"Dirty" Electricity and ADHD

Could fixing your power sources help clear up ADHD symptoms?

We often hear about the health impacts of prolonged exposure to electrical and magnetic fields, including those involving cognitive deficits, neuro-developmental difficulties, and increased cancer risks. We would come to expect that some of these same invisible forces may also be at work with disorders such as ADHD.

In previous posts, we have covered how full-spectrum light exposure (within the context of seasonal affective disorders) can influence ADHD severity and symptomology.

In my reading, I recently came across an article from a few years back that caught my attention. This article was from the journal Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, and involved a phenomenon known as "dirty electricity". The authors posited that this type of electricity, which occurs when electricity passes through several types of electronic devices such as computers or microwaves, which creates a more "noisy" spectrum (think of the analogy of a river or stream that picks up waste and debris along the way of its course) than "clean" electricity, may be a factor in a wide array of diseases and disorders ranging from diabetes to multiple sclerosis, to asthma, to fibromyalgia to neurological dysfunction (including balancing difficulties as well as ADHD-like behaviors and symptoms).

Although ADHD was not the main concern of the article (which focused more heavily on the diabetic and MS complications associated with this dirty electricity), the importance of maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels to the brains of ADHD patients should at least warrant further investigation into the matter.

By no means do I believe that this "dirty" electricity is a predominant contributing factor to a child's (or adult's) ADHD, but I did want to at least make the blogosphere aware that this may be an overlooked area of treatable potential. Some of the results of the study were intriguing to say the least.

For example, the authors found that:

• Fatigue among individuals in a building "sick" from dirty electricity is much more common than previously believed. Due to their size and range of appliances and power consumption patterns, schools are often prime candidates for being vulnerable to this dirty electricity phenomena. Fatigue and overall sickness in students and teachers may be significantly reduced if special electrical filters (called Graham/Stetzer or GS filters) are utilized. Similar results have been found in other related studies (please keep in mind that several of these are somewhat biased, i.e. published by the makers of these electrical filters. For reference, this blogger has absolutely no affiliation with Graham Stetzer and does not receive any type of compensation from the makers of these filters).

• Stress from electrical sources reduces the binding ability of insulin to its targets in the body, which can result in lower insulin sensitivity (much like the pattern of insulin resistance seen in the onset of type 2 diabetes).
  

• Furthermore, exposure to higher levels of electromagnetic fields results in an increase in production of "stress" proteins in the body. The degree of this varies, as a number of individuals carry more of a hypersensitivity to electrical fields than others. This high level of inter-individual variability makes it difficult to set concrete limits on safety concerns surrounding electromagnetic exposure.
  

• Additionally, the original article cited a case of significant improvement in balance and walking ability in and individual with multiple sclerosis following the "cleaning" of electricity in his area by using the electrical filters. Much like the phenomena of birds flying into more windows in areas near power lines (which can interfere with the bird's internal magnetic-based sense of direction), it is possible that cleaning up the power supply may have similar effects on humans.
  

Please note: it's important not to get too excited or attempt to draw too many theoretical conclusions based on these observations. Keep in mind that this individual was diagnosed with MS and it was just a case study. Nevertheless, given the previously mentioned association between ADHD and early infections the inner ear (which affects balance and coordination), the potential influence of electrical fields may somehow tie in to all of this as well. This is simply a working hypothesis of the blogger at the moment.

However, given the fact that abnormal glucose metabolism and blood sugar levels are typically depressed or less stable in the brains of ADHD patients as well as the possible connection between ADHD and areas involved with the balancing regions of the nervous system, the effects of electrical fields on the disorder may be larger than we previously realized.

**As an interesting aside, many of the brain glucose studies of ADHD patients have found that glucose metabolic differences are often more pronounced in girls and women with the disorder than boys or men. It stands to reason (at least on a theoretical basis, but not to prematurely draw any conclusions) that similar gender-based differences may exist with regards to blood sugar levels in the brain as a result of exposure to electromagnetic fields of "dirty" electricity.

