I have a son diagnosed with inattentive ADD and per two doctor's recommendation (neurologist & psychologist) we started on a regimien of L-tyrosine (500 mg first thing in the morning)) along with Folic Acid and Omega-3. We were told not to expect immediate change but at least 4-5 weeks. Although I thought I was noticing better attention it was two teachers at a conference that told me there was a remarkable change in his "concentration" in class. These teachers do not know that my son has inattentive ADD and we do not have an IEP in place (unfortunately the schools set these kids up as "dumb" and there is tremendous negative peer pressure for the children in these programs -- my son would rather fail his class than be placed in an IEP) I'll admit that this is NOT the miracle cure. We also addressed diet. Although I have not eliminated refined sugar I have made certain to reduce it (and not take up the stance that it is forbidden). A variety of foods are regulars (good/high protein, broccoli, spinach, oatmeal...few others) including eating a good breakfast. I will tell you that if any of these (food or supplements) are not consistently taken I do notice a lack of attention in my son. So, although it may not be for everyone -- each individual is different -- it does help my son.
I have been using a whole food B-complex and omega 3 supplements. Sometimes I see better concentration, but the mood swings and anxiety are still present. I am going to start the GABA, 5-HTP and L-tyrosine and keep a journal of any changes in behavior. To the individual who's son could not get an IEP: ADD and ADHD fall under the Other Health Impairments section of the Federal law IDEA (Individual Disability Education Act). If you haven't brought the diagnosis to the principal and the school psychologist, please try to. Your child is eligible for and IEP or a 504 plan. My son has a 504 and he has a list of written accommodations that have to be given to my son in each classroom. I hope this helps and thank you for the advice on GABA.
I did not give GABA to my son, who was diagnosed as a child as having ADD. I took the supplement for myself, for general tension. I have been taking the supplement for about one year and find that there is a noticable difference. It was not like a switch has been flipped, however. I just notice a general calmness I did not possess before and do notice when I forget to take the supplement for several days. I have suggested to my son that he try the supplement himself. He is now 26 and had horrible experiences with prescription drugs for ADD (heart palipitations, severe anxiety, etc.). We tried both Ritalin and Adderall when he was a child, and he has tried two other prescription medications as an adult. He has been a bit apprehensive to take the GABA, due to his previous experiences, but I think he may now try it. We'll see if it helps him. Good luck with your child and your search for answers!
I don't have a child with ADHD or Autism, although I am a teacher and do see both disorders frequently. This is mostly about my journey with anxiety and my research on GABA and other things. I have significant anxiety issues (as well as depression) myself and have been doing some research on natural remedies. As for my journey: I was prescribed Prozac 2 years ago and it has helped immensely for these 2 years; but, I don't want to take it anymore because it is not natural and can tax your liver over long-term use (and probably mess you up in a million other ways not publicized by Eli Lily – the manufacturer of Prozac - or the FDA) even though my psychiatrist insists it is perfectly safe. I do not agree at all (though it is maybe one of the kindest - as far a side effects - on the market, it is still a drug and completely unnatural. So, I'm looking to replace it with something natural that truly works, but without all the long-term side effects. The only natural remedy that my psychiatrist suggested is St Johns Wort. She said it is shown to be helpful for depression (which might help anxiety in some people, I guess), but it is not advised to take over the long-term.
Anyway, having weaned myself off of Prozac over the last couple of months, and having now taken St John's Wort for 2 weeks, myself, I see no improvement in anxiety at all, although I am not depressed. That leads me to believe that, either my presenting problem isn't depression in the first place, or that St. Johns Wort does help depression, but not anxiety - at least for me. Anyway, the fact that this is only a temporary fix - because it is advised not to take St Johns long - term-leads me to keep researching.
