer H. Association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and celiac disease: a brief report. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2011;13(3):PCC.10br01104. doi:10.4088/PCC.10br01104
- König J, Wells J, Cani PD, et al. Human Intestinal Barrier Function in Health and Disease. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2016;7(10):e196. Published 2016 Oct 20. doi:10.1038/ctg.2016.54
- McAfoose J, Baune BT. Evidence for a cytokine model of cognitive function. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2009;33(3):355-366. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.10.005
- Lansbergen MM, van Dongen-Boomsma M, Buitelaar JK, Slaats-Willemse D. ADHD and EEG-neurofeedback: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled feasibility study. J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2011;118(2):275-284. doi:10.1007/s00702-010-0524-2
- Faber Taylor, A., & Kuo, F. E. (2009). Children With Attention Deficits Concentrate Better After Walk in the Park. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12(5), 402–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054708323000
- Uebel-von Sandersleben H, Rothenberger A, Albrecht B, Rothenberger LG, Klement S, Bock N. Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® in children with ADHD. Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother. 2014;42(5):337-347. doi:10.1024/1422-4917/a000309
- Lee SH, Park WS, Lim MH. Clinical effects of korean red ginseng on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children: an observational study. J Ginseng Res. 2011;35(2):226-234. doi:10.5142/jgr.2011.35.2.226
- Trebatická J, Kopasová S, Hradecná Z, et al. Treatment of ADHD with French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006;15(6):329-335. doi:10.1007/s00787-006-0538-3
- Raghav S, Singh H, Dalal PK, Srivastava JS, Asthana OP. Randomized controlled trial of standardized Bacopa monniera extract in age-associated memory impairment. Indian J Psychiatry. 2006;48(4):238-242. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.31555
- Cooper RE, Williams E, Seegobin S, Tye C, Kuntsi J, Asherson P. Cannabinoids in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A randomised-controlled trial. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017;27(8):795-808. doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.05.005
- Hill MN, Patel S. Translational evidence for the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in stress-related psychiatric illnesses. Biol Mood Anxiety Disord. 2013;3(1):19. Published 2013 Oct 22. doi:10.1186/2045-5380-3-19
- Neurotransmitters Involved in ADHD PsychCentral. October 2018. https://psychcentral.com/lib/neurotransmitters-involved-in-adhd/
- Mousain-Bosc M, Roche M, Polge A, Pradal-Prat D, Rapin J, Bali JP. Improvement of neurobehavioral disorders in children supplemented with magnesium-vitamin B6. I. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Magnes Res. 2006;19(1):46-52.
- Hiscock H, Sciberras E, Mensah F, et al. Impact of a behavioural sleep intervention on symptoms and sleep in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and parental mental health: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2015;350:h68. Published 2015 Jan 20. doi:10.1136/bmj.h68
- Cho HS, Baek DJ, Baek SS. Effect of exercise on hyperactivity, impulsivity and dopamine D2 receptor expression in the substantia nigra and striatum of spontaneous hypertensive rats. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem. 2014;18(4):379-384. doi:10.5717/jenb.2014.18.4.379
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BY DR. WILL COLE
Dr. Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, DC, leading functional medicine expert, consults people around the world via webcam and locally in Pittsburgh. He received his doctorate from Southern California University of Health Sciences and post doctorate education and training in functional medicine and clinical nutrition. He specializes in clinically researching underlying factors of chronic disease and customizing a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. Dr. Cole was named one of the top 50 functional medicine and integrative doctors in the nation and is the best selling author of Ketotarian and The Inflammation Spectrum.
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