[NTD News, Beijing time, December 10, 2025]Marcus, a 9-year-old American boy, was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). His parents were unwilling to let him take medication for life and wanted to try other ways to help their children improve their brain health.
Over the next month, doctors adjusted Marcus’ diet. Marcus’s eating habits had been similar to those of most children: processed snacks, the occasional sugary drink, and brightly colored cereals. After adjustment, the intake of artificial colors and added sugars was reduced, the intake of protein and dietary fiber was increased, the overall diet quality was improved, and the intestinal health was promoted.
Within a few weeks, Marcus’ parents noticed a noticeable change in their child—fewer tantrums, more focused attention on homework, and a more stable overall mood. The doctor gradually reduced the dosage of stimulant drugs he was taking. Although the dosage was smaller, the effect was better than before and the side effects were significantly reduced.
This is one of the cases experienced by Los Angeles pediatrician Joel Warsh. Wash is a licensed pediatrician specializing in parenting, wellness and integrative medicine. He wrote an article in The Epoch Times that when children have problems such as inattention, impulsivity, and restlessness, parents often receive drug treatment. However, in clinical practice, it is found that some children can be significantly improved simply by adjusting their diet, improving intestinal function, and blood sugar control.
Why food affects concentration
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Dr. Wash points out that the impact of food extends far beyond physical health—it can also affect mood, attention, and even the way children’s brains process information.
blood sugar and neurotransmitters：
The brain runs on a steady supply of glucose, and rapid spikes and dips in blood sugar can trigger irritability, impulsivity, and poor concentration. These fluctuations also affect neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which are critical for concentration and mood regulation. If you eat refined carbohydrates or sugary drinks, your blood sugar will spike or plummet, and your brain will feel like it’s going up and down on a roller coaster, and you’ll be exhausted.
Nutrients：
Nutrition isn’t just fuel, it’s neurochemical messaging, and what your child eats directly affects how the brain regulates attention, mood, and impulse control. For example, zinc and magnesium act as cofactors in neurotransmitter metabolism pathways, affecting the production and regulation of dopamine and serotonin; iron helps dopaminergic activity and neural development, and iron deficiency may cause local brain volume reduction; vitamin B9 (folic acid) and vitamin B12 are essential for healthy nervous system development and function; omega-3 fatty acids help stabilize neuronal membranes and reduce nerve inflammation.
It affects everything from the production of neurotransmitters to immune signaling. Once this balance is disrupted, the brain is often affected. Dysbiosis in the gut flora promotes neuroinflammation and disrupts the regulation of key neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which in turn affects attention, mood, and behavior.
Complementary therapies other than medications
Dr. Wash said Marcus’s experience was not unique. Many children are sensitive to certain dietary or environmental factors, and when these factors are adjusted, their underlying regulatory abilities often improve, even enough to alter the course of treatment.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not caused by poor diet, he said. It is a complex, multifactorial disease with a strong genetic basis and multiple biological pathways. Factors such as food quality, gut health and nutritional status, which do not act alone, can amplify or attenuate symptoms. These factors can affect inflammation, neurotransmitter balance, and even how well the brain responds to medications or therapies.
Strategies parents can adopt
1. Reduce or eliminate artificial colors and additives: If a child’s behavior worsens after eating processed foods or synthetic colors (such as red No. 40 and yellow No. 5 or 6), parents can try to stop eating these ingredients for a few weeks and monitor the child’s behavior closely.
2. Stabilize blood sugar: Limit the intake of sugary drinks, sweets, and refined carbohydrates, which can cause severe fluctuations in blood sugar.
3. Optimize nutrition: A 2024 systematic review reported that there is good evidence that supplementing with iron, zinc, magnesium, or omega-3 fatty acids can slightly improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially if deficiencies in these nutrients have been diagnosed.
4. Promote gut health: Families can focus on adding prebiotic-rich foods like onions, garlic, oats, and bananas, which nourish good bacteria.
5. Exercise, sleep and stress regulation: Keeping the body active, maintaining adequate sleep and stress management are the behavioral cornerstones of ADHD treatment.
Original link: How Certain Foods May Fuel ADHD Symptoms, and 5 Ways to Help
(Compiled and reported by reporter Jin Jing/Editor: Lin Qing)
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