Natural remedies for hyperactivity provide an attractive alternative to medication due to fewer side effects and a decreased risk of dependency. Alternative therapies include dietary changes, herbal medicines, meditation, acupuncture and EEG therapy.
For many individuals suffering from hyperactivity, for example as a symptom of ADHD, the thought of using conventional drugs to help control their condition is not appealing. Medicines may have a range of undesirable side-effects , and patients are often concerned about the risk of dependency. There are a number of natural remedies for hyperactivity, many of which may help some people to avoid the use of conventional medicines.
Natural Remedies for Hyperactivity: Elimination Diet
As summarised by LE Arnold in the 1998 NIH Conference on diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, the use of an elimination diet or so-called few food diet has been shown in a number of studies to reduce hyperactivity in some individuals.[1] For example, a placebo-controlled double blind challenge by Carter et al published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood in 1993 showed improvement of symptoms when a few-food diet was observed, and subsequent worsening of symptoms when certain foods were re-introduced.[2] This trial was part of a wider investigation into the use of elimination diets, the overall findings of which demonstrate strong evidence that few-food diets may help to control hyperactivity.
A typical few food diet allows only certain foods to be eaten; usually this will include two meats, two carbohydrate sources, two fruits, a restricted range of green and root vegetables, sunflower oil, milk-free margarine and bottled water.[3] This diet excludes major allergens such as dairy products and soya and does not contain any food additives , many of which are implicated in hyperactivity.
Other foods and additives can then be reintroduced at a rate of one per week in order to establish whether they cause a worsening of the condition. There is no strong evidence that simpler diet restrictions such as avoiding sugar are effective in the management of hyperactivity.[4]
Natural Remedies for Hyperactivity: Mineral Supplements
Individuals with hyperactivity typically have reduced levels of the minerals iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium compared with healthy controls.[5] Taking mineral supplements to increase the levels of these minerals has therefore been proposed as an alternative treatment for hyperactivity.
Natural Remedies for Hyperactivity: Herbal and Homeopathic Treatments
A number of Chinese herbal cocktails are available, many of which seem to be effective in the control of hyperactivity based on clinical experience.[6] Examples of Chinese herbal medicines used in the treatment of hyperactivity include Tiaoshen Liquor, Yizhi wit-increasing syrup, Calmplex and Gingko. Some clinical trials have been carried out, including one by Zhang and Huang published in the Chinese Journal of Modern Developments in Traditional Medicine.[7] These trials yielded promising results, but further placebo-controlled trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of Chinese herbal treatments in the control of hyperactivity.
Other Alternative Remedies
Acupuncture is a popular alternative remedy for hyperactivity, but there have been no published systematic trials studying the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach.
EEG biofeedback is a complex alternative technique involving training the brain using neurological imaging techniques. Children with ADHD have been observed to exhibit different patterns of brain activity when compared with normal controls,[8] and therapeutic interventions involving promoting certain patterns of brain activity using visual and auditory feedback have yielded promising results.[9]
Meditation has also been shown to improve symptoms of hyperactivity when compared with a control group, with subjects demonstrating reduced levels of impulsivity and improved parental behavior scores.[10]
NB: This article is for information purposes and is not intended to replace sound medical advice and opinion.
References
[1][4][6][9] LE Arnold “Treatment Alternatives for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ” NIH Consensus Development Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (1998)
[2][3] CM Carter, M Urbanowicz, R Hemsley “Effects of a Few Food Diet in Attention Deficit Disorde r” Archives of Disease in Childhood 69:564-568 (1993)
[5] T Kozielec, B Staronrat-Hermelin, L Kotkowiak “Deficiency of Certain Trace Elements in Children with Hyperactivity” Psychiatra Polska 28:345-353 (1994)
[7] Zhang H, Huang J. “Preliminary study of traditional Chinese medicine treatment of minimal brain dysfunction: analysis of 100 cases” Chinese J Modern Developments in Traditional Medicine 10:278-9 (1990)
[8] CA Mann, JF Lubar, AW Zimmermann “Quantitative analysis of EEG in boys with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder: Controlled study with clinical implications ” Pediatric Neurology 8:30-36 (1992)
[10] J Kratter J Hogan “The Use of Meditation in the Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity” Education Resources Information Centre (1982)
