ADHD Supplements

Hey everyone. You are all are amazing! I am a 36-year-old male. I have a supplement question and I don't mind at all if a few veterans just point me to other posts rather than answer. I am a writer and love being creative but I feel like I'm wasting my years away because I can't focus enough or concentrate on a task for more than 15 minutes or so a day. I tried Straterra and it didn't do much of anything. I hope to avoid the harder Rxs if possible and was wondering if anyone had success with SUPPLEMENTS or DIET strateges. Please help me -- there is nothing more sad than looking back on your life and wondering what could have been...

Thank you so much!

[margypops]

Well thank you kind Sir for the flattery , I have a couple of ideas for you  and yes there are some supplements out there that do work, there is a homeopathic supplement called" Attend Vaxa ",it works on a sub-molecular level to Naturally improve Focus, concentration and memory. Attend balances left/right brain activity and supports the central nervous system. You can get it at a good health store we have a brilliant one here in CA called Sprouts, they have technicians who look up what you are getting and print out all the information, This product can be used on Adults and children . My other amazing thought is that you take a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement with antioxidants ,B Complex and Vit C, they also say Fish oil or Flaxseed oil capsules are good.I have also found itr helpful to eliminate all common allergenic foods like Dairy and wheat ,and of course additives ,again a good health food store will be able to aid you and print out information, You can also google it and get more Good luck let us know if they work for you.

[Xiphoid77]

I don't know about "Attend Vaxa", I've heard of it but not used it myself.

I have however got experience from vitamin supplementation. I use high dose Vit B's to complement my dexedrine & I have noticed a big difference, both in my ability to concentrate for sustained periods and with giving me more energy. It's really helped me getting through medical school.

This is what I take each day, it way above the RDA's but B Vit's are water soluble so you wee out any excess;
Vit B1 (thiamine) - 100mg
Vit B2 (riboflavin) - 100mg
Vit B3 (niacin)     - 100mg
Vit B5 (pantothenic acid) - 600mg
Vit B6                 - 200mg
Folic acid            - 400ug (don't go over 400 with folic acid)
Biotin                  - 100ug
Vit B12                - 600ug

I also take 500mg L-tyrosine in the morning, its an aminoacid that's a precursor (building block) to the brain chemicals that stimulants increase.  I think you can take up to 2000mg of it but I don't as I also have my dexies.

With the B Vit's if you can find slow release ones they are usually nicer on your stomach & wont cause GI upset in these high doses.

Hope that helps!

Oh, I've heard good things about Ginko, ginseng & guarana too but haven't tried them myself.

[JLogan]

Thanks margy! I have always believed it to be more wise to consult real people who deal with conditions like this everyday than countless doctors who just read reports from the pharmaceutical industry. I will definitely try your ideas! =)

[Xiphoid77]

Forgot the diet thing :) I'm on a gluten-free diet, not sure if it helps at all though as I've always been on it being a celiac (allergic to gluten).

Fish oils are good & have been proven to work in clinical trials, BUT...the amount needed to be effective is between 2-3grams per day & most supplements only gives a few hundra milligrams per day, so to get benefit you are talking 20-30 capsules per day!! Not only hard to swallow but also very expensive! Here in the UK you can get high dose fishoil capsules prescribed (at least if you go private) but I dont know what it's like elsewhere...

[margypops]

Your posts were very informative Xipoid, I have copied the details of the supplements you listed,I do take some of them already and found like both you guys ,that I feel better on supplements than prescribed Meds with side effects , had more than enough of that.I also try to steer clear of the allergenic foods and additives.I felt I had Low Adrenal and take Adrenal support capsules for that I read up about it first.very interesting especially about DHEA,  do all my own research about these things.Hey guys we have got to get well before the Holidays so we can get sick on too many goodies and a bunch of Wine!!

[JLogan]

You guy are awesome. I have heard Adrenal Plus is a good one for the adrenals Margy. It seems like just about any health issue drains the adrenals so they are very important.

Do most stores have the slow-release B-Vites Xiph? I would get bad stomach issues when I took B-Complex 50 a few years back.

