By: Sid Bidare
Processed foods are present in everything we eat, from canned vegetables to candy at a convenience store. Unfortunately, processed foods are also known to have a negative effect on the symptoms of ADHD, often worsening them in frequency and severity. Although genetic factors cause ADHD, the food you eat can significantly affect how ADHD symptoms present themselves. Processed foods are usually known to contain high amounts of artificial sugars and additives, as well as unhealthy fats. Firstly, refined sugars often cause massive swings in your blood sugar level, significantly impacting mood and function. In addition, the chemicals in most synthetic foods have been shown to disrupt neurotransmitter pathways like dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters allow neurons in your brain to communicate with each other, which means anything that disrupts those pathways would disturb one's mental capacity.
In addition, the fats present in most preserved foods often lead to low-grade inflammation upon consumption. This level of inflammation can affect neural pathways, disrupting mental function. This happens because your body triggers inflammatory responses to digest and process those foods, which can impact ADHD symptoms. This inflammatory response happens because refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and unhealthy fats cause your body's immune system to activate. This is because these foods trigger the production of a bunch of molecules that contribute to inflammation and the immune system's inflammatory response, such as cytokines and chemokines. Furthermore, processed foods can cause something called oxidative stress. Your body uses a large amount of its antioxidants to process the food, leaving your body with little to control inflammation in a variety of other areas. Inflammatory molecules in the brain can prevent your brain from operating correctly and worsen hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Lastly, processed foods are known to harm your body's microbiome. Your gut has bacteria necessary to break down and absorb various nutrients. Your body cannot break down multiple foods simply because it lacks the enzymes. But your gut bacteria can often produce the enzymes your body lacks to break down that food. Usually, that is the only way to create the nutrients necessary for neurotransmitter production. A recent study has confirmed that in a group of 390 children, processed foods were positively correlated with ADHD symptoms, suggesting that processed foods can cause a spike in ADHD symptoms. To avoid the issues associated with processed foods, especially if you have ADHD, choosing a diet that minimizes the number of processed foods consumed is best. Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and more come in unprocessed forms that should be prioritized. All this is not to say avoid eating unprocessed foods at all costs. Some situations necessitate eating those foods, but to contain the symptoms of ADHD over the long term, reorienting one's diet away from unprocessed foods would be a precious idea.
Bibliography
Akin, S., Gultekin, F., Ekinci, O., Kanik, A., Ustundag, B., Tunali, B. D., Al-Bayati, M. B. A., & Yasoz, C. (2022). Processed meat products and snacks consumption in ADHD: A case-control study. Northern clinics of Istanbul, 9(3), 266–274. https://doi.org/10.14744/nci.2021.64497
Aubrey, A. (2012, January 9). For kids with ADHD, some foods may complement treatment. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/01/09/144796050/for-kids-with-adhd-the-elimination-diet-falls-short-of-success
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