| |  | | ADD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Karen
Posted on: January 30, 1999
I’m interested in getting some information about a natural treatment used for ADD.It’s called ATTENTION! Metabolic Response Modifiers. I’d like to be able to look up each herb and mineral listed on the ingredients chart, and was wondering if you could assist me. The main ingredients are docosahexaenoic acid 250 mg, phosphatidylserine 20 mg, bitartrate 100 mg, L-Tyrosine, 20 mg, etc. It also includes iron, chromium, grape seed extract, magnesium, B-12, folic acid, and many others. We would like to take our son off Ritalin, but need to find a natural alternative. Are there side effects to the above, and is it safe to give to 10 year old children?
He also has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Are there any natural treatments you would recommend other than St. John’s Wort?
We can’t comment on formulas such as the above. We specialize in herbs, and recommend diet changes supported with herbs for ADD. Please see previous answers regarding ADD on our website at http://www.richters.com. Go to the "Q&A" area, choose "Search Richters Q and A" and enter the word "attention" for the search.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is usually classified as an anxiety disorder. Melvyn Werbach, M.D. in "Nutritional Influences on Illness" (Third Line Press, Tarzana, California, (800) 916-0076 or (818) 996-0076) lists studies that show anxiety disorders may be associated with the intake of sugar, caffeine and alcohol, dietary deficiencies and food sensitivities. Soft drinks and sugar products are to be avoided. Some of the dietary deficiencies that have been found in studies of anxiety patients are: vitamin B complex, niacin, pyridoxine, thiamine, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Blood tests can show whether your son has any of these deficiencies. A naturopathic doctor may recommend a supplement that will help to bring him into balance while food allergies and diet are sorted out, and counseling if feelings of guilt or shame are involved in the cause of this disorder.
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