Lack of concentration is so disturbing. I read biographies about people who have been super successful at their chosen field and it seems like it all boils down to talent of course and then extreme focus and concetration to work at your chosen field everyday! I also believe anxiety associatyed with adhd afects our social relationships so I am willing to do whatever it takes. =)

[margypops]

Then you will  no doubt find something to help you,,if you have in your area a good health store they will check out on the spot any information regarding the supplements you are interested in, I have a store called Sprouts nearby , they are terrific and they have technicians there to answer questions instead of trying to figeur it all out yourself.I found B Complex upset me also so I will be interested in his answer,

[Xiphoid77]

I would think that large/most well stocked health food stores and pharmacies should stock the slow release B Vit's. Here in the UK I always go to Holland & Barrett's, they have everything you'd ever need and they are reasonably priced too.
If you are in the states you could find it at GNC (who I think also do online orders). They have the "GNC Big 150 (Vit B)" which is a timed release one. That would be a good one as a start, then just top up with the B Vit's that you need more than 150mg of.

If you want to know more about how to use vitamin & herbal supplements for various things including ADHD, I really recommend the book "The food mood solution" by Jack Challem. It's brilliant, and goes through what to supplement, how much and why to help all sorts of conditions.... anxiety, ADHD, adrenal fatigue & depression, you name it, it's there.

A word of caution with using DHEA though...Do not start taking that without having visited your doctor first and haivng had a blood test to chack your levels. DHEA is a hormone and will give you nasty side effects (as well as increasing your risk of developing certain cancers) if you use it as a supplement when you don't actually need it. Levels of DHEA can go down in individuals with conditions like type 2 Diabetes, adrenal insufficiency or from using certain kinds of drugs, but overloading by taking supplements when your levels aren't low cause problems rather than make you feel better.

Hope that helps :)

[margypops]

Thank you for the information about DHEA ,the book I have read does not tell me to be careful when taking it , I am taking the Adrenal Support supplemnts so maybe it would be a good idea to leave out the DHEA and just take the Adrenal ones as I have been feeling so much better I have also taken each day 4 drops of Kelp liqid(iodine )and some Vit C I will check out to book for that book you recomend,I had an upset stomach today could that be one of the side effects from the DHEA Tab I took. Thank you for this infromation

[Xiphoid77]

If I'm not mistaken I read it in the book I mentioned in my previous post, ("The food mood solution" by Jack Challem), but I have other books on nutrition too where I may have got it.
I had a quick browse on the web though, and found information (backed by research) ranging from "use caution" to "it's really dangerous"....I cut & paste some clips below;


"The biggest concern over DHEA supplementation is the issue of androgen/estrogen production from DHEA. Various tissues can convert DHEA to either androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione) or estrogens (estrone, estradiol). DHEA studies have reported significant androgen increases in women, at a 50 mg and higher dosage [18,19,20,21] and a decreased testosterone level in men, combined with an increase in estradiol [21], which can result in acne, oily skin, facial hair growth in women, and irritability, insomnia, fatigue, and breast enlargement in men

Also, DHEA is NOT recommended for people under 30 years of age, unless indicated by blood testing; or for pregnant or nursing women; or people at risk for breast, uterine or prostate cancer."

"Whether or not individuals should or should not supplement with DHEA is still very controversial. Some health professionals believe that daily intakes up to 15 mg of DHEA for women and 30 mg for men are adequate amounts for people with deficient blood levels of DHEA or DHEAS. A few suggest supplementation with as much as 50 mg per day in postmenopausal women, while others consider this level to be too much. Many doctors believe that individuals with perfect health and normal blood levels of DHEA or DHEAS should not take this hormone until more conclusive research has determined its effects. Individuals should consult a doctor to have DHEA levels monitored before and during supplementation."

"As you have already surmised, a great deal more scientific work needs to be carried out with DHEA before a full understanding of its effects is reached. However, don't expect this research to take place soon. To put it bluntly, the pharmaceutical industry will be very reluctant to financially support DHEA studies, since DHEA is a molecule that can not be patented and therefore can not bring substantial financial bonuses to any one company.

