tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2102713423319258388.post6617635607521802931..comments2023-10-10T04:38:26.723-04:00Comments on <center> Primarily Inattentive ADD</center>: Iron and InattentionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2102713423319258388.post-18110455458724540582014-08-26T09:20:55.036-04:002014-08-26T09:20:55.036-04:00I haven't found doctors or dieticians much hel...I haven't found doctors or dieticians much help on supplement levels. There seems to be much ignorance even amongst medics. You can give serum ferritin tested privately - I did in the UK when our GP refused to give one to my Asperger's son. (It was below the range.) Worth doing. My son is vegetarian and milk drinking, so at obvious risk. He would also probably be diag. as ADHD inattentive in the States, and I suspect has low brain iron anyway (he has Restless Leg Syndrome, which autopsy studies show is linked strongly to low brain iron - that's iron in the fluid in the brain, not the level of iron in the blood, these are two different fluids). This could perhaps have been caused by immediate cord-clamping - he had a slightly premature birth and there was a crash team in the room, and I understand that in those circs immediate cord clamping is normal. Not that I could see from my end.<br />There is very little evidence on how to raise brain iron, or even if it is possible or desirable.<br /><br />Some things which inhibit absorption of iron supps - phytic acid, found in beans, grains and rice. So the iron supplements in branded cereals won't absorb well because of the milk in the bowl AND the grains in the cereal and the rice. <br />Polyphenols found in some vegetables, coffee, tea, wines and spices can reduce absorption of supplementary iron. So if you have your breakfast cereal with tea or coffee you're absorbing even less of the added iron in that cereal. <br />Soy reduces iron absorption.<br />Lead, obviously. <br />Heliobacteer pylori is assoc with iron def. anemia. <br />Celiac disease is assoc with low iron - no one knows yet whether gluten sensitivity will turn out to have the same effect but I'm betting it will.<br /><br /><br />Vitamin A def can make iron deficiency worth. So a cod liver oil pill might help with the iron. <br />Vitamin D def has been associated with low iron in some studies. <br /><br />Vit C helps, so eat meat with some fruit or fruit based sauce, or orange juice.<br /><br />So give the most easily absorbed iron supps (check on PubMed) with vitamin C and don.t give them at meal times. Don't imagine that because you are giving 100 per cent of the RDA for a child that it is all being absorbed. The body only absorbs 15 per cent of the iron which is digested. That's why you need to keep testing iron and ferritin levels if you see a problem. (And if you have a needle sensitive child, how hard is that?)<br /><br />And remember if your child has any kind of inflammation or infection the body will reduce its absorption of iron in order to fight off the invader - a chronic minor infection can lead to a relatively high serum ferritin level, which might give you false reasssurance that all is OK on the iron front when it isn't. You will have to track down and cure the inflammation or the infection (so tthat's easy!) before the body will start absorbing properly again.<br /><br />It is difficult. But it is maybe crucial.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2102713423319258388.post-87599562352993454252011-05-26T00:58:15.755-04:002011-05-26T00:58:15.755-04:00Iron is very important, but it's also importan...Iron is very important, but it's also important, as you pointed out, to make sure that you don't go overboard with iron supplements! It can cause serious liver issues. Any pharmacist, or hopefully your doctor, can make sure that you're buying the right supplement levels for you and your children.reneehttp://www.primarilyinattentiveadd.com/2011/05/adhd-inattentive-ebook-10-tips-to-help.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2102713423319258388.post-22001519686155168092011-05-25T03:08:09.365-04:002011-05-25T03:08:09.365-04:00Great post. Iron deficiency runs in my family, as ...Great post. Iron deficiency runs in my family, as does ADHD... plenty of food for thought here!Liamhttp://www.primarilyinattentiveadd.com/2011/05/adhd-inattentive-ebook-10-tips-to-help.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2102713423319258388.post-44032588878585318292011-05-24T19:35:09.913-04:002011-05-24T19:35:09.913-04:00Thanks for your comment. Yes that is, unfortunate...Thanks for your comment. Yes that is, unfortunately, one of the concerns with vegetarian diets.Tesshttp://primarilyinattentiveadd.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2102713423319258388.post-37588630421982230092011-05-24T16:18:07.462-04:002011-05-24T16:18:07.462-04:00I didn't realize that a vegetarian diet could ...I didn't realize that a vegetarian diet could impact iron levels. It seems like there are still many foods that vegetarians can eat, like beans, spinach, and tofu, that will still deliver the needed iron.Adult ADD Guidehttp://www.adultaddmedicationfree.com/noreply@blogger.com