Question About Sugar and ADD/ADHD

Have you considered maybe diabetes? The only reason I bring this up is his "unquenchable" taste for sugar. Maybe question his doctor?

Sounds like he has CANDIDA/Sistemic Yeast!!! Once you treat it the craving for sugar will go away!!! Love, G.. :0)
P.S. very common in the spectrum!!!

No relation to ADHD. They've done studies and found sugar consumption doesn't not cause ADHD (it's a brain disorder) and sugar cravings aren't an indicator of ADHD. It certainly doesn't make things better and can make kids hyper, but no relation to the medical condition.

I do think it's worth talking to the pediatrician, though, because it may have to do with blood sugar levels or something else entirely. A severe craving to me suggests he's trying to make up for something not quite feeling right in his system.

Good luck!

here's a website for you should check out. sounds very interesting to me. :)

www.feingold.org

hope that helps.

I have 4 children, the oldest is 17. My son has had issues with anxiety, ADHD/ADD, and a bunch of other things, but as I have been studying natural health for many years, I have opted for a natural approach in conjunction with counseling here and there for him, but have never had him formally diagnosed or on any medication.

Check out www.bodyecology.com = there is a documented connection between many behavior disorders and the health and balance in the intestinal tract - a strong sugar craving is the usual symptom that things are completely off balance. Yes, you must get him off sugar (and white flour products) - but then you must replace them with the nutrients that he needs - This website will tell you a ton of information about eating correctly to alleviate anxiety, ADD/ADHD, autism spectrum, and many other problems in children and also adults that are related to the same thing.

I have used this system (and also others) for helping my son - in my view, medicating him only covers symptoms, and I was determined to get to the root of the problem - this is what I knew was best for my son. He is now very aware of his body, his moods, how he is feeling, how others are feeling, how what he eats affects him, and how his emotional triggers affect him and how he relates to others - and from this, he can make responsible choices that will help him now and carry through to the rest of his life. I didn't see him learning all this if all I did was give him the medication so that he would be temporarily easier for ME (or his teachers) to deal with. I wanted root cause, and I wanted him to have more responsibility for himself.

As you can see, I feel rather strongly about this, but everyone must do what they feel is right for their child-! Everyone's situation is different, and I completely agree that it is the parent's stewardship and not anyone else's.

...just my $.02 :)

As an addendum: This son was the only one of my children that I allowed to be vaccinated as an infant (the regular schedule of several vaccines every 2 or 3 months until they are 15 mos.) - I simply didn't know any better. After learning what I know now, my other children did not get vaccinated until they were 5 and going to school, and I did the vaccines one at a time - (not all at once) -and none of them has had any of the issues my son has had. Just my experience. You would have to assess your own risk in this issue.

Hi J.!

I'm sorry that I don't really have any advice for you, just that I'm sorry.

I'm sure alot of people would wonder why you would even have any treats in the house like that, knowing what situation you have. But, I think if I were in your shoes, I would have them in my house as rewards for my son, if that's what would work.

How to control the "sneaking" of all these treats is your answer I think. I mean...you can't lock him in his room, but if you could somehow "lock" the Ice Cream and stuff, you may begin to re-gain control of when you want him to have those things.

Thankfully, having healthy, normal over active boys, I couldn't even imagine trying to handle this new found Disorder. My only response is...you will figure it out. It may take awhile, but you WILL find your solutions and routines.

Thankfully you have Mamasource to help you on your bad days. We will all be here for you!

:o) N.

This transcript of a lecture given in San Francisco on June 17 2000 has been very helpful to my husband and I. Look up SchwabLearning.org. The heading is Dr. Russell Barkley on AD/HD. It will give you much to think about and definitely help you educate any teachers and schools you will have to deal with.
Good luck.
JillR

I have a friend whose daughter had ADHD...she linked it to foods w/ preservatives, anything manufactured. So she fed her daughter only natural foods mostly from Trader Joe's and her daughter was better....if she was invited to a bdy party and ate a cupcake her symptoms would come on again...try feeding your child foods from the outer isles of the grocery store...if it didn't come directly from the earth don't feed it to your child...see if there's a difference. Also, try calming music....there is a music CD for dogs that plays classical music...the dogs seem to lay down and nap when it's played...they say it works for humans also, might help the anxiety, good luck!

