MICRONUTRIENTS MAY BENEFIT
KIDS WITH ADHD-
Nutrition
Growing up as a child with food insecurity, I profoundly felt the effects of those times when our family had a diet that was deficient in basic vitamins, minerals, and proteins. While ADHD was not recognized in the 1950s, I had a difficult time attending in school. It seemed obvious to my teachers that I was smart enough to do better, “if only you would try.” Nothing that I did was able to convince them that I was trying.
As an adult, I have read several studies about how nutrition can affect ADHD. A 2022 study that was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) seemed to validate my feelings that better nutrition can lead to improved outcomes with ADHD.
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This study found that children with ADHD who had trouble controlling their emotions did better after taking a special mix of vitamins and minerals. The doses were between the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) and the UTL (Upper Tolerated Limit.) This vitamin and mineral mix had all the important nutrients our bodies need and was given for eight weeks. These kids who took the actual vitamin and mineral supplement showed more improvement in their symptoms compared to kids who took the placebo.
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The study included 135 kids who weren’t on any medication. They were from Oregon, Ohio, and Canada. The kids were randomly assigned to either take the vitamin/mineral mix or fake pills for two months. Most of the kids (about 75%) stuck with the plan. The treatment was safe and well-tolerated, with no differences in side effects between the two groups. This was a triple-blinded study, which meant that nobody involved in the study knew who was getting the real supplements or the fake pills, so their opinions couldn’t be biased.
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Parents, who also didn’t know which kids got the real or fake pills, thought their children’s behavior got better in both groups, which shows how important it is for doctors to use trained professionals to rate improvements accurately. In future studies, the researchers want to use phone apps and other devices to better understand how children’s behavior changes in real time. This might help parents notice and report these changes more easily.
Many children respond well to common ADHD medicines, even though these can have side effects like trouble sleeping, appetite loss, or slowed growth. It’s promising that about half the kids in this study responded well to this safe, more natural option. This study supports earlier research in New Zealand showing similar results.
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The idea is that taking a wide range of vitamins and minerals could help some children with ADHD and emotional ups and downs. Besides helping with behavior and emotions, kids taking the vitamin/mineral mix grew about ¼ inch (6mm) taller than those taking the placebo. This is a good sign because some ADHD medicines can slow down growth, so this natural treatment might avoid that problem.
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These study results show that 54% of the kids had improved symptoms of ADHD, especially emotional regulation when they took the vitamin and mineral medication. This contrasted sharply with 18% showing improvement in the control group. These results were gathered in blinded clinician ratings. In other words, they did not know who was taking the medication. This is a powerful indication that we should pay attention to the food that we eat and the vitamins and minerals that we take, when we want to have our best results with ADHD.
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This article was not written by a medical professional. The information supplied here is provided for educational purposes only, and it is not meant to be a substitute for information from a medical professional. Check with your healthcare provider if you have questions about medication or supplements.
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*If you are considering taking a medication or dietary supplement, always consult a medical professional before you do so.
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Resource:
Elsevier. (2022, April 26). Micronutrients (vitamins + minerals) show benefit for children with ADHD and emotional dysregulation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 3, 2026 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220426101650.htm
