OPCs For The Treatment Of ADHD: A Functional Medicine Approach
A Conventional Perspective on ADHD
An estimated 6.4 million children between the ages of 4 and 17 have received an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their life, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017). This represents a 41% increase in only the last ten years. An continuing pattern of hyperactivity-impulsivity and/or inattention that impairs a person’s ability to function and develop is what defines ADHD. Over the years, medical and psychiatric professionals have published thousands of study articles on the condition and diagnosis of ADHD, but their suggestions for therapy have not altered much.
The prevalence of ADHD in today’s world has led to a wide-spread awareness among professionals and the general public, as well as a plethora of treatment approaches ranging from behavioral to pharmaceutical. Meanwhile, a concurrent surge in research is producing new scientific data that appears to challenge every long-held belief that has guided these treatments. Research from all around the world has impressively come together to refute the long-held notion that ADHD is a “kids’ disorder.” Although ADHD usually shows symptoms prior to puberty, recent studies have shown that the illness is chronic, with prevalence rates in adults almost equal to those in children.
Genetic and Biological causes of ADHD
The study that is still being done to determine the genetic and biological causes of ADHD is probably the most exciting. Researchers have found numerous biochemical alterations linked to the behavioral and cognitive problems associated with ADHD, even though parents are mostly concerned with the behavioral symptoms of the disorder and symptom management techniques. The amount of unambiguous empirical evidence supporting the diagnosis of ADHD as a neurologic, brain-based disorder marked by multiple biological abnormalities is increasing. As a result, the atypical behavior that is observed in people with ADHD is only the tip of a very large iceberg, the base of which can reach a person’s genetic code and biochemical composition. The length of this page does not allow for a thorough list of all the neurobiological alterations linked to ADHD, but a sample list would be as follows: Neuroimaging studies have found unusual patterns of brain activation in individuals with ADHD, particularly within those networks involved in reward; several studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology have revealed abnormalities within the motivational circuitry of individuals with ADHD (Seymour, Reinblatt, Benson, & Carnell, 2015).
Children with ADHD had abnormal functional connections in comparison to children without ADHD, according to a study that looked at the quantity and quality of electrochemical signaling (communication) between different brain regions (Costa Dias et al.,). Research has indicated that a hereditary component contributes to the vulnerability to ADHD; a recent study examining the prevalence of ADHD in family members produced a heritability estimate of 76% in the general population (Faraone et al.). Numerous nutritional and metabolic disorders, including heavy metal toxicity, fatty acid imbalances, deficiencies of magnesium, iron, and zinc, and carbohydrate intolerance, have been linked to the symptoms of ADHD in our clinic.
Side Effects of ADHD Medication
The growing body of knowledge regarding the pathophysiology and neurobiology of ADHD has consequently compelled us to reconsider our strategies for treating the disorder. ADHD is no longer classified as a behavioral disorder. It is now understood that certain brain regions, brain networks, biochemical processes, and even systemic metabolic processes are altered and dysfunctional in people with ADHD. Such a complicated illness calls for an equally multifaceted approach to treatment. Regretfully, nevertheless, the predominant ADHD treatment paradigms in use today are mainly one-dimensional.
First-line treatment for ADHD has traditionally been the administration of stimulant medications; medications like methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine are frequently recommended to children as young as 4 years old in order to reduce impulsivity, restlessness, and agitation. Stimulants for ADHD patients can improve social and academic functioning as well as grades, self-esteem, and interpersonal connections by balancing dopamine levels in the brain.
Pharmaceutical treatment for ADHD
Pharmaceutical treatment for ADHD addresses its symptoms, but it doesn’t address its underlying causes. Some people find that treating an ADHD child’s “problem behaviors” alone is adequate; however, there are a variety of stimulant drugs available, including behavior therapy, parent education, psychotherapy, pharmaceuticals, and neurofeedback. Techniques like neurofeedback focus on the imbalances and anomalies in cognition that cause negative symptoms of ADHD.
OPCs as a Functional Medicine Intervention for ADHD
Going back to the 1500s, we now know that the Quebecois actually provided a natural substance to Cartier’s men, which has been shown to have important neurophysiological qualities that alleviate symptoms of ADHD. These substances are referred to as oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) and, although it may be too soon to declare them a miracle treatment, a growing body of empirical research indicates that OPCs are a natural, safe, and effective treatment option for improving cognitive function in ADHD patients. OPCs, which have been shown by contemporary research to successfully address many of the underlying biologic causes of ADHD, offer a ray of hope for parents, caregivers, and ADHD patients.
Research has shown that OPCs positively impact brain networks, neuron-to-neuron communication, biochemical alterations, and metabolic processes—all of which have been linked to a number of the symptoms associated with ADHD. Although the precise mechanism by which OPCs enhance cognitive function in ADHD patients is unknown, the research that is currently available supports OPCs as a safe, therapeutic, naturally occurring adjunct treatment that can enhance cognitive function and lessen the symptoms of hyperactivity and difficulty focusing that are typical of ADHD. Their long history of usage as medicine is evidence of their effectiveness and safety, and more recent studies have confirmed these qualities.
The etiology and neurology of ADHD are being better understood, and this is compelling us to reconsider how we manage the condition. OPCs are now accessible for mental health professionals to recommend to their ADHD patients as a potential augmentation technique for alleviating their symptoms, thanks to Jacques Cartier and Jacques Masquelier.
