ADHD like behaviors are more likely if your blood stores of iron are low. Iron deficiency and ADHD are related. We have spoken in earlier posts about the other important ADHD vitamins and supplements. I have written about the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids for treating ADHD, about how zinc impacts ADHD behavior and about magnesium and ADHD. Rounding out the big four of the most important ADHD vitamins and supplements is Iron.
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| Spinach and other Iron rich foods may help ADHD |
Iron is a mineral that is a part of every cell in our bodies. Iron helps performs many important functions and reactions in our bodies. Perhaps iron's most important function is to help a part of our blood called hemoglobin carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body. Iron is involved in the oxygenation of our blood but also is involved in the metabolism and functioning of other cells in our body.
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| Iron Deficiency can cause ADHD Symptoms |
Iron in the diet is normally found in many foods but is abundant in clams, oysters, fortified cereals, soy, lentils, spinach, pumpkin and red meat. Iron that comes from a meat or fish source is absorbed better than iron that comes from a vegetable or fortified cereal source.
Vitamin C can help our bodies absorb iron from non-meat iron sources such as fortified cereals so it is a good idea to eat an orange or drink a small glass of orange juice when eating iron fortified cereals or other non-meat, iron rich, foods. A complete list of iron rich foods and the adult and child recommended daily requirements for iron can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nutrition for Everyone, website.
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| Iron rich foods can help the symptoms of ADHD |
When our bodies are deficient in iron or iron stores, our brains do not function properly. Iron deficiency is associated with decreased motor and cognitive development and with an increased diagnosis of ADHD. Because low iron levels and iron deficiency can cause decreased cognitive scores even when the iron deficiency is not causing an anemia, children with ADHD who do not eat a diet that is rich in meat and iron fortified foods should be tested to determine their ferritin and iron levels.
A study published in the December, 2010 Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmocology found that children with low ferritin levels had increased inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity and total ADHD scores. These researchers found that the amount of inattentive ADHD behavior and total ADHD behavior could be predicted by the level of blood ferritin. The authors of this study reported that, "Serum ferritin was inversely correlated with baseline inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and total ADHD symptom scores." The lower the ferritin level was, the more severe the ADHD symptoms.
Very young children, pregnant women, adolescent girls and children who drink more than 24 ounces of milk a day are most at risk for iron deficiency and low blood ferritin (iron) levels. Young children and adolescents who fill up on milk products tend to consume fewer meats and iron fortified cereals. Adolescents and children with diets such as these can quickly become iron deficient which can then lead to problems such as anemia and increased ADHD like symptoms.
Iron deficiency anemias are most often detected during a routine check up where a complete blood count is measured. Since ADHD behaviors can be brought on by decreased iron stores when there is no anemia present, tests such as serum iron tests and serum ferritin test are sometimes used to determine the amount of iron and stored iron in a person's system and it is these tests that will predict if supplemental iron is necessary. These tests can also predict if the ADHD like behavior is being brought on by or worsened by the presence of low iron stores in a person's body.
Adults and parents of young children with ADHD should consult their physicians for ferritin and iron testing before beginning any iron supplements. Accidental iron supplement overdose has been linked to deaths in children and any ADHD vitamin and supplement should be started only after a thorough physical evaluation and after a consultation and discussion with a physician.
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