ADHD diets

What are ADHD diets? Can they help you or your child? Are there foods you should eat - and foods to avoid? This article answers questions about ADHD diets, including elimination diets and foods that may help improve ADHD symptoms.

ADHD symptoms

The symptoms of ADHD include inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that are inappropriate for age.

There are three different types of ADHD. Combined ADHD (the most common type) includes all of the symptoms. Inattentive ADHD is marked by impaired attention and concentration and hyperactive-impulsive type is marked by hyperactivity without inattentiveness.

For a formal diagnosis of ADHD, some symptoms that cause impairment must be present before the child is seven and some impairment from the symptoms must be present in more than one setting (like home and school or home and work).

An ADHD diet: Can it help?

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a health condition that includes two components:

• An inability to pay attention
• Trouble focusing on tasks

It's often difficult for someone with ADHD to remain still. Many people with ADHD also do things impulsively - acting before thinking. Other symptoms linked with ADHD include feeling anxious or depressed, having negative thoughts, and having trouble sleeping. ADHD affects children, teens, and adults.

There is no ‘cure’ for ADHD. However, medication and behavioural therapy are prescribed for many people with ADHD. What about ADHD diets? Can they help too?

What is an ADHD diet?

Ideally, an ADHD diet would help the brain work better and lessen symptoms of ADHD, such as restlessness or lack of focus. You may hear ADHD diets described in the following ways:

Overallnutrition for ADHD: This includes the food you eat daily. How can your overall nutrition help or hurt ADHD? The assumption is that some foods you eat may make ADHD symptoms better or worse. You may also be lacking some foods that could help make symptoms better.

Supplementation diets for ADHD: This includes adding vitamins, minerals or other nutrients to make up for deficiencies in your diet that may contribute to ADHD symptoms. The assumption is that nutritional component that your body needs is lacking from your diet.

Elimination diets for ADHD: This involves removing foods or ingredients that are suspected of contributing to ADHD symptoms. The assumption is that you are eating something unhealthy that causes ADHD symptoms or makes them worse.

Overall nutrition and ADHD

Scientific research on ADHD diets is limited and results are mixed. Current guidance from The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence NICE concludes: ‘Healthcare professionals should stress the value of a balanced diet, good nutrition and regular exercise for children, young people and adults with ADHD’.

Many health experts also believe that diet may play a role in relieving ADHD symptoms. ADHD expert Dr Richard Sogn points out that whatever is good for the brain is likely to be good for ADHD. Brain researcher and ADHD expert Dr Daniel Amen recommends these ADHD diet suggestions:

• Eat a high-protein diet, including beans, cheese, eggs, meat, and nuts. Add protein foods in the morning and for after-school snacks, to improve concentration and possibly increase the time ADHD medications work.
• Eat fewer simple carbohydrates, such as sweets, honey, sugar, products made from white flour, white rice and potatoes without the skins.
• Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and some fruits (including oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples and kiwi). Eating complex carbohydrates at night may help sleep.
• Eat more Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in tuna, salmon, other cold-water white fish, walnuts, Brazil nuts, olive and canola oil.