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.