Hyperactivity, seen frequently in combination with attention deficit disorder, is a condition in which the body's muscular activity exceeds normal levels. Growing evidence exists that supplements of certain herbs, vitamins or minerals can help to reduce hyperactive behavior. However, most experts agree that more scientific studies will be needed to establish conclusively the efficacy of such supplements in treating hyperactivity disorder, also known as hyperkinetic syndrome.
Zinc Sulfate
Dopamine levels are a key factor in hyperactivity disorder. The hormone melatonin plays a significant role in regulating dopamine levels, and zinc is essential to the proper metabolism of melatonin. This network of interdependencies led Croatian medical researchers to investigate the effects of zinc sulfate supplementation among children with hyperactivity disorder. Their findings, published in the October 2009 issue of Acta Medica Croatica, strongly implicate zinc deficiency as a causative factor in hyperactivity. Furthermore, when zinc supplements were given to children diagnosed with hyperactive behavior, their symptoms improved significantly. For the purposes of the study, subjects were given a daily dose of 55 mg of zinc sulfate, the equivalent of 15 mg of zinc.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
In a small pilot study reported in the 2007 issue of Nutrition Journal, a group of Massachusetts-based medical researchers looked at the effects of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) among children suffering from hyperactivity disorder. The study was prompted by the observation that children with this problem had significantly lower-than-normal levels of long-chain PUFAs. Test subjects were given a daily supplement that contained high levels of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Dosages were adjusted at points during the study period based on subjects' tolerance of the supplements and their changing PUFA levels. Researchers reported that the behavioral improvements observed in test subjects suggest the need for broader study of PUFA supplementation to treat hyperkinetic syndrome.
Magnesium and Vitamin B6
Based on observations that hyperexcitability is found in rodents with depleted levels of ionic magnesium, French researchers launched a small study to see how supplements of magnesium and vitamin B6 affected the behavior of children with hyperactivity disorder. They gave 52 test subjects daily doses of 100 mg of magnesium/B6 for periods ranging from three to 24 weeks. The results of the study, reported in a 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, showed a sharp decline in symptoms of hyperexcitability, including physical aggression, classroom inattention, instability and spasm. Although the scale of this study was small, researchers suggest that their findings warrant further scientific investigation to confirm the value of magnesium/B6 supplementation as a treatment for hyperactivity.
Herbal Supplements
The website of Milestone Centers Inc., a western Pennsylvania nonprofit agency that serves the needs of people with behavioral and intellectual challenges, reports that some herbal supplements have shown promise in treating hyperactivity. Specifically cited was a supplement that combined gingko biloba and Panax quinquefolium, also called American ginseng. Symptoms of hyperactivity were noticeably reduced after test subjects received the supplement for a period of four weeks.
References
- MedlinePlus: Hyperactivity
- "Acta Medica Croatica"; The Role of Zinc in the Treatment of Hyperactivity Disorder in Children; Dodig-Curković et al.; October 2009.
- Nutrition Journal: Effects of an Open-Label Pilot Study with High-Dose EPA/DHA
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition
- Milestone: Alternative Treatments for ADHD
