Natural Remedies for ADHD – Iron
By Demi Sumler
The body uses iron to produce hemoglobin in red blood cells. The oxygen that hemoglobin carries nourishes your tissues. Dark leafy greens, tuna, and meat (red meat) are examples of food sources.
Inappropriate impulsivity, excessive activity, inattention, and impaired executive functioning are among the symptoms of ADHD. It has been suggested that dopamine dysfunction may be the cause of ADHD symptoms since the latter are presumably influenced by the dopaminergic mesocortical pathways. Dopamine stimulants are beneficial for kids with ADHD. Iron levels may affect dopamine-dependent behaviours since iron is a cofactor of dopamine production and iron deprivation changes dopamine receptor density (Abnormal dopaminergic neurotransmission is brought on by iron deficiency, which may play a role in the physiopathology of ADHD).
Iron is bonded to ferritin in the brain; iron shortage lowers ferritin levels, while iron supplementation raises them. Childhood low ferritin levels have been shown to have a negative impact on the development of the central nervous system.
Iron and ADHD
An association between iron deficiency and ADHD symptoms in children has been shown. According to one study, there was a greater possibility of having psychiatric disorders, such as ADHD, in people who were iron deficient. In response to a meta-analysis, those with ADHD often had lower iron levels than people without the disorder.
Overall, studies indicate that learning difficulties, psychomotor instability, and poor cognitive impairment have all been linked to iron deficiency. It is important to keep in mind that central dopaminergic dysfunction in conjunction with iron deficiency (low serum ferritin level) may be the cause of ADHD symptoms. Additionally, children with ADHD and iron deficiency may benefit from iron supplementation as an initial treatment.