Category Archives: ADHD

Chinese compound herbal formulas used to treat ADHD

A review of studies on Chinese herbal formulas used to treat ADHD identified 34 controlled trials (published in Chinese or English language journals) that compared traditional Chinese herbal treatments and methylphenidate (i.e. Ritalin) in children diagnosed with ADHD. The authors … Continue reading

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Herbal medicines used to treat symptoms of ADHD

Different herbals are used to treat symptoms of ADHD including Ginkgo biloba, American ginseng, Bacopa moniera, and Pycnogenol™, a patented product made from the bark of the French maritime pine tree. Certain herbals probably work better than others. Findings of … Continue reading

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Iron supplementation may reduce symptoms of hyperactivity in children diagnosed with ADHD

Research findings suggest that low serum iron levels (in the form of ferritin) may play an important causal role in hyperactivity in ADHD children diagnosed with ADHD. Although low iron levels can point to anemia, non-anemic children sometimes have low … Continue reading

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Zinc is needed for the brain to process information and may reduce symptoms of ADHD

Research findings suggest that Zinc may play an important role in information processing in the brain. Along these lines, children diagnosed with ADHD may have abnormally low levels of zinc. Some studies show that taking zinc at a dose of … Continue reading

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Essential fatty acids may reduce the severity of childhood ADHD but more evidence is needed

Essential fatty acids are frequently used in combination with stimulants in the treatment of childhood ADHD however research findings to date are inconsistent. Only a few studies have been done and the results are limited by high drop-out rates and … Continue reading

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Dietary changes make little difference for symptoms of childhood ADHD

Elimination diets that exclude food colorings and additives, dairy products, sugar, wheat, corn, citrus, eggs, soy, yeast, nuts and chocolate are widely used by parents of children diagnosed with ADHD however findings of most well designed are inconclusive. A recent … Continue reading

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Complementary and alternative therapies are being increasingly used to treat ADHD

Concerns about inappropriate prescribing or over-prescribing of stimulant medications and incomplete understanding of long-term risks associated with them have led to increasing use of non-pharmacological therapies. It is estimated that over 50% of parents of children diagnosed with ADHD rely … Continue reading

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Safety concerns over conventional pharmacologic treatments of ADHD

Stimulant medications, behavioral modification and psychosocial support are widely used conventional treatments of childhood ADHD in Western countries. Short-acting stimulants are the most frequently prescribed pharmacological treatments of ADHD however controlled release stimulants and the SSRI antidepressants are increasingly prescribed … Continue reading

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Alternative treatments of ADHD: A Concise Review

Many individuals diagnosed with ADHD use alternative therapies alone or adjunctively with conventional pharmacological treatments (Russing et al., 2002). Over half of parents of children diagnosed with ADHD treat their children’s symptoms using one or more CAM therapies including vitamins, … Continue reading

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