Alternative Treatments – Supplements

This section focuses on alternative health treatments. Please note that I am not a medical expert, you should definitely consult a medical professional regarding how these may affect you. Refer to the main page on Alternative Treatments for bibliographical information.


Fish Oil Supplements (Omega-3 Fatty Acids)

Omega-3’s are an essential fat meaning that it must be acquired via diet, it cannot be produced by the body. It is primarily available in fish.

ADHD

  • Recommended By: Dr. Sandy Newmark, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Ed Hallowell.
  • Benefits:
    • Decreases hyperactivity, impulsivity.
    • Improves concentration.
  • Dosage

Depression

  • Recommended By: Dr. David Mischoulon.
  • Dosage:
    • 1,000 – 2,000 mg/day with at least 60% (600 – 1200 mg) being EPA (Dr. David Mischoulon).

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

  • May help with a broad spectrum of issues. Besides those covered below these include addictions (e.g. marijuana, cocaine), schizophrenia, bipolar, and alzheimers.
  • The mechanisms by which NAC operates are not well understood. It effects oxidative balance and helps modulate neurotransmitter pathways (including glutamate and dopamine).

OCD

Depression


Iron (Ferritin)

  • Iron is dangerous in too large quantities, important to check with and be monitored by a medical professional.

ADHD

  • Recommended By: Dr. Sandy Newmark.
  • Dosage:
    • Dr. Newmark notes that iron levels tend to be low in ADHD children. While a normal level might be 44 many ADHD children will be around 22 – still within normal range – but low comparatively. She suggests under 35 seeing about supplementation.

Zinc

  • Too much can be dangerous, check with and be monitored by a medical professional.

ADHD

  • Recommended By: Dr. Sandy Newmark, Dr. Ed Hallowell, ADDitude Editors.
  • Note: Evidence is not as strong as for Omega-3/Iron.
  • Benefits:
    • Regulates dopamine; may help with hyperactivity/impulsiveness.

OCD

  • Slight evidence that Zinc supplementation may improve OCD symptoms (Karci, Celik).

Magnesium

  • Involved in neurotransmitters.

ADHD

  • Recommended By: Dr. Sandy Newmark, ADDitude Editors.
  • Note: Evidence is not as strong as for Omega-3/Iron.
  • Benefits:
    • May help with relaxation, sleep.

S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAM-e)

Depression

  • Benefits:
    • Helps break down serotonin, melatonin, dopamine.
  • Recommended as a possibility to me by my psychiatrist (400 mg 2x day may have GI side-effects, 800 mg 2x therapeutic dose).3These where what he suggested to me. Please don’t utilize these without talking to your own doctor.

Vitamin C

  • Note: Be careful about supplement consumption near time of medication consumption, can cause medication not to be absorbed completely into the bloodstream.

ADHD

  • Recommended By: Dr. Ed Hallowell (in diet to support dopamine)

Glycine

  • Difficult to consume, uncertain efffects. Sarcosine (derivative) may have more promise.

Sarcosine

  • Derivative of Glycine.

Tryptophan

  • Could increase serotonin but has significant side effects and can induce serotonin syndrome when taken with an SSRI.

5-HTP

  • Similar to tryptophan, has similar side effects to tryptophan.

OCD


Myoinositol (MI)

  • High amounts are found in fruits, grains, nuts, and beans (Karci, Celik).
  • Not much research.

OCD

  • Not much research, some indication that may not be effective with an SSRI but helpful without (Karci, Celik).

Vitamin D

OCD

  • Some evidence that low levels may increase severity of OCD symptoms (Karci, Celik).

Vitamin B12

OCD

  • Some evidence that low levels may increase severity of OCD symptoms (Karci, Celik).

Folate

OCD

  • Mixed evidence that low levels may increase severity of OCD symptoms (Karci, Celik).

Selenium

OCD

Footnotes

Footnotes
1, 2, 3These where what he suggested to me. Please don’t utilize these without talking to your own doctor.