In spite of what some people are saying, if your child has it, ADHD is pretty real. There is such a thing. It is also true that it is over-diagnosed, and many kids are given these drugs to make them more convenient, not because there is anything wrong. What seems more likely, when symptoms of ADHD show up, is that toxins or nutritional deficiencies may be occurring, and may have occurred prenatally. These are not easily identified by parents, or doctors, or teachers.
That being said, real ADHD is two things: ADD and H.
Our observation has been that ADD is caused by a shortage of taurine in the brain. When taurine is present, it will go into the thalamus, (provided the thalamus has the right receptor sites,) and this will allow more focus capability.
ADD is not really lack of focus, it is too much focus, but the focus is so diffuse that all stimulus is received equally. The challenge is to screen out the irrelevant input, and select one specific thing to pay attention to. Without taurine connecting into the thalamus, this is nearly impossible to do. All visual and auditory stimulus is experienced as equally important, with no internal screening system for selecting a priority, so of course it looks as though the kid isn’t paying attention. Neurologically he can’t make that choice.
This is totally different from being bored and not paying attention. Those kids are just focusing on other things, and not interested in what they’re “supposed” to pay attention to. That might be observed superficially and interpreted as ADD, but it is not. They can focus perfectly well on things that interest them.
One of the drugs that is given to help with focus is Adderal. This appears to attach to taurine, (assuming that taurine is there,) and can introduce it to the thalamus, and at first the clarity of focus is remarkable. Over time it seems to become less and less effective.
To resolve ADD easily for kids whose focus problem is due to a shortage of taurine, we have been giving them vanadium. Taurine can’t go through the blood brain barrier, so for taurine to be available in the brain, it has to be synthesized in the brain. Taurine synthesis needs a combination of cysteine and vanadium. Usually cysteine is already available, but when there is ADD, usually vanadium is insufficient. Vanadium does get through the barrier, though, so once the kids take that trace mineral, they can synthesize taurine in their brain, and within a few days they can focus.
“H,” i.e. hyperactivity, often accompanies ADD but it is not related biochemically. We have found that hyperactivity is caused by a combination of excessive glutamate, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter, and a shortage of GABA, which is a down-regulator, the transmitter that modifies the transmission of acetylcholine. With high glutamate and not enough GABA, the muscles receive excessive signals from both glutamate and unregulated acetylcholine. These kids feel compelled to move and twitch and wiggle in order release their excessive muscular tension. For them, moving their muscles is imperative, it’s the only way they can relieve the stress.
Since the decarboxylation of glutamate changes it into GABA, when enough GABA is made, the glutamate is appropriately reduced. If that doesn’t happen, excessive glutamate accumulates, and GABA is greatly diminished. Together they create the restless jumpy uncomfortable muscle signals that cause continuous restless fidgeting. The muscles almost hurt when they can’t move to find relief. These impulses are overwhelming, and can’t be controlled by scolding these little kids, they really can’t help it, but often they are punished.
When the adults become too exasperated, they want the kids to be drugged. This calms down the adults, and it looks as though the child is better, but I don’t think the drug feels good to the kids. The down-regulating drugs do not give the kids more GABA or less glutamate, so the anxious restlessness continues. The visible movement is minimized, but now there is no way for them to release the tension.
An additional hazard for hyperactivity is the presence of MSG in the food. MSG supplies a form of glutamate that cannot create GABA, and so cannot be minimized. However, MSG can be detoxified easily with N-acetyl cysteine.
Remedies that we recommend: Organic food only. Water with no fluoride or chloramine, (use Reverse Osmosis water) no MSG, no colas, but yes, supportive interactive play, time to be heard, time to relax and reflect, and above all, give them a safe arena to trust and receive loving respect from parents and other people who take care of him.
To resolve this fairly easily, the way to decarboxylate glutamate and allow GABA to be made is to give the kids a trace mineral called germanium. Then the motor signals in the brain can function normally, and hyperactivity gives way to comfortable relaxed muscles, a blessing and a great stress reliever for all concerned.
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None of the statements in this commentary have been reviewed or approved by the FDA nor by any recognized scientific forum for evaluation, and none of the statements in this commentary are intended to diagnose, or offer treatment for any disease. If you have a health problem, see your doctor.