Nutrition in the Management of ADHD: A Review of Recent Research

Abstract

Purpose of review: Various nutrients and diet quality have been suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of ADHD. The purpose of this review was to examine data from recent cohort studies and dietary interventions to determine whether nutrition may play a role in the management of ADHD.

Recent findings: Preliminary evidence suggests that minerals might have beneficial effects on ADHD symptomatology. Probiotics might offer novel strategies to prevent or treat ADHD. Inverse associations between adherence to "healthy" diets and ADHD symptoms have been observed. Children with ADHD responding to the few-foods diet (or oligoantigenic diet) with an elimination of individually identified food items show substantially improved behavior and cognitive functioning. Evidence from recent research does not allow any recommendations regarding the use of micronutrients or probiotics in the management of ADHD. The few-foods diet may become an additional therapeutic option for children with ADHD.

Keywords: ADHD; DASH diet; Dietary patterns; Elimination diet; Few-foods diet; Iron; Lifestyle; Magnesium; Management; Mediterranean diet; Micronutrients; Minerals; Nutrition; Oligoantigenic diet; Probiotics; Vitamin D; Vitamins; Zinc.