Too much sugar can very well lead to several issues including ADD/ADHD, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity, fatigue, anxiety, Candida (thrush), poor immunity, etc... I agree with your "easy solution". It's the best option. Get the sugar out of the house overall. It's bad for everyone in the family anyways. I lost 20 lbs just by cutting most of the sugar out of my diet (I don't even exercise). We still eat candy, ice cream, etc... on occasion, but it's not a regular part of our diets and it's mostly very small portions for special occasions. We as adults feel much better, let alone a kid's little body which is less able to properly digest and dispose of it. Too much sugar interferes with the immune system's ability to do it's job. One candy bar to you is not the same as one candy bar to a kid. It needs to be proportionate. He shouldn't even have too much fruit juice (about 1/2 a glass a day), which really is concentrated sugar. Most sugar foods are not just filled with too much sugar, but most all of the other ingredients are horrible too, so it's really bad to eat them regularly. Don't have dessert every day. Make it a special treat. Another thing to consider is making any sugar stuff in your house inaccessible to the kids. They shouldn't be able to get their hands on it. Are you giving him strict enough consequences when he sneaks it? If the reward of eating it is greater than the consequence, then he won't stop the behavior. Hope this is helpful.

Hi J...

Oh my...did you just describe my 13 yr old??? lol...anyways..We have had to do with out suger in our home. No candy, popsicles, nothing that contains "suger" - it is expecially hard on him during "Halloween" time. When my child was younger I did the ADD/ADHD Diet. It worked for a time, but having other children in the house and trying to cook for separate people was a pain, and i couldnt keep up. Now that he is 13 he knows what he can have and what he cant have in regards to drinks. I still look on the ingrediants to make sure that the Preservitive red dye #5 is not in there. If it is, I pass it up. For some reason that additive makes kids with ADD/ADHD really wild. I would suggest you go to your local library and look into the ADD/ADHD diet book. It was really informative.

Good Luck

Jenny

I was thinking Prader-Willy as well. Worth checking out...one of my son's once had a classmate with this condition.

Hi J.,

I am a single mom of two kids who borderline add/adhd, and I am the one with anxiety. My biggest assistance in not giving my kids things that will rile them up is not to give them ANYTHING with artifical food colors of any type. Its surprising how much food out there has this. Its a hard thing to do, but it is possible. I keep granola bars, and fruit in the house for them to eat and they love it.

Good luck

I worked as a teacher with ADD/ADHD and strongly believe there is a connection between diet and the disorder. It is a predisposition that can be tempered through a healthy diet. These kids should not be rewarded with food, sweets, etc. It is not rewarding to feel drugged and out of control. It's like being diabetic, it affects all aspects of your life. If you could take most of the refined flour products, sugar and dairy out of his diet that would be wonderful for him. Diary has very advese affects on many people. Some people cannot process the lactose correctly and it acts like a hallucinaginic once it goes to the brain. You could try an isolation diet to pinpoint the trigger foods. One of my daughters loves sweets but is very chemically sensitive so I limit her intake of sugar and dairy. I also make sure to keep protien in every meal as it seems to help her feel satisfied and even.
Sugar is an addictive chemical for all of us and processed sugar is especially bad, you might want to read up on how it is refined and what is in it. We are all addicted to sugar. Its in almost everything prepackaged or sold in a restuarant. That's why we love our snacks and dining out. It is also why we are loathe to get rid of it for ourselves even though we know it would be the best choice for our families. Half the grocery stores is designated to sell you processed sugary/refined foods. Remember white bread hits the blood faster than table sugar.
If you havent already, try to buy whole grain products and brown rice. It's a tough switch (for everybody), but you children will thank you for it when they are grown. It's needs to be taught and made a permanent lifestyle choice. Your son may go for this kicking and screaming but be consistent and know that it is for his best interest. You will feel better and calmer too (on a sugar free/ whole foods diet) and will be better able to help him through. Like any addict it will take time for his cravings to subside because it is an emotional as well as physical issue. You may want to restrict his away playdates as well as you cannot control what happens in other people's homes.

