ADHD Caused by Digestive Disorder

[RobinN]

ADHD Caused by Digestive Disorder?
Celiac.com 05/08/2009 - In 1996-1997, in an effort to test a hypothesis by scientist Karl Ludvig Reichelt, Norwegian researchers began a long-term study of 23 children aged 4 to 11 from the southwestern Norwegian town of Stavanger. All of the children suffered from hyperactive disorders including ADHD. All children showed abnormal levels of peptides in their urine.

Dr. Reichelt believed that metabolic disorders impair the effective breakdown of certain proteins in children and thereby cause mental problem, such as hyperactive disorders. Related international research has established links between protein disorder and the conditions of autism and schizophrenia. A growing number of studies also hint that some cases of ADHD are tied to digestive disorders. Data from this Norwegian study supports the idea that ADHD may also arise from a digestive disorder.

This study indicates that consumption of certain foods, such as milk and gluten, may contribute to ADHD in children who lack the enzyme that breaks down proteins like casein, a component of milk--which also helps in the formation of cheese.

Interestingly, when children who lack this enzyme eat foods that require the enzyme to properly digest proteins like casein, their brains experience an opium-like effect, which might explain at least some of the spaciness and impaired attention these kids exhibit.

According to Reichalt's theory, hyperactivity can be controlled by reducing the intake of foods that require the presence of this missing enzyme to properly break down the offending proteins.

In the study, 22 of the 23 children were placed on strict milk-free and/or gluten-free diets. They were taken off milk products and other foods containing casein. All exhibited a rapid improvement in general well-being, including improved mental health and general behavior, improved attention-span and better learning abilities. After a year, 22 of the 23 families reported clear improvements in their child's behaviour and attention-span.

When the kids were taken off their diets, their symptoms returned nearly immediately. Before changing their diets, most of the children were taking medications, like Ritalin, to treat their symptoms. After their diets were established, their medications were discontinued.

By 2004, a number of the children had ceased their diets for various reasons and some have returned to medication. Still, six children remained milk-free and several had also cut out gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley and to some extent oats.

Due in part to the small sample size, and limited amounts of data from comprehensive studies on the number of ADHD children who suffer from peptide-breakdown abnormalities, the study has been met with a certain resistance among the medical community, where most doctors still believe that the evidence best supports medications like Ritalin as the best way to treat the ADHD.

Still, the results carry weight among the parents, and among the Norwegians, as hundreds of other Norwegian children with ADHD, mainly in and around Stavanger, have in recent years been put on milk-free and/or gluten-free diets to help control ADHD and related disorders.

Agence France Presse 2008.
Yahoo! News 2008

http://www.celiac.com/articles/21800/1/ADHD-Caused-by-Digestive-Disorder/Page1.html/print/21800

 

[skillefer]

which probably explains why the old special ed. teacher's trick tends to work....

When I have parents that don't want to medicate, I suggest a low carb diet with plenty of veggies for fiber, and a cup of coffee with cream and an artificial sweetener to calm the child. the coffee works for those kids that ritalin works for. Especially if the kids stay away from too many sweets.

 

[RobinN]

I am going to have to disagree with the caffeine. I think introducing that to children is the wrong approach. It might be a quick fix, yet this post is to engage people into the thought that good nutrition can actually heal the gut, which in turn will change brain activity for the positive. Most doctors going the alternative route, using nutrition as a healer, would not agree that caffeine should be in the daily diet.


http://www.celiac.com/articles/110/...Disorder---ADHD-and-Celiac-Disease/Page1.html

 

[skillefer]

Oh, I agree Robinn. But when parents can't afford to see alternative practitioners, and they can't afford the meds or don't believe in medicating, you have to try to provide some alternative. .... can't just leave them feeling hopeless.

 

[RobinN]

I haven't learned what I know from alternative practitioners. There is so much information out there on the internet. I have learned what I know by being proactive. Stan Kurtz, and Operation Rescue have a great host of info.
This article is about nutritional choices. We all shop and make these choices. I use to think I was making decent ones. Now I know differently.
Articles such as this actually provides hope rather than living off of meds forever with more side effects.

