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Behavior & Mood Are Related to Nutritional Status
When the body doesn't have all the nutrients it needs, or alternatively, when it's choked with toxins, it literally "acts out" in response. Children are particularly susceptible to imbalances because they are growing and changing more rapidly. A number of nutrient deficiencies have been linked to hyperactivity disorder, including magnesium, zinc, and essential fats found in fish oils. Likewise, toxic mineral accumulation, especially of the heavy metals, has been shown to play a causal role in anti-social behavior.
Lead is a potent toxin very commonly associated with a host of neurobehavioral problems in children, including hyperactivity, attention deficit, and other learning disorders. A leading expert on the effects of lead toxicity in children, Dr. H.L. Needlemen of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, has conducted scores of studies over the last 20 years clearly establishing the link between lead levels in children and specific hyperactive and attention deficit behavior traits. Follow-up studies indicate that these effects often persist into adulthood.
Lead toxicity can affect children of all backgrounds, because sources of exposure include not only lead-based paint, but contaminated soil, dust, food, and water — and may begin with prenatal exposure in the womb. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, an estimated 1 out of every 6 children in the United States has blood lead levels in the toxic range. What's more, researchers have discovered that the amount of lead necessary to produce central nervous system effects is far lower than previously realized.
Several other element imbalances are also strongly implicated in hyperactive behavior. A pilot study on metal levels in the hair of hyperactive children, for example, found raised levels of manganese and reduced levels of zinc in comparison with controls. Another finding was lowered zinc and vitamin B-6 in conjunction with high lead and copper. And because deficiencies of calcium, selenium, zinc, and iron are thought to increase uptake of heavy metal toxins such as lead, aluminum, cadmium, and mercury, key nutrient imbalances can increase the likelihood of toxic reactions that trigger hyperactivity.
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References:
- Needleman HL. The current status of childhood low-level lead toxicity. Neurotoxicology 1993;14(2-3):161-6.
- Needleman HL. The neurobehavioral consequences of low lead exposure in childhood. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol 1982;4:6,729-32.
- Bellinger D, Hu H, Titlebaum L, Needleman HL. Attentional correlates of denin and bone lead levels in adolescents. Arch Environ Health 1994;49(2):98-105.
- Needleman HL, Gunnoe C, Leviton A, Reed R, Peresie H, Maher C, Barrett P. Deficits in psychologic and classroom performance of children with elevated dentine lead levels. New Eng J Med 1979:300(130):689-695).
- Needleman HL, Schell A, Bellinger D, Leviton A, Allred EN. The long-term effects of exposure to low doses of lead in childhood. An 11-year follow-up report. N Eng J Med 1990;322(2):83-8.
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Facts for Families: Lead Exposure, 1997.
- Needleman HL. Childhood lead poisoning. Curr Opin Neurol 1994;7(2):187-90.
- Barlow PJ. A pilot study on the metal levels in the hair of hyperactive children. Med Hypotheses 1983;11(3):309-18.
- Pfieffer CC, Braverman ER. Zinc, the brain and behavior. Biol Psychiat 1982;17(4):513-32.
- Needleman HL. The persistent threat of lead: medical and sociological issues. Curr Probl Pediatr 1988;18(12):697-744.
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