One last thing, there are also articles out there about wheat gluten and dairy causing broad spectrum autism symptoms. Good luck. You're in for a long hard road.
God Bless.

J. -
I am a compulsive overeater. I remember eating an entire stick of butter when I was 4. I'm now 46. I've had a lifelong obsession with food and have binged many times on anything from sugar (straight out of the bag) to cabbage {not recommended! ;-)}

I have been in Overeaters Anonymous for 21 years. It would be very worthwhile to check out OA for its comprehensive method of coping with the emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental difficulties presented by food addiction.

My guess is that he was eating at night because he woke up, couldn't get back to sleep, and used the sugar to soothe himself.Note: I'm not a therapist or nutritionist but I've studied this issue seriously for a couple of decades. If you want to help your son - DO get sugar and white flour out of your house; make it a very limited, occasional treat (perhaps consider using agave syrup as a sweetener, it causes a lower blood-sugar spike). It will take an adjustment on everyone's part but you'll all feel better in the long run. If one consumes a lot of sugar (and a lot is hidden in processed foods like ketchup) there may be physical withdrawal symptoms - anxiety, restlessness, headaches, lethargy, overwhelming emotions. Something best left for spring break or summer vacation, rather than during the school year! But you can get ice cream out of your freezer, sweets out of your cupboard, and lock up stuff like sugar, honey, syrups, etc. I mean PADLOCK it - don't just put it on a high shelf - I used to climb up all the time to get stuff when no one was around. For real events like birthdays, go out and split a dessert rather than hosting a large party at home, and be careful not to use food as a reward for accomplishments. If you like to bake or cook with your son, teach him to make healthy foods - Rather than decorating cupcakes, put creative energy toward tactile things like clay, leather work, Legos, painting, weaving, gardening, crafts, etc.

I was recently prescribed with Wellbutrin for anxiety and depression. To my amazement, my food cravings and obsession are gone for the first time in my life. I have very peculiar reactions to some drugs, (i.e. tylenol doesn't work on me, I'm resistant to Novocaine and highly allergic to Vicodin). So this side effect of Wellbutrin may not work for everyone, and these medications can be very dangerous for children. But meds are NOT a magic bullet; I've read a LOT and taken classes around these disorders, and one must do more than pop a pill. Anyone with anxiety, depression, or ADD really must have a systematic approach to staying relaxed, focused, and happily functional. This includes stuff like exercise, meditation, journaling, expressing feelings assertively, and building love, joy, accomplishment, and fun into every day. The best way your family can support your son is to take the journey with him.

For dealing with ADD, I also warmly recommend www.flylady.net
Her routines and warm support are absolutely wonderful!

An additional very positive approach to building better health is Suzanne Fong's "Sweet Life" program:
Sleep
Water
Exercise
Eating
Tranquility

Look for her web site online.

The family therapists who devised the "Love Logic" system have really helped me with disciplining my own daughter, who can be a relentless nag when it comes to just about anything - including sugar! I've seen real improvement since I started using their approach. Look for occasional PBS shows featuring them.

You are right - trust your instincts - your son is headed for real health trouble if you don't develop a real system to help him. Fortunately he's young and you have tremendous power to set him on the right course.

And as with all advice, "Take what you like, and leave the rest".
Best regards
A. in Alameda

Its a proven fact that most of the time sugar does cause adhd. I know with both of my children I had to take them completely off sugar just because it made them hyper! It will be hard at first but worth it in the end! You have to remove all the sugar from your house and just give him a little fruit for dessert. I had to learn to cook with natural sugars like honey. My son is 12 now and I allow him ONE sugar a day, and now it doesnt bother him. Another reason I had to take him off of sugar was because it triggered asthma!
S.

