Amino Acids and Attention Deficit Disorder

The first line treatment for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is stimulant drugs, with Ritalin as the most popular brand prescribed by physicians to children suffering from this condition. However, these drugs have troubling physical and mental side effects, which make parents reluctant about letting their children with ADD take them. So, to pacify parents, I will talk about ADD natural remedies that can manage the symptoms of their children.

One of these remedies for ADD is the orthomolecular therapy, which is offered by the Pain and Stress Center in San Antonio, Texas. This type of therapy aims to correct the biochemical imbalance of the brain without the use of drugs.

Several scientific studies found that hyperactive children usually have lower serotonin levels. So, a combination of tryptophan/5-HTP, along with B6, which elevates serotonin level to balance the brain, can help in diminishing the symptoms of these children.

Additionally, it was found that most ADD and hyperactive children lacked neurotransmitters. To correct this deficiency, they can resort to amino acids, glycine, GABA, tyrosine, taurine and tryptophan. Balanced doses of these nutrients, in the right formulas and combination, are capable of producing the needed neurotransmitters in a natural way. Using a stimulant drug as a way of producing neurotransmitters is not the right way to manage ADD symptoms.

Proper nutrition and supplements can help in improving mood, mind, behavior and memory of children with ADD. All neurotransmitters in the body are made from dietary protein and amino acids. Meanwhile, studies reveal that one danger of a low-protein diet is the failure of the body to ingest enough amino acids needed in making adequate brain neurotransmitters. These studies also indicate that individuals may feel lethargic, have difficulty in concentrating and become insomniac if their diet lacks the right quantity of amino acids. They further emphasize that drugs are incapable of producing neurotransmitters because they only address symptoms.

In this section, I’m going to dig deeper on some of these nutritional items, including GABA or Gamma-aminobutyric acid, Taurine, L-Glutamine, Tyrosine, magnesium, calcium and Glycine.

GABA – is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is found in the central nervous system. GABA is capable of inhibiting cells from firing, which can decrease anxiety-related messages.

Taurine – is considered as an essential amino acid that is abundant in the heart, central nervous system, brain and the olfactory bulb. Because this is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it has an inhibitory function.

L-Glutamine – the third most abundant amino acid in the body and offers an alternative brain fuel source, especially when the blood sugar level is low. Studies show that Glutamine, Glycine with B6 and GABA are considered as major inhibitory neurotransmitters.

Tyrosine has the ability to overcome depression, based on clinical studies.

Magnesium has been proven in various studies to play a significant role in proper brain energy.

Calcium – deficiency of this mineral can induce ADD or ADHD behavior. To avoid this, children should have 1000 mg of calcium daily.

Glycine – is a nonessential amino acid which reduces the brain’s craving for sugar.

To sum it up, parents should try diet for ADD changes to help their children with ADD to manage their symptoms.

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