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Zinc for treating of children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, pages 122–124 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

This study systematically reviews the randomized clinical trials examining the effect of zinc on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), searching the PubMed/Medline and Scholar Google databases. All randomized controlled trials that examined zinc as the intervention, and ADHD as the primary outcome were included. Only three randomized controlled trials, one which included a community sample and two that included clinical samples, met inclusion criteria. The only trial that was well controlled and randomized according to the baseline zinc level showed that using zinc, either alone or in combination with stimulants, did not improve ADHD. Considering the lack of clear evidence for the effect of zinc on ADHD and the possible effect of zinc on the nervous system, more clinical studies are needed to prove or disprove the effect of zinc as a monotherapy or adjuvant therapy.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the research improvement center of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and A Keivanshekouh for reviewing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    A Ghanizadeh

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz, Iran

    A Ghanizadeh

  3. School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

    M Berk

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Orygen Research Centre, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    M Berk

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  1. A Ghanizadeh
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Correspondence to A Ghanizadeh.

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Competing interests

MB has received grant/research support from the National Institutes of Health, Cooperative Research Centre, Simons Autism Foundation, Cancer Council of Victoria, Stanley Medical Research Foundation, MBF, NHMRC, Beyond Blue, Rotary Health, Geelong Medical Research Foundation, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Glaxo SmithKline, Meat and Livestock Board, Organon, Novartis, Mayne Pharma, Servier and Woolworths, has been a speaker for Astra Zeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Glaxo SmithKline, Janssen Cilag, Lundbeck, Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi Synthelabo, Servier, Solvay and Wyeth, and served as a consultant to Astra Zeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Glaxo SmithKline, Janssen Cilag, Lundbeck Merck and Servier. AG reports no conflict of interest.

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Ghanizadeh, A., Berk, M. Zinc for treating of children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 122–124 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.177

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.177

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