By: Sid Bidare
ADHD is a pervasive disorder, one of the most common medical disorders in the human population. As such, much research has been done into what types of nutrients and diets can best alleviate the symptoms of ADHD. New research shows that maintaining the correct concentration of micronutrients in the body is crucial to mitigate the symptoms of ADHD.
Micronutrients include nutrients your body only needs in trace amounts. These can consist of specific forms of minerals or vitamins, as well as other trace elements required for your body. Micronutrients play a prominent role in the body and regulate things like attention, mood, and physical characteristics like growth due to their wide presence and necessity for almost every biological process. A recent study found that when participants were assigned to two groups: one was given micronutrient capsules with a bunch of known minerals while the other received placebo. More than half the micronutrient group showed an improvement in mood and various ADHD symptoms. After eight weeks, more than half of the micronutrient group improved their concentration and mood. Children taking the micronutrients also grew 6 millimeters more than those taking a placebo.
Lack of micronutrients can become very problematic as it is much easier to overlook the intake of micronutrients than regular nutrients. For example, it would become undeniable if one could not eat protein for days. Still, if one were missing one or two micronutrients, it would manifest itself in more subtle ways, such as mood disorders that amplify ADHD. A study confirmed “… That “54% of the children who were given supplemental vitamins and minerals showed improvement in their symptoms, versus 18% in the placebo group.” Maintaining a balanced diet is crucial to mitigating the impacts of ADHD, and micronutrients are an essential but easy to overlook part of a healthy diet.
Micronutrients are nutrients that your body only uses and ingests in trace amounts. By definition, the range of foods containing them is smaller, which can create a much more significant risk that your body is missing those nutrients than nutrients that are way more common in most diets. There are two ways to combat this. Firstly, we can make sure to eat a more balanced diet. Ensure that your meals cover all major nutritional groups, but you might also have to look up the specific nutrients in each food to cover all your micronutrients. This method can be difficult, especially if you eat out a lot or eat in a dorm frequently, making this choice unappealing to some. Secondly, one can make sure to take a multivitamin daily. These multivitamins are specifically designed to cover every micronutrient your body needs, and just taking one a day can be a very safe option.
Bibliography
Hottman, S. (2022, May 4). Vitamins, minerals improve symptoms for children with ADHD. OHSU News. https://news.ohsu.edu/2022/05/04/vitamins-minerals-improve-symptoms-for-children-with-adhd
Lange, K. W. (2020, February 7). Micronutrients and diets in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Chances and pitfalls. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00102/full
Ray, Pera , G., Yvette, Charlean, Olivia, Jay, Anderson, K., Larissa, Dylan, Emily, & Vanessa. (2023, January 9). Why an ADHD roller coaster?. ADHD Roller Coaster - Gina Pera. https://adhdrollercoaster.org/why-an-adhd-roller-coaster/
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