What we know as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is not a neurological disorder per se, but rather a constellation of symptoms that point to underlying imbalances in the body and brain. Chronic neurological disorders are often related to problems in the gastrointestinal tract. In fact, there are a growing number of studies supporting the link between leaky gut syndrome (the inability of the gut to absorb nutrients) and childhood ADHD, even if the kids don’t have any GI symptoms!

Our gastrointestinal system is much more complex and unusual than we think. It is the only system other than the skin that comes into direct contact with the environment through the food we eat. It is also the only body system that has its own nervous system, also known as the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system is so sophisticated that scientists often call it the “second brain” of the body. It contains the same number of neurons as the spinal cord and produces 95% of the body’s serotonin, the neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy. In addition to housing the body’s second nervous system, the gastrointestinal system also supports 60% of our nervous system through a thriving ecosystem of gut flora. There are literally hundreds of different types of healthy bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract, responsible for proper digestion and our overall good health.

Not all the bacteria in our GI tract are good; bad bacteria species can also be found. A healthy gut generally keeps its population to manageable numbers, but if bacterial overgrowth occurs, the bad bacteria end up consuming nutrients and producing toxins. This causes the lining of the intestine to swell, preventing it from fulfilling its filtering and absorption function. Instead of keeping toxins out and absorbing important vitamins and minerals, it does the exact opposite: toxins are absorbed and vitamins are kept out. This is what happens when a person has Leaky Gut Syndrome. If you remember, a deficiency of key vitamins and minerals and the presence of toxins in the body are two of the main triggers for ADHD. These are likely caused by a leaky gut.

There are many symptoms that point to leaky gut syndrome, and many of them are experienced by children with ADHD. Symptoms include abdominal pain, gluten intolerance, poor memory, chronic fatigue, food intolerance, and anxiety.

Because more than half of children with ADHD also have gastrointestinal problems, treatment of leaky gut should be an important part of any ADHD treatment protocol. Repairing a leaky gut requires a specific procedure that can only be performed by a health professional trained in functional medicine, a naturopath, or a holistic chiropractor. The procedure consists of four steps:

1) Delete. The child’s diet is stripped of all foods that can overload the gastrointestinal tract. This includes artificial food additives, gluten, wheat, caffeine, and other food intolerances. Harmful bacteria are also neutralized with herbs.

2) Replace. The child receives digestive enzymes to facilitate the digestion of food.

3) Reinoculate. Healthy bacteria are added back (reinoculated) through probiotics and prebiotics, to restore balance to the ecosystem of the GI tract.

4) Repair. The intestinal lining is repaired so that it can resume its function as a filtration system.