Attention Deficit Disorder & Ritalin
I have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and I am wondering if there is anything natural I could take besides Ritalin?
As Naturopathic practitioners our duty of care is to take into account all aspects of an individuals health. This means mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Naturopaths also provide Complimentary medicine and education to support treatments prescribed by Medical practitioners.
Taking this into account we can then offer a number of options that will assist you.
1. Education of your condition.
2. Offering Natural alternatives to prescribed medication - providing you obtain consent from medical specialist.
3. Information concerning medications - including common side effects and dosages.
4. Complimentary medicines that minimise side effects of medication.
It is estimated that about 4.4% of adults suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder ADD, however, the condition often goes unrecognised in adults.
Symptoms of ADD
- inability to concentrate or sustain attention, inability to regulate their focus on a situation or problem or overstimulation of non-relevant stimuli
- limited organisational skills, trouble following instructions or listening, fidgeting
- periods of inactivity followed by periods of hyperactivity,
- easily distracted, forgetful
- periods of inappropriate aggressiveness and intensity of emotions.
Contributing factors for ADD
- Liver function is an important consideration due to the livers role in detoxification of heavy metals and cleansing of the blood and digestive system.
- Inflammatory bowel diseases contributing to maldigestion of nutrients.
- Food allergies and sensitivities to foods such as wheat, soy, dairy, corn, shellfish, nuts, food additives and dyes and preservatives.
- Thyroid disorders
- Drug induced - high or repeated doses of caffeine and stimulants.
- Nervous system changes.
Nutrition and herbal support for ADD:
Children or adults diagnosed with this condition respond extremely well to changes in their diet. I have attached a very thorough list for you to follow and also the following information regarding diet and nutritional/ herbal supplementation may be of assistance:
- Fish oil is the main supplemental source of omega 3 and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) which is an essential fatty acid needed by the brain for neurotransmitters to effectively exchange information from the brain to the nervous system. I suggest a dosage of at least 1000mg DHA/ day. The increased requirement for the omega-3 essential fatty acids in people with ADD/ADHD has been extensively studied.
- Nutrients such as: Zinc (15mg/day), Vitamin B6 (200mg/day), Vitamin B3 (50-100mg/day), Vitamin B12 (20mcg/day), Calcium (300mg/day), Iodine (125mcg/day), Folic Acid (250mcg/day), Iron (12mg/day), Magnesium (600mg/day) and Vitamin C (3000mg/day) are considered to be important to take also to provide nervous system and brain support.
- Supplemental 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) may be beneficial due to its role as a precursor for the production of Serotonin, a Neurotransmitter that is commonly depleted in ADHD patients.
- Glutamine (250 - 1,000 mg per day) may help the nervous system by improving nerve fibre conduction.
- Tyrosine (5000mg/day) due to its ability to improve the metabolism of dopamine, a brain neurotransmitter that works in conjunction with Serotonin to normalise mental functions.
- Phosphatidylserine and choline (lecithin) also nourish the nervous system and improve the conduction of information to the brain.
- A probiotic supplement such as NuFerm Plus may be of benefit to ensure high levels of friendly bacteria which have been found to be low in people with ADD. Many naturopaths see a direct relationship between the health of the gut and the brain. The following is a link to this website: www.nuferm.com
Herbs to help treat ADD
- Brahmi is a herb traditionally used to encourage brain function and circulation.
- Ginkgo biloba is a herb that people with ADD respond extremely well to due to its effect on peripheral circulation. It is given to people to increase memory retention, concentration and alertness.
Substances that may cause/exacerbate ADD
- Excessive consumption of Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), excessive consumption of sucrose, food additive tartrazine in the diet.
- Excessive mineral levels in the blood and brain such as lead and copper are associated with ADD. I recommend having a heavy metal test, you can organise this through a GP or health care professional.
- A causative factor may be impaired blood circulation to their putamen (a region of the Cerebrum of the brain, this part of the brain is responsible for flow of information).
- Protein deficiencies.
Side effects of Ritalin:
Common side effects to these psychostimulant medications are: insomnia, depression, suppression of appetite, high blood pressure, despondancy, headaches and stomach aches. We suggest that you consult your psychiatrist about dosages of this medication as it seems that it is overstimulating and this would be counter productive in the long term. The following is a link to the Medical dictionary "The Merck Manual" which provides additional information concerning this: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec23/ch269/ch269i.html
In regards to your question concerning what you may supplement to reduce the tacchycardia you are experiencing, our suggestion is to take an effective Magnesium supplement such as the Bioceuticals UltraMuscleze powder. This is a complete Magnesium powder you can obtain from a health food store naturopath. Magnesium is imperative for calming down a racing heart beat and to provide nutrients for relaxing the heart muscle. Another nutrient to ensure the regulation and to potentiate the rhythm of the heart beat is CoQ10. Some herbs to work with the nervous system which may help to reduce the amount of cortisol and stress placed on the circulation are Withania, Oats, Passionflower, Zizyphus, Chamomile, Valerian and Schizandra.
This is an overview of the physical and mental aspects of ADD. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a condition that has many individual factors. Given this, I suggest that you may benefit by having your condition assessed by a qualified Naturopath, or other health care professional, to assess your diet, nutritional status, digestive function, allergies, heavy metal toxicity and chemical load which all need to be taken into account. In addition meditation,yoga, music therapy, crystal therapy, flower essences, kinesiology are some additional alternative therapies that can be very beneficial for gaining clarity and focus in your life.