Again, to reiterate that this blogger has no affiliation with the filters nor receives any compensation for endorsement of these products, it may be useful to investigate how "dirty" the power in your home, school or office really is, especially if you or a loved one have ADHD or one of the related complications listed in the original article.

**For reference sake, the cost of a meter for measuring dirty electricity runs somewhere from 100 to 150 US dollars (at least based off of what this blogger has seen), and the filters are about 35 US dollars apiece (not surprisingly the companies often recommend sets of 20 for an average home, bringing the grand total up over 800 US dollars. Not a small sum, of course!).

As of now, this blogger is undecided whether the negative impact of dirty electricity is enough to warrant the pricey purchase of these power cleanup methods and devices. The main point for this post was simply bring a lesser-known phenomena of electrical pollution and highlight at least some of the theoretical basis for exacerbating attentional deficits and ADHD symptoms.

Given the widely-encompassing health risks covering various diseases and disorders (listed in the original article and beyond ADHD), it may be worthwhile to spend some time in more personal investigation on the topic.

Nevertheless, these little-known connection (such as those between power lines and blood sugar levels) should serve to highlight the fact that ADHD is a multi-faceted disorder, and its symptoms may be governed by an ever-widening array of influential factors.

Does Blood Type Affect ADHD?

This blog has often discussed the wide range of genetic influences on ADHD and related disorders. Some of the ADHD genes we have previously investigated include:

• DAT1 gene (often referred to simply as "DAT", possibly related to Tourette's and eating disorders such as bulimia)
• MAOA gene (likely has gender-specific effects, also tied to autism, bipolar and anxiety disorders)
• COMT gene (can affect dosage levels of ADHD stimulant medications, and possibly have an impact on brain regions responsible for attentional control)
• SLC6A2 gene (also called "NET" or "norepinephrine transporter gene", may affect the response to Strattera, also related to posture and eating disorders such as anorexia)
• SLC6A4 gene (often has a greater potential effect on males with ADHD, associated with autism)
• Protogenin gene (possibly related to ADHD and reading disabilities)
• DRD4 gene (also may be related to schizophrenia, alcoholism, and resistance to Parkinson's)
• Fatty acid desaturase genes (may play a role in deficiencies in omega-3 levels in ADHD)
• CREM gene (may be related to hormonal regulation, including the sleep-related melatonin)
• Serotonin receptor 1B gene (may be more associated with the inattentive subtype of ADHD)

Additionally, some of these genes may work together in combo. For example, a combination of specific variations in the DAT1 gene and the DRD4 gene may associate with IQ and behavioral disorders as they relate to ADHD.

The main point of all of these examples was not to overwhelm anyone, but rather to highlight the intricate relationship between genetics and ADHD heritability.

Adding to this extensive list may be a new set of genes related to blood types and ADHD.

**For a quick synopsis of blood types, please consult the italicized paragraphs below. Otherwise you may skip to the next paragraph highlighting a new study on blood type and ADHD.

Human blood types are often classified by the "ABO" system. "A" and "B" refer to immune-regulating factors and play a major role in blood transfusions. These blood types are acquired from our parents and can come in dominant and recessive forms. Genes for blood type can be found on the 9th human chromosome.

They are the two main (or dominant) forms of immune-regulating blood factors. Additionally, A and B can be "codominant", that is an individual can have a mixture of the two. For these "codominant" individuals, their blood type is labeled "AB". If an individual has neither "A" nor "B", he or she is labeled as an "O".

In essence, if you have a specific letter(s), you can donate blood to individuals who share your same letters (there are actually other important factors and donor restrictions besides this, such as the "Rh factor", but for sake of simplicity, we will just discuss "ABO" for the moment). For example, a person with type "A" blood could donate to another person who has "A" or "AB" because both "A" and "AB" would recognize the "A" component. They could not donate to a "B" or an "O" blood type because these individuals' bodies would not be able to recognize the "A", resulting in a severe immuno-rejection problem.

