Improving attention and focus through vitamins can be possible, but it requires a personalized approach. An individual needs to get a blend of nutrients and dosing levels that are appropriate for their condition. There is a new breed of personalized vitamin companies that will perform online assessments and generate tailored recommendations. It is critical to do your homework and find a brand with reputable physicians involved and published articles and books in the vitamin area.
Distractions aside, we often hear about the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD). This term is used to describe both children and adults who have an impaired ability to stay on task. As with most diagnoses, it encompasses a spectrum of traits, which can manifest in different ways in different people. Not surprisingly, people’s response to different treatments also varies greatly from person to person. There is a huge range of treatment options; some are doctor-prescribed and others are vitamins and supplements. This is, of course, in addition to many behavioral techniques that can and should be tried. The diagnosis of ADD seems to come readily these days. Going into all its nuances is best left to psychiatrists and other experts in that field as are the various prescription medications. Suffice it to say, sometimes we believe medication is doled out too easily, and there are major downsides to many of the commonly used stimulants. Not only can they be addictive, but they can have dangerous side effects, particularly involving blood pressure and cardiac effects. Needless to say, they should only be used when absolutely necessary. Sometimes vitamins can help to minimize the dose of medication needed or avoid it all together.
Of all the supplements touted for attention, omega-3s (typically found as fish oil) are probably the most studied in this context. Data suggests that regular use of them can improve attention in both children and adults. EPA and DHA seem to play some role in brain development and are also found in prenatal supplements and baby formula for this reason. How much to take still seems up for debate, though standard dosing is generally about 1,000 mg daily of a combined EPA/DHA supplement.
Magnesium has also been suggested to be helpful for ADD. Groups of children studied showed less hyperactivity when given magnesium supplements. It seems that these findings might carry over to adults struggling to attend to various tasks but has yet been established. Magnesium’s important role in cellular function throughout the body may help with attention by improving the function of nerve cells. Some have suggested zinc can be useful to attention, however data is fairly inconclusive. In our opinion, heavy metals should not be taken in supplements regularly unless there is a compelling reason. We do not believe that the evidence supports taking zinc daily for attention.
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, St. John’s wort was all the rage for many conditions. It was suggested to play a useful role in attention, but this has not been borne out by scientific findings. In fact, many studies do not support its use for this purpose. We also advise extreme caution in using this herb since it has many potential interactions with other medications and side effects (including extreme reactions such as psychosis—or a dissociation with reality).
We would be remiss if we did not mention caffeine in a discussion of attention. It is known by everyone from high school-aged kids on up that caffeine helps with attention and concentration. The “energy” market is thriving and chock-full of products loaded with caffeine, promoted for their ability to enhance academic and/or athletic performance. There is some basis for this. Caffeine works. However, we believe strongly that caffeine should be obtained in moderate amounts from natural sources such as coffee or tea. The use of caffeine products and supplements can be both highly dangerous and ineffective (since high doses can often backfire and cause such a rush of energy that people experience anxiety and an inability to function). Overuse also interferes with sleep, which can really come back to bite you the next day. The aforementioned vitamins have been suggested as useful for attention. However, one of the most commonly used supplements for ADD is melatonin. It is not used for the attention issue itself but rather to combat the insomnia that often accompanies prescription medication for ADD (stimulants). The use of melatonin is fairly widespread in both children and adults and is generally considered safe and effective, though the wide range of dosing (typically between 1 and 15 mg nightly) sometimes requires trial and error to determine the ideal amount for each person.
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation around supplements, and this is what contributes to consumers engaging in pseudoscience. Find a reputable personalized vitamin brand that can help you tailor your routine. Ultimately, an improvement in your nutrition can result in better attention and focus, when combined with the appropriate lifestyle changes and medications. Always work with your physician to ensure that your personalized vitamin is right for your situation.
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