Many children in the autism spectrum (ADHD also) have yeast problems. Yeast or candida, feeds on sugar and carbohydrates, this is why they crave them so much. He needs to stay away from any form of sugar. Check out the gut problems that children with autism have at: www.tacanow.org
and you will also find info about candida growth.
Blessngs

Dear J.,

It does sound like he has a sugar addiction. First I would definitely remove all sugar and sweets from the home. Second, I would see about a natural pill called acidopholus. You can purchase it at any health food store (I got mine at Trader Joe's.). The job of this pill is to rid your body of yeast. The excess sugar in his body can cause a yeast build up and cause an addiction to sugar. I read this on naturalcures.com. I recommend you check out this site or others for more information.

Good luck.

J.

WARNING!!! He could be trying to self medicate!!!

I am a 31 year adult who has lived with add/adhd. I could always eat sugar with a spoon and drink espresso like soda. YES sugar cravings and add/adhd are related but it is the disorder that causes the craving. If his body mass and blood pressure are ok don't worry but educate him about the health risks of over consumption.

Reason we crave it :). One side effect of add/adhd is called Hyper-focusing. Think about when he plays video games or watches TV... I bet he is totally focused to the point that you could sneak up on him. The sugar makes it easier to enter this mode and the sensation is like turning on the lights after sitting in a dark room.

There are two types of people with add/adhd. Those who are taught there is some thing wrong with them and made to feel like a defective person and those who lean coping mechanisms. If it is learned and embraced we can become extremely successful.

You are right- the important thing is to get the sugar out of the house. I know it's a pain, but it may be way easier in the end than what you're going through now. You may also want to check out the Feingold Diet- it can be a big help for children with ADHD and/or ASD. The main thing, believe it or not, is getting artificial colors out of the diet, and even some natural foods that mimic the chemicals found in artificial colors.

My son has some issues and we are just getting started on this road ourselves. I'm going to be honest- we haven't done the Feingold Diet yet but we aren't ruling it out. Some of these treatments and diets sound like crazy fringe stuff to me too but it couldn't hurt to try it. I've read that some children have immediate, drastic turn arounds with this diet.

I want you to know that I am not some crazy hippie that wants you to live on a diet of flax seeds and mung beans! You can do the Feingold Diet with foods that your family is used to and it may be just the ticket. Good luck!

Check out Prader-Willy syndrome - an eating disorder with some autism symptoms. It seems the brain doesn't tell the body when it's satisfied.

Hi,
My name is J. and I don't know who sent me this website....but I have raised 3 sons two with ADD and ADHD. The one that had ADD did have the cravings of sugar and everything sweet....he must have got that from me...I love candy and have it stashed around the house......my sons are 19 and 21 and don't have the symptoms much though my 19 year old says he needs something to concentrate.....but back to your son.....I have found out that a good HIGH protein breakfast calms the urges of needed energy through the day.....this has helped me lose weight just by eating a good breakfast.......start with something as simple as that and see if it helps him thru and towards the end of the day.....I would take my boys to Jack in Box and get them cheeseburgers for breakfast......also they would take the drugs for ADD and there appetite would not be there for lunch so I made sure they had a awesome lunch packed and they would use there lunch for snack if they did not get a chance to eat all of it.
He might be trying to keep his energy level up and it is high for kids and is trying to get his fix......I like the natural way.......I took my kids off the medicine and tried whole foods......also it looks like he needs to snack so try to get ahead of him and have some grapes, oranges, fruit salad so he can grab that instead of reaching for a quick fix...

One thing you can do is go to the "diabetic" section at the drug store. There is a ton of sugar free candy and other treats. That might help him because it won't feel like all of his "yummy" stuff is being taken away. There are also sugar free ice creams and frozen yogurt. You might have less of a fight that way. Also, there is a cookbook called "deceptively delicious" in which there are recipes for all kinds of foods that have good stuff snuck into them. There are cakes, cookies, and brownies that have vegetable purees in the recipes that go undetected.

