Zinc Zeroes In on ADHD

Many parents of kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) go along only reluctantly with doctors’ prescriptions for drugs like Ritalin. Now there’s evidence that adding zinc to the mix can help get kids back on track—and perhaps allow them to cut back on their meds.

Researchers at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran found that children with ADHD who took zinc supplements in addition to Ritalin improved faster over a six-week period than a group taking only Ritalin and a placebo. They were better able to sit still and concentrate on their schoolwork, and parents and teachers rated them as less quarrelsome. Shahin Akhonzadeh, neuropharmacologist and lead author, says that zinc aids in the production of dopamine and melatonin, brain chemicals thought to be out of balance in kids with ADHD. Future research, he says, will examine whether extra zinc can reduce the dose of Ritalin a child needs.

Because too much zinc can bring on nausea and stomach problems, Akhonzadeh recommends that kids take zinc only if blood, hair, or urine tests confirm they’re deficient. If they’re not, he says, they should just eat more zinc-rich foods. Oysters are at the top of the list, but if your child’s palate isn’t that sophisticated, other good sources include red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, fish, whole grains, fortified cereals, and dairy products.