ADHD: A Paradoxically Low Energy State

It Takes Energy to be Able to Sit Still, Concentrate and Learn

Before discussing what should be done for ADHD, some misconceptions need to be addressed. Since children with ADHD are often described as “hyper” and unable to “sit still” people (wrongly) assume that they have “too much energy”. This is not the case. It takes a tremendous amount of “energy” to be able to be calm, to pay attention, to process information and assimilate it, to learn and to simply “behave well”. This is also true of sleep, it actually takes quite a bit of energy for the body to be able to sleep well, and part of the reason why magnesium helps with insomnia is that magnesium helps to increase ATP by increasing energy production. Children (and adults) with ADHD are likely not creating enough energy and thus it is very difficult for them to be calm and focused.

You may be asking, “Then why are they so hyper if they have no energy?”. Well, in a low-energy state, or a hypometabolic state (hypothyroid) the body compensates by producing more of the adrenal hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. This gives the perception of energy, but it is actually the lack of energy that creates this hyperactive adrenaline state seen in ADHD. This lack of energy also makes it very difficult for adults with ADHD (who may or may not be “hyperactive”) to sit down and focus. It can be hard for them to pay attention, read, do work and so on.

As I explain in this article when your thyroid, liver and gonads are not functioning optimally your body makes up for this by increasing the activity of the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals. Having high adrenal and pituitary function can make someone “hyper” but this is not a state of high energy, the low energy state is what is causing the overactive adrenals. Improving the thyroid and liver will enable the body to “calm down” the excessive adrenal and “stress” hormone production. Therefore, being better at producing energy will enable you to become less hyper, which improves your productivity, concentration, and your ability to learn.

This low energy/low metabolic state also leads people to be very susceptible to hypoglycemia “low blood sugar”. This is common in many conditions, including ADHD. In the book “Hypothyroidism, the Unsuspected Illness” Dr. Broda Barnes explains how he successfully treated children with ADHD by discovering they were hypothyroid and then treated them accordingly. It seems odd that improving someone’s thyroid function would lead them to be less hyperactive, but again it’s important to remember that it takes energy to be relaxed.

There are many ways to test for hypothyroidism. High total cholesterol is a classic sign of hypothyroidism, as you need adequate thyroid hormones to convert cholesterol into steroid hormones. High TSH (above 2) is also a classic sign, but low TSH does not necessarily mean that the thyroid is working well. High reverse T3 (rT3) can lead to hypothyroidism, as reverse T3 blocks the effects of T3 (the active thyroid hormone).

There are many at-home tests you can do as well. Taking your pulse rate and temperature daily is a very useful way to check your metabolic rate. Your temperature should ideally be above 36.6 degrees Celsius, and lower than 37.2 degrees Celsius. Roughly this is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The resting pulse should be above 70, and below 90 per minute. Cold hands and feet, constipation and trouble falling and staying asleep can also be classic hypothyroidism symptoms. The Achilles tendon reflex test is also a good way to measure metabolism. Other than “Hypothyroidism, the Unsuspected Illness” by Broda Barnes, Ray Peat’s various articles and books are also very informative. Danny Roddy and Gerogi Dinkov are also great sources of information, check out Danny’s podcast “Generative Energy Podcast” on youtube and on podcast platforms for more info.

Part of how the stimulant drugs, like Adderall/amphetamines and Ritalin/Concerta work, is by increasing blood glucose levels. These stimulants are all drivers of the “sympathetic” nervous system and thus they force blood glucose up. Given ADHD is a condition that often involves low blood sugar, increasing the blood sugar with stimulants can help. Of course, this is not the ideal way to prevent hypoglycemia. Hypothyroidism often leads to hypoglycemia, so improving the metabolic rate is essential for improving hypoglycemia in the long term. How to improve the metabolism is out of the scope of this article, but some general recommendations are to eat a diet that is rich in nutrients needed for a well-functioning metabolism. Shellfish are a great source of many trace minerals (chromium, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine), organ meats and eggs are filled with vitamins (B vitamins, Vitamin A) and many minerals. Red meat, like lamb and beef, are good sources of many vitamins and minerals, such as zinc. Fruit and root vegetables are great sources of many nutrients, as are certain legumes like peas and lentils. I think beans (like black beans) and raw vegetables (raw kale, raw broccoli) are generally good to avoid given they often cause bloating and stomach discomfort, along with being goitrogenic (anti-thyroid).

Be that as it may, there are many “short-term” things you can do to avoid hypoglycemia. Many nutrients can help with this, most notably vitamin B5 (pantethine is one supplemental form), B6, biotin, taurine, manganese and magnesium. Oxaloacetate seems to be able to help with blood sugar regulation, and we make this endogenously by an enzyme (pyruvate carboxylase) which requires biotin and manganese. You can also supplement with oxaloacetate (the product is called benaGene). Eating something every 3-5 hours is advisable, having enough of all three macronutrients is important.

