Other Factors Related to Brain Dysfunction in Children
Zinc: In a report published in 1990, L. Eugene Arnold, Robert L Bornstein and Nicholas A. Votolato, Department of Psychiatry, Ohio State University and colleagues from two other medical schools published an article entitled: "DOES HAIR ZINC PREDICT AMPHETAMINE IMPROVEMENT OF ADD/HYPERACTIVITY?" Here's an excerpt from the introduction of their paper:
"In 18 boys with ADHD (ages 6-12) ... patient baseline urinary zinc was significantly (P<.02)Lower than 7 normal controls. These findings are compatible with the possibility that some ADHD children may be mildly deficient in zinc and constitute poor stimulant responders."
Zinc: In a 1996 report, "Zinc Deficiency and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder." Dr. Paz Torrin and colleagues (Tel Aviv Community Mental Health Center, 9 Hatzvi St. Tel Aviv 67197 Israel) and Nathan Lar, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut, described their research study on 43 children age 6-16 with ADHD. Here are excerpts from their report:
"Zinc is essential co-factor for over 100 enzymes ... required in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fatty acids, proteins and nuclic acids ... Zinc deficiency was also been found to cause a hyperactive syndrome in rats.... The control group consisted of 28 normal volunteers, age 6 - 16 recruited while on routine evaluation by their pediatrician ... Serum zinc levels of the ADHD group were significantly lower than zinc levels of the control group."
Fatty acids: In another study, Arnold, Votolato and three colleagues published their observations in an article entitled, "Potential Link Between Dietary Intake of Fatty Acids and Behavior". Here's an excerpt from the abstract of the article:
"Delta-6-desaturase deficiency has been hypothesized to be one cause of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To explore this possibility, we examined the correlation of serum lipids and behavior in a double-blind crossover comparison of GLA, d-amphetamine, and placebo in 16 boys (Ages 6 - 12) with ADHD."
"Looking at the fatty-acid components of serum triglycerides across treatment conditions, we found that higher scores for behavioral problems correlated with lower levels of GLA (for behavioral ratings, p<0.015) but not with its precursor linoleic acid. This is compatible with a metabolic bottleneck at delta-6-desaturase being related to some ADHD symptoms."
"These preliminary findings are consistent with the possibility that fatty acid intake or metabolism may influence behavior, at least in children with ADHD, and could conceivably modulate the effects of psychopharmacological treatment."
More about fatty acids: Laura J. Stevens, et al, in an article entitled "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Boys with Behavior and Learning Problems" stated:
"A greater number of behavior problems assessed by the Conners Rating Scale, temper tantrums and sleep problems were reported in subjects with lower total Omega-3 fatty acid concentrations."
Fatty Acids and zinc: In a study published in the Journal of Psychological Psychiatry (Vol 37 No. 2 pp115-117, 1996) Mehmet Bekaroglu and colleagues, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, screened 19,092 first school students in Trabzon, turkey. Eight-eight children were diagnosed as ADHD, according to DSM-111-R Criteria. Here's an excerpt of the abstract of their study:
"The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between serum free fatty acid (FFA) and zinc and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). forty-eight children with ADHD (33 boys, 15 girls) were included in the patient group and 45 healthy volunteer children (30 boys, 15 girls) constituted the control group... A statistically significantly correlation was found between zinc and FFA levels in the ADHD group. These findings indicate that zinc deficiency many play a role in aetiopathogenesis of ADHD."
Eating patterns of American children: In an article published in the September 1997 issue of Pediatrics, Katherine A. Munoz, Ph.D. MPH., Susan M. Krebs-Smith, Ph.D., MPH, Rd, Rachel Ballard-Barbash, MD, MPH, and Linda E. Cleveland, MS, RD, described a research study designed to determine the proportion of youth meeting national recommendations for food group intake and to identify food intake patterns. Here are excerpts form the abstract of their study:
"Mean numbers of servings per day were below minimal recommendations for all food groups except the dairy group (ages 2 - 11). Percentages of youth meeting recommendations ranged from 30% for fruit, grain, meat and dairy to 36% for vegetables. Sixteen percent of youth did not meet any recommendations and 1% met all recommendations ... Conclusion: Children and teens in the United States follow eating patterns that do not meet national recommendations. Nutrition education and intervention are needed among U.S. children."
Food allergies/sensitivities and children's health: for the past 25 years, Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., Director for the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest has focused his attention on the relationship of diet to human health. he has described a number of his observations in CSPI's Nutrition Action Healthletter as well as on a number of national TV programs. Here is a brief excerpt from a recent book, What Are We FEEDING OUR KIDS? by Dr. Jacobson and Bruce Maxwell.
"Every year several children die from allergic reaction to food ingredients ... In addition to those severe allergic reactions certain foods or additives may cause milder allergic or sensitivity (nonimmune) reactions. Typical symptoms include nasal congestion, headache, hyperactivity, attention deficits, gas and stomach upsets or other symptoms."
Sugar and hyperactivity: In my own practice and in my five year study published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities in 1980, I found that can, corn and beet sugar often caused nervous symptoms in my patients. Yet, my observations have been severely criticized by researchers who say "You have no proof." Others say "If children get better when sugar is taken out of their diet, they do so because the mothers expect them to improve."
I was delighted when Dr. Jacobson provided some support fro my observations in a letter to the editor published in the New York Times, February 24, 1994, entitled "Sugar is to Blame for Little Monsters."
"The sugar industry must be pleased that a new study is being pointed out a as proof that sugar does not cause hyperactivity in children .... Several previous studies, as well as numerous reports from pediatricians and allergists, found that sugar indeed causes some children to become more active or engage in inappropriate behavior. The effects of sugar could well be exacerbated by the effects of dyes or other food ingredients commonly found in sugary foods."
"The message to parents is not affected by the new study: If you think your child is sensitive to sugary foods, remove them from your child's diet for a week. If you see improved behavior, restore foods one by one until you find one or more that trigger reactions." [emphasis added]
Magnesium: In 1997, two Polish physicians, Barbara Strabobrat-Hermelin and Tadeusz Kozielec from the Department of Family Medicine, Pomeranian Medical Academy, Szcezecin, Poland, described a research study on children with ADHD. Here are excerpts from their article:
"The aim of our work was to assess the influence of magnesium supplementation on hyperactivity in patients with ADHD. The examination comprised 50 hyperactive children, 7 - 12 years, who fulfilled DSM IV criteria for ADHD syndrome... In a period of six months, those examined regularly took magnesium preparations in a dose of about 200 mg/day. The control group consisted of 25 children treated in a standard way without magnesium preparations.
"...The necessity of magnesium supplementation in hyperactive children was ascertained by Bernard Rimland ..... The results of our work indicated a need for magnesium supplementation in children with ADHD. Magnesium supplementation in conjunction with traditional treatment extends therapeutic treatment in hyperactive children." [emphasis added]
Toxic Substances in the Air, Food, Soil and Water.