I am a firm believer in that if our bodies are acting out, or our brains’ neurotransmitters are not doing the “normal” thing, then there is likely a nutrient we are deficient in, or something adverse that has been introduced to our systems (such as a virus, bacteria, or toxin). I am most concerned about my anxiety, so that is what my research centers around…but I would definitely say that I have many ADD or ADHD symptoms myself as my anxiety also keeps me from mental clarity, I get insomnia, I get restless feelings and irritability…etc. I also have many OCD symptoms (as my anxiety is an over thinking/negative thoughts kind of anxiety). By the way – see my comments at the end regarding ADD/OCD/Tourettes connection…
At whole foods, the supplement associate mentioned the helpfulness of GABA and of L-theanine because they are amino acids and if you are deficient in one of them, it could be causing anxiety and/or depression. So, I began researching and I have read that GABA is a great suggested alternative, especially because it is said to be helpful for both depression and anxiety; however, it looks like it is possible that GABA doesn't effectively penetrate the cell membrane and therefore can not get in to help your neurotransmitters. (The websites I read said that it was possible that some companies have come up with GABA supplements that do penetrate the cell membrane...but none were suggested in my research – yet…). They did, however suggest taking L-theanine because that amino acid is able to penetrate the cell wall. Or I wonder if it helps GABA penetrate if taken together?? Some people suggested taking both aminos together, or taking L-theanine and adding GABA rich foods to our diets.
I can't find the website that mentioned that Suntheanine is a reputable patented brand or type of L-theanine, but after a search for "what is suntheanine" it took me to this site: http://www.suntheanine.com/WhatIsSuntheanine.cfm Looks like Suntheanine is found in several L-theanine products…
Anyway, I also found the below article interesting.... as well as the comments people gave on the article.
http://laura-owens.suite101.com/gaba-the-brains-own-anti-anxiety-medication-a59854
I know these people are speaking about adult anxiety issues, but I don't think there is too great a difference between adult and child neurotransmitter function, especially as it concerns our dietary needs or deficiencies. (Bonus: this website gives a list of GABA nutrient rich food - which, if eaten, since it is a whole food with all the other things God put into the food to help the nutrients go where they need to go - would naturally help GABA to penetrate the cell wall).
I plan to get some tests done from ZRT Labs (hormone testing, maybe or Vitamin D testing) or some tests from http://www.doctorsdata.com/home.asp. Doctorsdata.com does amino acid testing, and many other types of testing, like EFA testing. I am particularly interested in doing the amino acid test to see what/if anything I am deficient in so that I can be taking the correct supplement for my anxiety issues.
I thought this might be some research that could be helpful for you or your child…especially since GABA has been mentioned a few times in the comments here. I thought I’d share what I have learned regarding GABA. Good luck!!
About ADD/OCD/Tourettes connection
About ADD/OCD/Tourettes connection. I have heard some comments about the connection between these three “disorders”, and it is thought that all three may be present in children with ADD/ADHD more often than we realize. The first time I heard of this trio was during my masters in teaching program. Another classmate mentioned the connection, and said that her mother had done significant research on the connection. She was helping me to understand a student I was working with in my class as a student teacher. I think the three things were spot on for that particular student and his actions in class (3rd grade) got him in trouble every day. I began to see that maybe his loud comment or strange squeals were not a “behavior” thing, but perhaps an involuntary thing instead – as Tourettes would cause. Poor kid...
Anyway, I didn’t look into the ADD/OCD/Tourettes connection too much at the time, but I do keep seeing students that present all three types of symptoms – thought I have never seen in one’s file the mention that they have been diagnosed with all three. Perhaps our children are being mis-diagnosed or under-diagnosed? I think it would be an interesting thing to research for those of you who have children with any of the three disorders. I would not be surprised if I could be diagnosed as having all three, as well, since I have found myself having all three problems (not so sure about Tourettes…unless I do have it and don’t know it, and that’s why I speak before thinking so often??? – BTW…I did not speak-before-thinking too often when on Prozac – I was much calmer and not so “quick-to-respond” negatively to situations). And I know that adult ADD/ADHD symptoms, for example, present differently than they do in children, but are still something to think about). Anyway, just a little added thought.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Finally, an honest appraisal of a proposed "natural" treatment for ADHD (and/or autism.) First you acknowleged the tremendous appeal of non-precription treatments, but also gave a strong warning against trying them out without your provider's knowledge. Next, you presented the research along with a few different ways to interpret the data. In the end, you admitted that you, like many concerned parents decided to "give it a try."
It's not surprising that you didn't notice any effects. As you stated, how could you know how much to take or how long it might be before seeing any improvement. After all, there's no research, no standard for effective dosage behind most supplemental treatments. Like many others, I hope that someday we will have viable alternatives to prescription medications but for now....?