ADHD’s Adderall Prescription Drug – Does More Damage Then Good

Did you know that frequently taking adderall can damage your brain and could lead to memory loss. Check out the article we found over at AltHealthWorks.

Adderall, the most popular drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been used by many of the 6.4 million American children currently diagnosed with ADHD but also misused by 20-30% of all students who are trying to gain better concentration for taking tests in college. It can be extremely addictive, and has a row of side effects including nervousness, dry mouth, poor circulation, numbness in fingers, difficulty breathing, stomach pains, loss of appetite, and heart problems. In rare cases Adderall can lead to mental illness and psychosis. And there also has been growing evidence that Adderall and similar ADHD medications may lead to damage to areas of the brain, especially if it is a developing brain of a child.

How does Adderall work?

Adderall increases dopamine and norepinephrine – the neurotransmitters that help control the brain’s pleasure center and parts of the brain that are responsible for decision making and attention span. Some medical professionals believe that those who have lower levels of both of these neurotransmitters have ADHD.

People who do not have ADHD and take Adderall experience feeling more alert and a boost of confidence, but it does not actually affect how smart a person is. Often those who take Adderall before a college test do not perform better but they think they do, said Dr. Anjan Chatterjee, M.D., a professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania.

When abused Adderall can be as dangerous as street drugs, said Nora Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Maryland.

Low Levels of These Vitamins and Minerals Can Lead to Problems Concentrating

Lendon Smith, M.D. was a pediatrician and an advocate of vitamin use for children. In a 2001 interview with Dr. Joseph Mercola he explained that after studying the issue of ADHD and working with children who had ADHD symptoms, he found that many were low in calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and essential fatty acids.

Omega-3 and Omega 6: A 2009 study found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was able to control ADHD symptoms in elementary school children. Longer duration of treatment produced better results. Another study from the same year concluded that taking omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for 6 months significantly helped reduce ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents.

Zinc: A 2011 study showed potential for ADHD symptom reduction when giving a daily dose of 30 mg of zinc to children for at least 8 weeks. They quoted that a similar mid-eastern trial that reported more significant benefits from 13-40 mg of zinc as the sulfate – the reason for the difference can be in genetics or different rate of zinc deficiency.

Other Nutritional Changes

Avoiding Food Additives: Health Media reported that scientists have been studying a potential link between ADHD symptoms and food additives, especially food coloring often used in candy, cereal, ice cream, pudding, and soft drinks. While there are not enough studies on most additives individually, studies that looked at groups of additives together did see a connection between them and hyperactivity.

The dyes that may especially exacerbate ADHD symptoms are: Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red No.3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6. The biggest food preservative to avoid is sodium benzoate.

A Purdue University study concluded that just one serving of food containing dyes a day may harm children’s behavior. And since there is 17.6 mg of dyes in Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, 33.3 mg in Skittles candies, and 52.3 mg in Kool-Aid Burst Cherry, our children may be consuming as much as 100 mg or more of dyes every day.

Lifestyle Changes Play a Big Role

Neuropsychiatrist Sydney Walker, author of the book “The Hyperactivity Hoax” writes that attention disorders are “symptoms of modern life, rather than symptoms of modern disease.” Because most of us lead a fast-paced technology-driven lifestyle, we are not used to being able to slow down, sit down and concentrate.

Choosing a career and lifestyle that brings you joy, passion and the ability to live in the moment can make all the difference for many people.

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Read full article: Adderall Side Effects Include Memory Loss and Brain Damage – Try These Natural Adderall Alternatives Instead