I am totally on board with what Michelle J had to say. Nothing causes ADHD. It is just about how the brain is "wired." I worked as an educator for 9 years mainstreaming special needs kids, including ADHD and I am ADHD along with my 10yo son. There is no scientific link between sugar and real behaviou, sugar may spike the bloodsream and cause that sugar rush, but it drops very quickly and then the kids can be down, jittery, etc. We've all seen that. I think where the idea of the link with sugar and ADHD comes is that when these kids get that crash, and they get jittery, they really feel it. Maybe moreso than others. I know I do. I am just awful with sugar, and I do feel like I crave it. My son, wills ay that he craves it, but he will forget about it, like at Halloween and never ask about the candy he got trick or treating. I never allowed my son to have any refined sugars until he was over two and then very sporadically until he was 5. After that I lost control. But now, he does crave it, and it is difficult if it is in front of him. I use other treats for him and don't have sugar in the house.

I also understand that eating can be triggered by emotions and one person discussed the seratonin link. You mentioned that your son has an anxiety disorder, maybe the eating is triggered by that. Have you checked into other ways to promote seratonin levels and ways to reduce the anxiety in addition to what you are doing presently? Have you tried some alternative things, like hypnotherapy and herbal remedies. Of course you have to be really careful and work with a professional, but I have had great luck with both of those in my life.

Best of luck with your situation, I understand the difficult position you are in and my prayers are with you
tamik

Hi J.!

There is help and yes, trust your instincts and God--there is a strong link between sugar and ADHD. It can cause it. Do some research on the internet. Many say it doesn't (I wonder about that) but sugar definitely will make ADHD worse no matter how it started. A book I use that talks about sugar and the foods you eat that can cause cancer, diseases, behavioral problems and other effects on the body is What You Don't Know May Be Killing You by Don Colbert, MD. It does not go in extreme detail of how sugar causes ADHD but it does tell you what sugar does to the body (pg 111). The book also tells you what many other things do to the body and how to avoid it and what to do to help your body. It is very helpful.

I would definitely begin with your own first thoughts of getting the sugar out of the house. Look on your labels. Another name for sugar is high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, corn syrup solids-(everyone check the percentage of this in our formula) dextrose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, palm sugar, brown sugar, and glucose. It takes about 3 to 4 days for the cravings for sugar to get out of your system once you stop eating the sugar. There is a withdrawal craving too. Sugar is very addictive. Once you start you don't want to stop. I have a hard time with it if I ever slip up and eat any.

What helps sugar cravings are: B-complex vitamins with biotin, glutamic acid (L-glutamine),and chromium picolinate 400 (can take up to 3 days to get in system to work). Eat fruit instead when you crave sugar or a little protein. Eat smaller frequent meals to keep blood sugar level even, eat a little more protein, add bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves to your foods (white potatoes, bread, and corn have a higher sugar content in them).

Hope this beginning is helpful. Look at this page: http://www.naturalnews.com/022692.html

This url tells of other affects sugar has on the body.

After the removal of the sugar and a few days (maybe a week) you should see an improvement in your son. If not, go to a natural health care professional/nutritionist. I'm not against doctors, I just don't know which ones are ready to look at the foods you eat and which ones want to just medicate you. As to how to keep him from getting sugar outside your home I would suggest telling anyone who takes care of him or a playdate's moms that he can't have sugar and tell them the other names of sugars too or at least the type of foods that have sugar in them.

Keep searching J..

Blessings,

K.

There's a wonderful book called "Little Sugar Addicts" by Kathleen DesMaisons. It literally saved one of my kid's lives as she was very depressed due to her sugar addiction. I have another kid with ADD, and his symptoms definitely improve when we're watching his overall diet (sugar addiction is not just about sugar). There's also a great online support group associated with the book. As a matter of fact, just before I read my MamaSource list this morning, I read my daily digest from the RadiantParents group. To find out more about all of this you can go to www.RadiantRecovery.com. (This all started for adults, but there's tons of great stuff for kids). One of the first steps in controlling the sugar addiction is making sure your child eats breakfast within an hour of waking, and making sure the breakfast includes plenty of protein and browns (whole grains). FYI, Little Sugar Addicts is available at many libraries. I HIGHLY recommend it! As far as the autism goes, I don't know, but you'd be amazed at how much of an effect sugar has on a kid's system. The author, Kathleen DesMaisons, frequently responds to posts on the parents group, so you might want to post a query there to see if anybody has experience. Good luck!

