Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs and Their Natural Alternatives: Fish Oil
Fish oil is a rich source of essential fatty acids that are required for optimal brain function including focus and mood. An emerging body of research is demonstrating that essential fatty acids such as fish oil are helpful for those with ADHD. An eight-week study of nine children with ADHD, ages 8 to 16, evaluated the effects of taking high daily doses (8 g to 16 g) of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil—eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The study was published in the Nutritional Journal. The children demonstrated significant improvement in behavior, including inattention, hyperactivity, and defiance, as rated by both their parents and a psychiatrist. Other research conducted at Oxford University in England studied 41 children ages 8 to 12 years with both specific learning difficulties and aboveaverage ADHD ratings. Read the rest of this entry »
Natural Alternatives to ADHD Drugs – Diet and Lifestyle Changes
Proper nutrition is very important to help children and adults with attention and behavior problems. Regular meals and snacks that are low in refined carbohydrates and balanced with whole foods can be essential for proper brain function.
In addition, foods rich in essential fatty acids promote better brain function. Examples include fish such as salmon and sardines. Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseeds are great sources as well. An area of controversy is the effect that artificial food additives have on behavior, particularly in children. A 2007 randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled, crossover trial published in the Lancet tested whether the intake of artificial food color and additives affected childhood behavior. In the six-week trial, researchers gave a randomly selected group of 153 3-year-old and 144 8- to 9-year-old children drinks with additives, colors, and a common preservative. These included sunset yellow, carmoisine, tartrazine, and ponceau, quinoline yellow (E104), allura red (E129), and sodium benzoate. This combination was chosen to mimic the mix of commercially available children’s drinks.
Antidepressants Drugs For Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Remedy
Tricyclic antidepressants approved for ADHD include imipramine (Tofranil, Janimine) and desipramine (Norpramin, Pertofrane).
Other antidepressants prescribed for ADHD, but not officially approved for ADHD, include bupropion (Wellbutrin), reboxetine (Edronax), and venlafaxine (Effexor). It should be noted that the exact effects of Wellbutrin are not known with certainty; it may act on the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, and have a stimulant effect. Read the rest of this entry »
Nonstimulants Drugs for Treatment Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
The only currently existing, approved nonstimulant ADHD medication is atomoxetine (Strattera).
HOW DOES THIS DRUG WORK?
Strattera is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which essentially means it increases the activity of the brain chemical (or neurotransmitter) norepinephrine. More norepinehrine is thought to increase attention and control hyperactivity and impulsivity in ADHD.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
The effectiveness of Strattera in the treatment of ADHD was established in four studies of pediatric patients ages 6 to 18. Compared with placebo, Strattera proved to be superior with respect to reducing impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention. The effectiveness of Strattera for long-term use (for more than nine weeks) in child and adolescent patients has not been thoroughly evaluated.
POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS
Common side effects are loss of appetite, drowsiness, headache, stomachache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation, difficulty sleeping, sexual dysfunction, agitation, irritability, and difficulty urinating.
Stimulants Drugs for treatment Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate)
Pemoline (Cylert)
Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)
Mixed amphetamines (Adderall)
HOW DO THESE DRUGS WORK?
Central nervous system stimulants help to balance the activity of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the brain. Through this mechanism, they tend to increase attention span, improve focus, and decrease distractibility in people with ADHD.Although these medicines have a stimulating effect in most people, they tend to have a calming effect in children and adults with ADHD.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Symptoms are improved in about 70 percent of people with ADHD. In children specifically, 75 to 80 percent improve after starting a stimulant medication.
POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS
Loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, dry mouth, weight loss, stomachache, headache, overstimulation/anxiety, dizziness, tics, listlessness/lethargy, angina, and mood changes are the more common side effects associated with stimulants. In higher doses, paranoid psychotic reactions may be seen. In typical doses, clinically insignificant elevation of blood pressure and increased heart rate may occur.
MAJOR CAUTIONS
In February 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered that all companies making stimulant drugs for ADHD add warning labels to their products. These new labeling regulations addressed two major concerns.
First, heart-related problems, including risk of sudden death in children with heart problems; risk of stroke, heart attacks; and sudden death in adults with a history of heart disease.
Second, psychiatric problems: these drugs may trigger or exacerbate negative behaviors and emotions, especially in those with any family history of mental illness. Suppression of growth is also a major concern with long-term use of stimulants in children. Psychological and/or physical dependence on stimulants can occur.
Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Treatment of ADHD often requires behavioral therapy that focuses on increasing the child’s interest in pleasing parents and providing positive consequences for desirable behaviors. Conventional medicine often employs behavioral therapy and drug therapy. We find that holistic therapies are quite effective for most children with ADHD. The three major classes of drugs used to treat ADHD include stimulants, nonstimulants, and antidepressants.
What Causes ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)? Part 2
Nutritional Deficiencies and Food Allergies
The human body requires good nutrition to function properly and optimally. When children (and adults) consume foods laden with refined carbohydrates (e.g., white flour, sugars) and devoid of natural vitamins, minerals, fats, and fiber, the body and brain may respond negatively.Diets high in sugars can also deplete the body of the very nutrients critical to neurological health such as the B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc. Furthermore, hypersensitivity reactions to certain foods or food components share some of the physical and behavioral symptoms seen in ADHD. Read the rest of this entry »
What Causes ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)?
Different brain activity, different brain chemistry, and genetic predisposition are some clear findings in the search for the cause of ADHD. Different brain structure may also be an important aspect of ADHD. In fact, recent research into brain anatomy using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and PET (positron emission tomography) suggests that children with ADHD showed 3 to 4 percent smaller brain volume in all parts of the brain studied than their control (non-ADHD) counterparts. Even with all that is known, no single cause applies to everyone. Researchers are exploring other possible causes and contributing factors. Over the past several decades, scientists have investigated many theories, which include, but are not limited to, environmental toxins, food additives, nutritional deficiencies, and food allergies. Read the rest of this entry »
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What Is ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that typically manifests in children of early school years, and is more often seen in boys. These children generally have long-standing and ongoing difficulty controlling their behaviors and/or paying attention. It’s estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD, or approximately 2 million children in the United States. In fact, ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavior disorder of childhood. ADHD has been shown to have long-term adverse effects on socialemotional development and school performance, as well as on vocational success when it continues into adulthood.
How Is ADHD Diagnosed?
According to some of the most recent diagnostic data, there are three patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD. People with ADHD may: (1) show several signs of being consistently inattentive, (2) have a pattern of being more hyperactive than others their age, and (3) be impulsive far more than others their age. It should also be noted that one or another of these three patterns can be predominant. When these behaviors begin to interfere with school, social relationships, or home life, ADHD may be suspected. It is crucial that each child have thorough testing by a trained professional before any diagnosis can be made because such patterns may be caused by another disorder (e.g., severe mood disorder or other mental illness), and because all children display these diagnostic patterns at some point (but usually at lower levels). Read the rest of this entry »
Garlic Drugs For Treatment Atherosclerosis And Coronary Artery Disease
Garlic has been shown to have many medicinal benefits for the cardiovascular system and arteries. It has been shown to reduce cholesterol (total and LDL), increase HDL cholesterol, and lower homocysteine. In addition, it prevents the oxidative damage of LDL cholesterol and reduces pressure in the blood vessel walls, both of which are initiating factors for plaque formation in the arteries. Garlic also has anticlotting properties.
Garlic Drugs For Treatment Atherosclerosis
The most well researched garlic for benefiting cardiovascular health is aged garlic extract (AGE). Read the rest of this entry »
