Vitamin–mineral treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial
What this study found
Broad-spectrum micronutrient treatment showed preliminary benefit for adult ADHD symptoms over 8 weeks and was generally well tolerated. CAARS DSM-IV ADHD symptoms improved in the micronutrient group on self-report (79.4 to 67.3, p=0.009) and observer report (69.5 to 61.4, p=0.026), and clinician-rated CGI-I-ADHD also favored treatment (2.8 to 2.83, p=0.020). Overall impression improved and functioning improved on GAF (58.7 to 64.5, p=0.045), while MADRS was not significant (17.2 to 11.5, p=0.078) and LIFE-RIFT was not significant (10.5 to 11.6, p=0.292). There were no group differences in…
- Study & population
- Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults with ADHD in Canterbury, New Zealand.
- Intervention
- EMPowerplus, a broad-spectrum micronutrient formula containing vitamins and minerals, was taken orally at 15 capsules per day in three doses of 5 capsules with food and water for 8 weeks.
- Key limitation
- The active arm was small (n=42) and treatment lasted only 8 weeks, which limits precision and long-term interpretation.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Background The role of nutrition in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is gaining international attention; however, treatments have generally focused only on diet restriction or supplementing with one nutrient at a time. Aims To investigate the efficacy and safety of a broad-based micronutrient formula consisting mainly of vitamins and minerals, without omega fatty acids, in the treatment of ADHD in adults. Method This double-blind randomised controlled trial assigned 80 adults with ADHD in a 1:1 ratio to either micronutrients (n = 42) or placebo (n = 38) for 8 weeks (trial registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12609000308291). Results Intent-to-treat analyses showed significant between-group differences favouring active treatment on self- and observer- but not clinician-ADHD rating scales. However, clinicians rated those receiving micronutrients as more improved than those on placebo both globally and on ADHD symptoms. Post hoc analyses showed that for those with moderate/severe depression at baseline, there was a greater change in mood favouring active treatment over placebo. There were no group differences in adverse events. Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence of efficacy for micronutrients in the treatment of ADHD symptoms in adults, with a reassuring safety profile.