The bottom line is that if you decide to take DHEA, there will be a guinea pig involved, and that experimental animal will be you. Walking into a nutritional supplement shop, purchasing a bottle of DHEA, and then dosing yourself with the stuff without knowing your own DHEA concentration is pure insanity, because there are risks associated with DHEA supplementation: although research has indicated that high DHEA may be protective against breast cancer in premenopausal women, studies suggest that DHEA may increase the risk of liver cancer in both sexes, ovarian cancer in women, and prostate tumours in men. Women who take 100 mg a day or more may also notice masculinising effects, and the long-term side effects of DHEA supplementation are unknown.

DHEA is simply not a chemical that you want to cavalierly throw into your body; you shouldn't take it unless your serum levels are low and you're under the supervision of your doctor."

How much of a party pooper am I? ;-)

[margypops]

As I said I wont take it for now and didnt today, I will stick to the Adrenal capsules, and find out more about the dosage etc before taking DHEA  again.thank you for your very helpful input

[woozy]

I have ADHD and I quit taking Adderall (adderrall) because it was causing me to be depressed when I wasn't on it. I've tried numerous things from 5htp to L-Tyrosine. L-Tyrosine did squat as far as I could tell. I now try eating far healthier, no strict regimen, but I do avoid candy and junkfood, only occasionally indulging. I started exercising more, 3 times a week for an hour at a time. I bought a light box (more for S.A.D. but it's lifting my spirits beyond what i thought it would do) AND... I take fish oil supplements too. In America you can get 1000 milligram tablets which would equal a gram. I'm not exactly sure what is working best but I've noticed an improvement in my energy levels and ability to concentrate. I am suspicious though that the fish oil may be benefitting me the most,  just a hunch. I take 2 grams a day. (watch out for increased trips to bathroom though! and I'm not talking peeing either! Sorry if TMI)

[goodsuccess]

I tried many different supplements such as focus factor, brain quicken, and focus fast... The one I found best that worked for my attention was focus fast... Hope that helps!

[margypops]

Theres also one called 'Attend Vaxa ", glad you posted your success with focus factor a lot of folks out there looking for supplements ,instead of the drugs with side effects .

[goodsuccess]

not focus factor - that one did nothing... focus fast was the one that worked.

[margypops]

Sorry my mistake I will let some friends know who are struggling and trying to get input ,Focus Fast .

[amyrose0123]

I have adult ADD and have taken adderall (adderrall) for over a year and have been able to go off my anti depressants. I know I would never get through school w/out it. The question is do the pro's outweigh the cons?

As for vitamin consumption, your body (specifiaclly the renal tubules which are responsible for reabsorbtion of useful materials ) has a threshhold level for how much it will actually use so taking a ton of them is pointless because your body will ONLY use what it actually needs and excrete the rest, so by taking extra you are litterally flushing your money down the tubes!

[shannonwooten]

So fish oils helps with energy levels and ability to concentrate? I have been very lazy lately, no motivation to start anything, and just sort of need the extra boost. Do you think fish oil can help? 2-3 mg a day? Also what does flaxseed oil do and can I take it with the fish oil?

Thanks!

[shannonwooten]

Scratch that! I did some research and I believe I am going to start taking fish oil tomorrow!! I am excited to see if its going to work for me! Can I take fish oil with a multivitamin? Thanks!

[Xiphoid77]

Fish oil & flaxseed both contain the Omega oils that are good for ADD/ADHD but it's 2-3 grams you need per day, not mg.
Multivitamin is always good...

[margypops]

Since my last post my friends got   the Focus Fast, and they are already giving their child Fish oil, am not certain if they are giving the right amount so its 2-3 grams per day would this be for a 12 year old?she already takes the Multiple Vit B Complex and VitC .. .Xipoid  do these all interact  well together for a child and with  the Focus Fast?

[Xiphoid77]

The 2-3 grams is what my psychiatrist told me to take. I'm an adult but most research on ADHD is on children so I'm sure the amount is fine for a 12yr old. If she doesn't tolerate fishoils she may get loose stools as a side effect.
There is no problem taking fish oils with either vitB or C but I don't know Focus Fast.
What's in it? And in what amounts?

[margypops]

It was good sucess  on one of the above posts who said Focus Fast, I will ask my friend what is in it,