Alternative Treatments for ADHD

Stimulant medications are clearly the most dependable, reliable treatment for ADHD.  However, many people wonder if there are other supplemental or natural treatments for ADHD.

Are There Any Diet Recommendations? Daniel Amen, M.D., recommends a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates and fats. Meals should include lean meats, eggs, low-fat cheeses, nuts and legumes, mixed with a healthy portion of vegetables. Eliminating simple sugars (cake, candy, ice cream, pastries) and simple carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) may help concentration and energy. [I consider this unproven, but probably doesn't hurt anything.]

Caffeine and Nicotine: These are the most common non-prescription treatments for ADHD.  Both are a stimulant, but people with ADHD find that both are usually more calming than stimulating. They often help with focus and attention. The dangers of tobacco products are well known.  However there is some scientific interest in the use of pure nicotine (as found in patches) that may be helpful with certain types of ADHD.  Caffeine also has some undesirable side effects, and the impact of caffeine is seldom as helpful as proper treatment with medication for ADHD.

What about natural supplements? There are a variety of products on the market. Dr. Amen recommends 500-1500 mgs of tyrosine 2-3 times per day, OPC (oligomeric procyanidius) grape seed or pine bark at rate of 1 mg per pound body weight; and ginko biloba (60-120 mg twice a day). You should check with you doctor before trying this.

Many supplements use a natural stimulant, ephedra (Ma Huang).  However, it is controversial, and many people consider it dangerous. (It is one of the ingredients in Metabolife that is at the center of great controversy, and may be responsible for life-threatening side effects.)

At present there is no significant evidence that natural supplements or alternatives help very much with ADHD. Most have proven unhelpful in providing assistance for ADHD. There are no good scientific studies that show that they help in a uniform, predictable way.