ADHD & Iron Deficiency

by Diane Lofshult

Scientists have identified a possible link between attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and insufficient iron stores in children. According to a report published in the December 2004 issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, kids with ADHD who are given iron supplements may have a decreased need for medication.

The researchers came to this conclusion after testing the blood iron levels of 53 children diagnosed with ADHD and 27 control subjects, all of whom were between the ages of 4 and 14. Iron levels were found to be abnormal in 84% of the ADHD children but in only 18% of the controls.

“These results suggest that low iron stores contribute to ADHD, and that ADHD children may benefit from iron supplementation,” the researchers concluded.