PubMed Abstracts

Celiac disease is markedly overrepresented among patients presenting with ADHD. A gluten-free diet significantly improved ADHD symptoms in patients with celiac disease in this study. The results further suggest that celiac disease should be included in the ADHD symptom checklist.
Association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and celiac disease: a brief report.
PMID:21977364  2011

Although further research is required, the current evidence supports indications of nutritional and dietary influences on behavior and learning in these children, with the strongest support to date reported for omega-3s and behavioral food reactions.
Nutritional and dietary influences on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 
PMID: 18826452  Oct 2008


Food Allergies
Are children with ADHD allergic to chocolate? Tomatoes? Wheat? Dairy? Food allergies and food sensitivities can have a wide range of biological and behavioral effects. Gluten sensitivity (celiac disease), for example, is linked to an increased risk of ADHD and other symptoms. Many parents wonder whether their child has allergies or sensitivities to food that contribute to their behavioral problems and often ask about this.

In an open study of 78 children with ADHD referred to a nutrition clinic, 59 improved on a few foods trial that eliminated foods to which children are commonly sensitive[5]; for the 19 children in this study who were able to participate in a double-blind cross-over trial of the suspected food, there was a significant effect for the provoking foods to worsen ratings of behavior and to impair psychological test performance.
Lifestyle and Complementary Therapies for ADHD: How Health Professionals Can Approach Patients (Medscape 2007)


Conclusion: The data indicate that ADHD-like symptomatology is markedly overrepresented among untreated CD patients and that a gluten-free diet may improve symptoms significantly within a short period of time. The results of this study also suggest that CD should be included in the list of diseases associated with ADHD-like symptomatology.
A preliminary investigation of ADHD symptoms in persons with celiac disease.
PMID: 17085630 J Atten Disord. Nov 2006

Improvement of neurobehavioral disorders in children supplemented with magnesium-vitamin B6. I. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders.
PMID: 16846100 Mar 2006

Moreover, there were such biochemical alterations as a decrease of magnesium level in the plasma and erythrocytes and a reduction of Mg(2+)-ATPase activity. The use of MAGNE-B6 allowed us to correct many of the disturbances.
[Neurological aspect of clinical symptoms, pathophysiology and correction in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]
PMID: 16548369  2006

CONCLUSION: This open study indicates that hyperexcitable children have low ERC-Mg with normal serum Mg(2+) values, and that Mg(2+)/vitamin B6 supplementation can restore normal ERC-Mg levels and improve their abnormal behavior.
Magnesium VitB6 intake reduces central nervous system hyperexcitabiliy in children.  
PMID: 15466962 Oct 2004

CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the variability of neurologic disorders that occur in CD is broader than previously reported and includes "softer" and more common neurologic disorders, such as chronic headache, developmental delay, hypotonia, and learning disorders or ADHD. Future longitudinal prospective studies might better define the full range of these neurologic disorders and their clinical response to a gluten-free diet.
Range of neurologic disorders in patients with celiac disease.
PMID: 15173490  June 2004

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that low iron stores contribute to ADHD and that ADHD children may benefit from iron supplementation.
Iron deficiency in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
PMID: 15583094  Dec 2004

Home