ADHD

21/01/2025

Sound Familiar?

Imagine a train running happily along on its track, and then out of nowhere, another train comes along and knocks it off the tracks. That’s exactly what happens with your train of thought when ADHD is left untreated.

The Problem of Untreated ADHD

  • Impulsive behaviours can cause children to act or say things without thinking which can strain relationships among peers.
  • Inability to concentrate at school and work for extended periods of time can impact performance.
  • Difficulty getting organised enough to be productive can increase stress and leave you not knowing what to do next.

Common Comorbidities of Untreated ADHD

Genes associated with ADHD

Getting a DNA test performed can provide valuable insight into not only why a person has ADHD, but also what can be done to treat it. For example, people with a mutation in their MEIS1 and/or BTBD9 genes may have increased risk of ADHD, restless leg syndrome (RLS) (Trusted Source [1]), and sleep disturbances. While genes can play a part, they are not enough to explain the dramatic increase in ADHD diagnosis that we are seeing today. This means that other factors are also at play.

There has been a dramatic increase in ADHD in Australia. In 2018, 186,000 people were taking medication for ADHD, and by 2022, that had risen to 414,000. An increase of 2.2 times in only 4 years.

(Trusted Source [2])

Poor Nutrition

If the diet is low in certain nutrients, or too high in other nutrients, then this can mean our brains cannot make all of the molecules in the correct amounts, such as dopamine, the neurotransmitter of reward and motivation. Dopamine helps us to focus on goals so that we can achieve them by prompting us as if to say “Keep going! Something good is going to happen!”.

Low levels of dopamine can mean that that motivation to focus on one thing for an extended period of time is much more difficult, and takes more energy, leaving you drained and exhausted at the end of the day.

 

In order for our brains to function optimally, we need:

  • Sufficient dopamine
  • Energy levels, and 
  • Good sleep quality
 

Without sufficient nutrients, our brains simply can’t make enough dopamine, which is important for focus, memory, and learning.

Imagine trying to build a brick wall with cement and water, but without enough bricks!

 

Sleep

Sleep is critical to clear out waste that is generated during the day. If sleep is too short, this waste may not be fully cleared.

Also, if sleep is excessive, it can highlight other problems, such as low energy levels or excessive inflammation.

If ADHD is associated with poor sleep, then treating this can be helpful. If you don’t get a good night’s sleep, then you are going to be running on cortisol for the next 24 hours. Your stress levels will increase, you will be in fight or flight mode, and brain energy levels can become depleted.

  • Your blood sugar will rise 
  • You will be constantly peeing – to flush out all the additional waste 
  • This increases your risk of being dehydrated all day, which can leave you with a constant sense of thirst.
Figure 1. Waste can only be cleared efficiently from the brain with regular high quality sleep [3].

How a Clinical Nutritionist can Help

In order to operate at its optimum, the brain needs sufficient levels of numerous vitamins, minerals, hormones, and healthy gut bacteria, as well as regular good sleep. As a clinical nutritionist, I can help by analysing your diet and lifestyle, and provide simple changes based on your preferences – with you in the driver’s seat. You get an understanding of the factors that are unique to you, as well as science-backed evidence-based diet, lifestyle  and supplement recommendations.

Book today, or make a free discovery call if you have any questions.

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References