What does fact checked mean?
At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- “Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Review”; The Effects of Massage Therapy & Exercise Therapy on Children/Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; B. Maddigan, et al.; March 2003
- “Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Review”; The Effects of Massage Therapy & Exercise Therapy on Children/Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; B. Maddigan, et al.; March 2003
- “Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews”; Old and New Controversies in the Alternative Treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; N. Rojas, et al.; February 2005
- “Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews”; Old and New Controversies in the Alternative Treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; N. Rojas, et al.; February 2005
- “Journal of Attention Disorders”; Mindfulness Meditation Training in Adults and Adolescents with ADHD: A Feasibility Study; L. Zylowska, et al.; May 2008
- “Journal of Attention Disorders”; Mindfulness Meditation Training in Adults and Adolescents with ADHD: A Feasibility Study; L. Zylowska, et al.; May 2008
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
Ayurvedic Treatment for ADHD
Ayurveda is a system of traditional Indian therapies that includes herbal and nutritional supplementation, meditation and massage for the treatment of physical and psychological disorders. Although prescription medications are often effective, persons suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, could benefit form Ayurvedic medicine to improve behavioral and cognitive functions.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Meditation
The effects of meditation to improve attention, reduce stress and improve mood in adults and adolescents with ADHD was explored in the May 2008 issue of the “Journal of Attention Disorders.” The researchers enrolled 24 adults and eight adolescents in an 8-week meditation program and noted performance on tasks measuring attention and cognitive inhibition 3. The participants reported high satisfaction with the program, and improvements in anxiety and depression were observed. The study concluded that meditation may improve behavioral and cognitive dysfunctions in adults and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD 3.
Dietary Modification
ADHD Exercises & the Dore Method
Learn More
A review article published in the February 2005 issue of “Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews” investigated the effects of complementary and alternative medicine including Ayurvedic therapies in the treatment of ADHD 2. The authors reviewed medical databases and found evidence to support the use of yoga, massage and homeopathy in the treatment of ADHD. The study suggests the elimination of artificial food additives, colors and preservatives from the diets of those diagnosed with the condition. However, the authors concluded that more stringently designed studies are needed to fully evaluate the effectiveness of alternative therapies for ADHD.
- A review article published in the February 2005 issue of “Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews” investigated the effects of complementary and alternative medicine including Ayurvedic therapies in the treatment of ADHD 2.
- The authors reviewed medical databases and found evidence to support the use of yoga, massage and homeopathy in the treatment of ADHD.
Massage and Exercise Therapy
Medications and behavior modification can manage the symptoms of ADHD, but they do not cure the disorder, according to the March 2003 issue of the “Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Review.” In this article, researchers explored the effectiveness of massage and exercise therapy on reducing symptoms and medication doses in ADHD school-age patients 1. Researchers maintained prescribed medications during the trial and assigned the participants into one of three groups: massage therapy, exercise therapy or a control. The treatment consisted of six 20-minute sessions given weekly for six weeks; progress was measured through parental questionnaires and clinical assessments. The results indicated that massage and exercise therapies were equally successful and were significantly more effective for behavioral modification than medication alone.
- Medications and behavior modification can manage the symptoms of ADHD, but they do not cure the disorder, according to the March 2003 issue of the “Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Review.” The results indicated that massage and exercise therapies were equally successful and were significantly more effective for behavioral modification than medication alone.
Herbal and Nutritional Supplements
Pycnogenol for ADHD
Learn More
A review article in the August 2011 issue of “Complementary Therapies in Medicine” investigated the effects of herbal and nutritional supplements for the treatment of ADHD. The authors searched several medical databases and located 16 studies that met their criteria. The studies revealed that foods rich in zinc and iron were effective for the treatment of the disorder, whereas opinions on foods containing omega-3 fatty acids and L-acetyl carnitine were inconclusive. Other studies found that the Ayurvedic herbs Pinus marinus, Bacopa monniera and Piper methysticum were also effective treatments due to their sedative effects.
- A review article in the August 2011 issue of “Complementary Therapies in Medicine” investigated the effects of herbal and nutritional supplements for the treatment of ADHD.
- Other studies found that the Ayurvedic herbs Pinus marinus, Bacopa monniera and Piper methysticum were also effective treatments due to their sedative effects.
Related Articles
References
- “Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Review”; The Effects of Massage Therapy & Exercise Therapy on Children/Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; B. Maddigan, et al.; March 2003
- “Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews”; Old and New Controversies in the Alternative Treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; N. Rojas, et al.; February 2005
- “Journal of Attention Disorders”; Mindfulness Meditation Training in Adults and Adolescents with ADHD: A Feasibility Study; L. Zylowska, et al.; May 2008
- Adler, L, Spencer, T. et al. Best practices in adult ADHD: Epidemiology, impairments, and differential diagnosis. CNS Spectr . 2008;13(S12):18-18. doi:10.1017/S1092852900003151
- Bruchmüller K, Margraf J, Schneider S. Is ADHD diagnosed in accord with diagnostic criteria? Overdiagnosis and influence of client gender on diagnosis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 80(1):128-138. doi:10.1037/a0026582
- Skogli EW, Teicher MH, Andersen PN, Hovik KT, Øie M. ADHD in girls and boys – gender differences in co-existing symptoms and executive function measures. BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13(1). doi:10.1186/1471-244X-13-298
- Fresson M, Meulemans T, Dardenne B, Geurten M. Overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys: Stereotype impact on neuropsychological assessment. Applied Neuropsychology: Child. 2019;8(3):231-245. doi:10.1080/21622965.2018.1430576
- Rucklidge JJ. Gender differences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2010;33(2):357-373. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2010.01.006.
