This episode with Dr. James M Greenblatt, MD is all about ADHD and how to treat underlying causes with functional medicine, nutrition, and supplementation.
Biohack Your Brainpower
Who Is Dr. James M Greenblatt, MD
A pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, James M. Greenblatt, MD, has treated patients
since 1988.
After receiving his medical degree and completing his psychiatry residency at
George Washington University, Dr. Greenblatt completed a fellowship in child and adolescent
psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School.
He currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer at
Walden Behavioral Care in Waltham, MA and serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of
Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dartmouth College Geisel School of
Medicine. Dr. Greenblatt has lectured internationally on the scientific evidence for nutritional
interventions in psychiatry and mental illness.
He is the author of seven books, including Finally Focused: The Breakthrough Natural Treatment Plan for ADHD.
He is the founder of Psychiatry Redefined, an educational platform dedicated to the transformation of psychiatry, which offers online CME-approved courses, webinars, and fellowships for professionals about functional and integrative medicine for mental illness.
Topics Discussed
- Functional medicine better for ADHD than traditional medicine
- ADHD name keeps changing
- Functional medicine looks for the underlying cause of ADHD
- ADHD is a genetic, biological disorder
- Functional Medicine looks for nutritional factors
- ADHD is a neurobiological disorder.. not a behavior problem. “My brain can’t pay attention disorder”
- ADHD is being labeled for most people who can’t pay attention even though there are other underlying issues
- ADHD is being driven by poor nutrition
- Finally Focused book
- Sugar correlated w. Hyperactivity
- Sugar robs b-vitamins
- Phosphorous lowers magnesium
- Trace minerals like lithium, copper zinc and magnesium can be seen in the hair
- Gut issues tied to ADHD
- C. Diff connected to ADHD
- Antibiotic use, esp under 6 tied to cognitive issues in later years
- More serotonin receptors in the gut than in the brain
- Candida in most children and adults with ADHD
- ADHD in adulthood comes with many consequences
- Adderall and ADHD
- Mg is the best supplement for ADHD.. lithium, zinc.. high copper seen in ADHD
- OPC’s – flavanols grape seed extract, pine bark, blueberries.. work well with vitamin C
- Lithium Orotate 1-2 mg titrate up to 5mg.. different from Lithium Rx.
- Mold can be an underlying factor in adults… not so much in kids
- COMT info (25 mins).. people with COMT respond better to Tyrosine
- High Copper have side effects to stimulants.. common with kids with aggression and behavior issues
- High copper found in toxic ranges in water in schools.
- Zinc deficiency causes copper toxicity
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.. also shown with high copper and low lithium
- Relationships are difficult for adults with ADHD
- Research shows Exercise and martial arts and mindfulness are helpful to ADHD
- Sleep is tied to magnesium and sleep deficiency makes ADHD worse
- HPA Cortisol ADHD
- Blood sugar levels dysregulated in ADHD
- Food intolerances IgG, IgE, exorphins in dairy and wheat Dpp4 enzyme deficiency (plays into zinc)
- ADHD kids don’t tolerate carbohydrates well
- Amino acids- Tyrosine/Phenylalanine w. B6 and zinc
