ADHD, Carnitine, Ginkgo, Ginseng, Iron, Magnesium, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Pine Bark Extract, SAMe, St. John's Wort, Vitamins, Zinc

Treating ADHD with supplements

Researchers from the University of Canterbury, at Christchurch, New Zealand reviewed the evidence supporting the use of nutritional and herbal supplements to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

First, the details.

  • Published evidence on single ingredients (eg, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and essential fatty acids), botanicals, and multi-ingredient formulas were reviewed.

Warning: The evidence is sparse, mixed, and lacking consistency. Links are added to summaries presented previously on this blog.

And, the results.

  • The best evidence
    • Zinc (2 positive studies)
  • Mixed evidence
  • More research needed
    • Vitamins
    • Magnesium
    • Iron
    • SAM-e
    • Tryptophan
    • Ginkgo biloba with ginseng
  • No supporting evidence
  • Multi-ingredient approaches are intriguing but under-researched.

The bottom line?
Slim pick’ns

4/7/09 19:34 JR