- Visser SN, Danielson ML, Bitsko RH, et al. Trends in the parent-report of health care provider-diagnosed and medicated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: United States, 2003-2011. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014;53(1):34-46.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2013.09.001
- Russell AE, Ford T, Russell G. Socioeconomic associations with ADHD: Findings from a mediation analysis. PLoS ONE. 10(6):e0128248. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0128248
- Paris J, Bhat V, Thombs B. Is adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder being overdiagnosed?. Can J Psychiatry. 2015;60(7):324-8. doi:10.1177/070674371506000705
- Coates J, Taylor JA, Sayal K. Parenting interventions for ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2015;19(10):831-843. doi:10.1177/1087054714535952
- Hansson Halleröd SL, Anckarsäter H, Råstam M, Hansson Scherman M. Experienced consequences of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult – a qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry. 2015;15(1). doi:10.1186/s12888-015-0410-4
- Holbrook JR, Cuffe SP, Cai B, et al. Persistence of parent-reported ADHD symptoms from childhood through adolescence in a community sample. J Atten Disord. 2016;20(1):11-20. doi:10.1177/1087054714539997
- Miller DJ, Derefinko KJ, Lynam DR, Milich R, Fillmore MT. Impulsivity and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder: Subtype classification using the UPPS impulsive behavior scale. J Psychopathol Behav Assess. 2010;32(3):323-332. doi:10.1007/s10862-009-9155-z
- Faraone SV, Biederman J, Mick E. The age-dependent decline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis of follow-up studies. Psychol Med. 2006;36(2):159-165. doi:10.1017/S003329170500471X
- Turgay A, Goodman DW, Asherson P, et al. Lifespan persistence of ADHD. J Clin Psychiatry. 2012;73(02):192-201. doi:10.4088/JCP.10m06628
- Torrente F, Lischinsky A, Torralva T, López P, Roca M, Manes F. Not always hyperactive?: Elevated apathy scores in adolescents and adults with ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2011;15(7):545-556. doi:10.1177/1087054709359887
- Konrad K, Eickhoff SB. Is the ADHD brain wired differently? A review on structural and functional connectivity in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Hum Brain Mapp. 2010;31(6):904-916. doi:10.1002/hbm.21058
- Young S, Sedgwick O. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and substance misuse: an evaluation of causal hypotheses and treatment considerations. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 2015;15(9):1005-1014. doi:10.1586/14737175.2015.1059756
- American Psychiatric Association, DSM-5 Task Force. Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders, DSM-5. Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA, US: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
- Asherson P, Akehurst R, Kooij JJS, et al. Under diagnosis of adult ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2012;16(5_suppl):20S-38S. doi:10.1177/1087054714535952
- Bihlar Muld B, Jokinen J, Bölte S, Hirvikoski T. Long-term outcomes of pharmacologically treated versus non-treated adults with ADHD and substance use disorder: A naturalistic study. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2015;51:82-90. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2014.11.005
- Brodersen J, Schwartz LM, Heneghan C, O’Sullivan JW, Aronson JK, Woloshin S. Overdiagnosis: What it is and what it isn’t. BMJ EBM. 2018;23(1):1-3. doi:10.1136/ebmed-2017-110886
- Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. National Outcome Measure 17.4: Percent of Children, Ages 3 through 17, Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD.; 2019). childhealthdata.org
- Coker TR, Elliott MN, Toomey SL, et al. Racial and ethnic disparities in ADHD diagnosis and treatment. PEDIATRICS. 2016;138(3):e20160407-e20160407. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-0407
- Derks EM, Hudziak JJ, Boomsma DI. Why more boys than girls with ADHD receive treatment: A study of dutch twins. Twin Res Hum Genet. 2007;10(5):765-770. doi:10.1375/twin.10.5.765
- Fayyad J, Sampson NA, Hwang I, et al. The descriptive epidemiology of DSM-IV Adult ADHD in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. ADHD Atten Def Hyp Disord. 2017;9(1):47-65. doi:10.1007/s12402-016-0208-3
- Lui JHL, Johnston C, Lee CM, Lee-Flynn SC. Parental ADHD symptoms and self-reports of positive parenting. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 81(6):988-998. doi:10.1037/a0033490
- MANOS MJ, GIULIANO K, GEYER E. ADHD: Overdiagnosed and overtreated, or misdiagnosed and mistreated? Cleve Clin J Med. 2017;84(11):873-880. doi:10.3949/ccjm.84a.15051
- Sciutto MJ, Eisenberg M. Evaluating the evidence for and against the overdiagnosis of ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2007;11(2):106-113. doi:10.1177/1087054707300094
- Wilens TE, Morrison NR. The intersection of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and substance abuse. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2011;24(4):280-285. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e328345c956
Writer Bio
Sam Lupica began scientific writing in 2007, specializing in physiology, toxicology and reproductive biology. He teaches chemistry and biology, and has published several journal articles in "Aquaculture Research" as well as informational articles in online publications. Lupica is finishing a Ph.D. in medical science and has a Master of Science in physiology and pharmacology from the University of Toledo College of Medicine.