Hello,
There have been links between AD(H)D and low serotonin levels. Sugar can chemically increase the levels of serotonin in the human body. Check out this link and read starting from #1 to understand this a little more. I hope this helps.
If I were you, I'd try to find several ways to enhance your son's levels of serotonin naturally through games, excercise, etc. Check into it; you'd rather your son become hooked on healthy ways to get a buzz than from alternate sources like sugar.
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/serotonin_connect...

Sugar is the worst thing to give anyone who has ADHD and anxiety.
I have both and my nephew now 13 has ADHD. When they finally put him on Riddlin, he made a world of difference at school. When he has all that sugar in him, he will get bursts of energy and then plummet into no energy/depression. There are lots of things for kids to eat instead. It is a transition process. First you have to look at the parents role modeling in eating habits. Remove all the sugar products from your home. Replace them with fresh fruit and make vanilla flavored yogurt dip. There are tofuti cuties at trader joes, I had to get them when my daughter had a loactose intoilerence and she did not know the difference. They are ice cream sandwiches but small and made with soy ice cream instead of regular. Before they put him on all kinds of meds, please try home , natural methods first. There is also a new cook book out from a mom who hides veggies in recipes of all kinds. It is really cool. There is so much information no days but it starts with you and what you keep in the house.

Good luck, our childrens childhoods set them up for the rest of their life, they are precious.
C.

I agree that you should get him checked out to see if there is a metabolic disorder or something else going on. The sugar may not cause the ADHD, but it certainly doesn't help. Such deep, intense cravings are kind of unusual for people of any age. His ADHD will make it more difficult for him to learn self-control/self-regulation/impulse control, so that may be why he has difficulty resisting his cravings, despite what you say.

Agreed with other responses. Sugar doesn't cause ADHD. I have 2 children with ADHD. Is your child medicated for ADHD or are you using other alternatives to help him. Let me try to explain what happens in the brain of ADHD child in relation to sugar. It's like me in the mornings...I MUST have my coffee first to get the motor going. ADHD children in fact can often feel exhausted. Therefore, their brains tell them that they need sugar to get them going. From there, it is like a roller-coaster. Best of luck to you!

I have read some of the responses since I first posted mine - The is NO MEDICAL EVIDENCE that sugar caused AD/HD!!! My oldest is ADHD and does not care for sweets at all! In fact he is more a protein addict! ADHD is cause by the way their brains are wired. - NOT CAUSED BY SUGAR!

J., my son is now 18 and he is definitely a sugar addict. Talk to your pediatrician. Some kids react to sugar as they would to drugs. I have actually had to hide candy, cookies, etc over the years to limit his intake. He would actually go on a "high" and then crash and burn - and the attitude was really bad then! Sugar intake also severely affected his school work and it is had to control what they eat while they are in school. You might want to mention this to his teacher as well. I would recommend buying sugar free snacks/desserts and see how he reacts to them. Just be careful of itmes that are high in fructose, they react the same way.

Hello J.:

I have a son with ADHD and I did have a hard time with sugar in his diet. I started by getting rid of all the sugary cereals (especially the ones with artificial coloring) and by switching from regular sugar to Splenda. It gives him just enough sweetness without the extra energy he doesn't really need. I let him have chocolate mix in his milk but only one teaspoon with one packet of splenda which gives it enough flavor without really all the extra carbs. I also buy him some gogurts which are good for him and yet a bit sweet but he can have those as treats. I let him have candy, and cookies only on special occassions and I try not to have any at home if possible. You can try vanilla frozen yogurt which has less calories than ice cream and is just as sweet to see if your son goes for it or just freeze the gogurts and have him eat those instead.

At first is very difficult and you will struggle with that but in the end, the kids get used to it and its not much of a problem. Just be consistent with whatever you try and you will see it pays off. Sometimes parents give in so kids can be still but it only makes matters worse.

I also want to add that some people out there mentioned a link between sugar cravings and diabetes. That is not necessarily true. People don't get diabetes from eating sweets. Diabetes is a cause of obesity and heredity and the best thing you can do is have a healthy diet, have plenty of exercise and make sure that your child stays at a healthy weight.

Good luck