IMO

 

[Shelley]

co-workers kid and ADD

http://www.oneaddplace.com/add-diet.php
http://newideas.net/adhd/adhd-diet

I have a co-worker whose young son is restless in kindergarten (duh?)
I googled add and diet. There are a lot of entries. The diets may be helpful for us too, I think.

 

[RobinN]

Yes I do believe so Shelley. It sure has in my household.

Just heard another friend who said her son was on three meds for asthma. I suggested dairy free... and she said interestingly her nutritionist said the same thing. Gluten free, dairy free.

Something has happened to our food chain and it is affecting much of our population it seems.

 

[KelVarQ]

hmmm

My primary who embraces the holistic approach says flat out, "We do not need milk and nor does your 2 year old child". Technically we are the only species (animals) on this planet that drinks another animals milk. If we look in nature (which we can learn a lot from) ONLY babies drink/need milk and NEVER the milk of a different animal. I saw him recently and he asked me about the seizures (since he's trying to help me with it) and told me the whole gut thing and bowel movements can be a huge factor in E patients. When I told him I was taking the magnesium and my bowel movements are now regular he asked, "Were they before mag?" NO, my bowel movements have NEVER been regular and (sorry for the fowl notes here) and sometimes a whole week would go by and that was the norm, which I semi-jokingly stated, "I guess I just thought it was the norm for woman." Needless to say he told me how the butt is being recognized as like our second brain and it's because they're connected in more ways than we know. He took some blood from me and mentioned celiac (I think that's what he said) and I'll be going to see him shortly for the results. Anyway, I just thought I would throw that out there.

 

[RobinN]

How about this info:

They found that in less than 24 hours the gut's microbial populations changed abruptly, according to a study in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120318757&sc=fb&cc=fp

Could this be why ADD, migraines, seizures, moods change so abruptly?

 

[milkymum]

Wow I have just read this and I must say I think it's true. When my DD was on a dairy diet which she couldn't digest her behaviour was so much more worse than it is know. But know we have her digestions sorted with a dairy free diet she is so much more calmer but she does still have the occasion when she lossers it but only if she is very up-set, angry and distressed about something that has happened or is happening. We are having less out-bursts know which is great as I feel happy leaving her with hfriends for a few hours and goingout and leaving her with a babysitter when me and hubbiehave our adult-night-out once a month

 

[RobinN]

My primary who embraces the holistic approach says flat out, "We do not need milk and nor does your 2 year old child". Technically we are the only species (animals) on this planet that drinks another animals milk. If we look in nature (which we can learn a lot from) ONLY babies drink/need milk and NEVER the milk of a different animal.

I wish I had taken this information more seriously when my kids were small. Though I did not see the connections that I do now.

I saw him recently and he asked me about the seizures (since he's trying to help me with it) and told me the whole gut thing and bowel movements can be a huge factor in E patients.

You are lucky. I was told there wasn't a connection by a few specialists. Instinctively I knew otherwise

When I told him I was taking the magnesium and my bowel movements are now regular he asked, "Were they before mag?" NO, my bowel movements have NEVER been regular and (sorry for the fowl notes here) and sometimes a whole week would go by and that was the norm, which I semi-jokingly stated, "I guess I just thought it was the norm for woman." Needless to say he told me how the butt is being recognized as like our second brain and it's because they're connected in more ways than we know.

I am assuming you meant "gut and second brain"
There is a lot of information on this fact. It is where the saying "I have a gut feeling" came from. I have a 24 yr old that has had intestinal issues for about 5 yrs. He admits they are connected to his emotions. He has seen doctors for it, and they just say it is nothing. I think he has celiac disease.

He took some blood from me and mentioned celiac (I think that's what he said) and I'll be going to see him shortly for the results. Anyway, I just thought I would throw that out there.

just note... from my reading, you can have negative results from that test and still be sensitive to gluten. Many times it can be something that runs through families. I think I read that if one person has it, then there is a 1:10 chance others will.

Keep up the good work. It seems you are on your way to finding answers.