Other than improving thyroid function and avoiding hypoglycemia people with ADHD should try and improve their brain’s ability the utilize glucose well. I wrote an article on how to use glucose well, but ill recap some main points here. The main required nutrients for using glucose well are vitamin B1, magnesium, biotin, manganese, chromium and potassium. Vitamin B1 and magnesium, for example, should really help with people’s ability to concentrate and to learn, and they are both great for when someone wants to study hard or write an exam.

ADHD is also commonly thought of as a situation with low dopamine and GABA, and high glutamate. There is likely some truth to this, but that doesn’t mean that you need Adderall and other stimulants to function normally. For example, the drug amantadine has been shown to be useful for ADHD, this medication is pro-dopamine, and it lowers glutamate, while not being a “stimulant”. If I had ADHD (I don’t) and wanted to go on medication, I would ask my doctor to try amantadine, memantine or even clonidine instead of amphetamines. Having said that, in that scenario, I would probably try to use OTC things like vitamin B6 and magnesium instead of medication, if possible. If you want to learn more about glutamate and GABA balance check out this article.

• Amantadine for the treatment of childhood and adolescent psychiatric symptoms

Vitamin B6 + magnesium have been shown to be very beneficial for ADHD. Vitamin B6 is also able to increase dopamine and lower glutamate. Magnesium and zinc can also lower glutamate. Zinc lowers prolactin, and prolactin is a major dopamine-lowering hormone, so consuming enough zinc (shellfish, red meat) should also be useful. Taurine is also supposedly useful for ADHD, and part of the reason may be due to its balancing effects on glutamate and GABA. The amino acid agmatine also has the ability to balance glutamate and GABA and is likely beneficial for those with ADHD (and OCD).

Theanine, another amino acid, is also useful for ADHD and this is likely related to glutamate and GABA balance, as well as its histamine-lowering effects. High histamine is also thought to be involved in ADHD and natural antihistamines can help. Theanine, stinging nettle-leaf tea, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E can all be useful in lowering excessive histamine levels. Quercetin can also help with histamine issues, but some people react poorly to this supplement. Theanine plus caffeine/coffee has been shown to be useful for ADHD.

Other supplements that seem to have some benefits for ADHD are phosphatidylserine (around 300mg a day) and the herbs Gingko Biloba and Pycnogenol (Pine Bark Extract). People with ADHD also seem to have lower levels of vitamin D, so improving vitamin D levels will also likely be highly beneficial for ADHD. Speaking of vitamin D, consuming enough calcium is also important, especially for those with ADHD. Dairy is the best source of calcium, however typical dairy contains high levels of inflammatory A1 proteins. It’s best to opt for goat dairy (goat milk, cheese, yogurt etc), or “A2 cow” dairy products if you can.

It should also be noted that many people state that “sugar” worsens ADHD because they notice kids get worse when they eat candy. Remember, candy, cereal and many snacks are filled with many toxic ingredients such as food colourings, things like talc, titanium dioxide and many chemicals and other additives. I would be hesitant to blame sugar when it’s only one piece of what “candy” contains. Giving children lots of fruit and other carbohydrate-containing foods like potatoes will likely be very beneficial for their ADHD, not worsen it. I do think candy and coloured cereals should be avoided, but again this is because of their toxic additives, not the “sucrose”. In fact, many candies do not even contain sucrose but instead contain “high fructose corn syrup” which is not the same and is often highly contaminated with things like heavy metals. Lead toxicity is thought to be involved in ADHD. Avoid candy, not “carbohydrates/carbs” in general.

Having said that, it’s probably best to avoid gluten (wheat products etc) as the intestinal inflammation caused by gluten likely worsens ADHD. In general, anything that irritates the digestive tract will worsen ADHD, so avoid foods that cause intestinal inflammation (everyone is different, some people can’t handle tomatoes, others can, for example).

Summary list of things that can help with ADHD:

1. Vitamin B6 (P5P) + Magneisum

2. Other B vitamins, like vitamin B1, Biotin and B5

3. Amino acids like Taurine, Theanine (with coffee/caffeine), Agmatine

4. Vitamin D (and consuming enough calcium)

5. Phosphatidylserine, maybe phosphatidylcholine as well

6. Gingko Biloba and Pycnogenol

*I think supplemental pregnenolone, creatine and methylene blue may also be able to improve concentration in general. Improving thyroid function and consuming more vitamin A are good general ways to increase pregnenolone, but supplemental pregnenolone remains an option and is OTC*

*None of this is medical advice. I am not a medical professional, always talk to your doctor*

If you enjoyed this article, please consider checking out the other articles I’ve written. Also, please feel free to subscribe (it is free to do so) and share the articles with others. Thank you!

BTW: I am a frequent guest on the podcast “Stuff Your Doctor Should Know”.

Discount code DEAN works at:

1. Ona’s Naturals (progesterone oil, topical progesterone and pregnenolone creams)

2. LifeBlud (Magnesium products, Taurine, Theanine, B vitamins, Methylene Blue)

3. Health Natura (oral pregnenolone, Methylene Blue)

4. Saturee (skin care products, desiccated liver, aged Cascara Sagrada)