Iron Age

Recent research has shed new light on how to restore order to the chaos of ADHD children. Dr John Briffa introduces our diet's most precious metal

Reports of exponential growth in the rates of obesity in UK children have led to renewed calls for more activity and exercise to be worked into their lives.

However, while some children appear to be immobilised by an inherent inertia, others may have a different problem: children suffering with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are typically physically frenetic, and may also exhibit a range of mental issues, including impulsiveness and mood swings. For ADHD-afflicted children, life can be both fast and furious.

My experience is that kids with ADHD often respond well to a diet that is as low as possible in sugar and artificial additives. In addition, I have found supplementation with omega-3 fats and/or magnesium helps to bring calm and order to an overactive body and mind.

However, my attention was recently diverted by research suggesting that iron might temper hyperactivity in kids.

In a study published in December 2004, in Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, the iron levels in children with ADHD were compared with those of unaffected kids (controls).

Researchers found that 84 per cent of affected children had abnormally low iron levels, compared to only 18 per cent of controls. The lower the iron level, the more pronounced the ADHD symptoms tended to be.

Whatever role iron has in regulating mood and behaviour may be related to the fact that it is necessary for the functioning of dopamine - a brain chemical that has diverse effects on physical and mental processes.

Scientists have suggested that dopamine depletion is a factor in ADHD, indirect evidence for which comes from the knowledge that Ritalin (a common drug treatment for ADHD) boosts dopamine levels in the brain.

Studies in which iron treatment has been tried as a treatment for ADHD are thin on the ground. However, one study found that just a month of iron supplementation did lead to a significant reduction in hyperactive symptoms as assessed by the sufferers' parents.

Excesses of iron can be damaging, so it is important for iron levels to be assessed prior to treatment.

Measuring blood levels of a substance called ferritin is the best gauge of iron levels in the body. For those with ferritin counts that are low, I suggest emphasising iron-rich foods such as red meat, nuts and seeds, and for more rapid results, supplementation with NDS iron, an absorbable form of iron.

Mounting evidence suggests that for children with ADHD, iron might turn out to be a very precious metal indeed.

Nutrition News

I have highlighted before the benefits to be had by having consistency in our eating patterns, and I recommended dried fruit as a healthy between-meal snack. In a study which was published this month in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, the nutritional attributes of dried fruit were evaluated. A variety of dried fruits were as free radicals. In test-tube studies, dried fruits were found to have significant antioxidant potential, with figs and prunes being particularly potent in this respect.

As part of this study, scientists also fed dried figs to a group of subjects, and then measured antioxidant action in the body. The eating of dried figs was found to lead to a significant boost in internal antioxidant action, which lasted for about tour hours. The authors of the study concluded that dried fruits are a good and convenient

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