An "O" could donate to and "A", a "B", an "AB", or another "O" (again, there are detailed exceptions to this generalization), because "O" does not have either of the "A" or "B" markers on it, so the recipient's body would not see anything "foreign" about this. This makes "O" carriers better candidates for blood donation. On the flip side, and individual with type "AB" could take blood from and "A", a "B", an "AB" or an "O" since their blood already recognizes the "markers". This makes AB candidates better recipients for blood.

In addition to an individual's blood type governing the blood transfusion process, blood types may also confer resistance or susceptibility to certain bodily dysfunctions or diseases. For example, type "A" individuals may be naturally more prone to cancers of the digestive system, and individuals with type "O" are more prone to cholera, plagues, or even malaria (interestingly, they may be more prone to be preferred targets of mosquitoes, compared to the other blood types).

Overview of an original study on ADHD and blood types:
Returning to our main discussion, it appears that certain blood types may also be related to an increased likelihood of childhood ADHD or related disorders. A Chinese study recently came out which sought to investigate whether certain blood types were actually more likely to be affiliated with ADHD. The results, while preliminary, should nevertheless pique some interest on the topic among professionals.

Here are some of the major highlights of the study:

• Blood types (using the "ABO" format) were taken from 96 children and their parents, to determine the heritability patterns of blood types.
• Both ADHD and non-ADHD children were observed in the study, and their blood types were broken down.
• The study found that children who did have ADHD were more likely to have inherited either the "A" or "O" type blood from their parents.
• Conversely, children who inherited the type "B" blood (which would include either the "B" or "AB" form) were less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.

** A caveat concerning the findings and reproducibility of this study: It is important to note that the study population was relatively small, especially for a study of this magnitude which seeks to identify general trends between blood types and their relative association with co-existing disorders. Some blood types can be relatively rare, for example, in the United States, only around 10% of the population has type "B" blood and only about 15% has the "B" in any form (types B or AB). Although blood types vary extensively all over the world, certain types tend to predominate, which requires large populations to be studies to ensure all groups are sufficiently represented. Thus, small population studies can easily produce skewed results. Nevertheless, I personally believe this study was a good starting point.

**Blogger's personal notes/opinions on these findings:

I found this study to be interesting. Unfortunately, I could not read the whole article (the majority is in Chinese!), but the possibility of blood typing being related to ADHD would be a major breakthrough, if these results are able to be consistently replicated with larger population studies.

My first thought was that maybe some nearby gene related to ADHD might be influencing the blood type/ADHD connection, but no significant genes associated with ADHD exist on the 9th chromosome (at least to the best of my knowledge after conducting a search of OMIM for the term "ADHD", a national database which ties down diseases and disorders to known genetic regions). However, genes which are located far apart from each other, even on completely different chromosomes can also work in tandem, so genetic relationships between ADHD genes and blood type genes cannot be ruled out entirely.

Another option may be some type of indirect connection between blood type and ADHD. For example, the article notes that individuals who have the "O" or "A" blood type alleles are more prone to ADHD. Other sources note that individuals with type "O" are more prone to developing intestinal and gastric ulcers, and that individuals with type "A" are more prone to cancers of the digestive system (such as cancers of the esophagus, pancreas and stomach). This may signify that these blood types (compared to those who have "B" or "AB" blood) may be more prone to digestive problems.

Digestive disorders can result in poor nutrient absorption (we have discussed nutrient deficiencies in ADHD in number of previous posts), which may leave one more prone to ADHD symptoms. Additionally, digestive dysfunctions can actually lead to an increased likelihood of developing food allergies, as potential allergens are less likely to be broken down or "chewed up" than by a properly-functioning digestive system. Furthermore, we have also explored the possibility that acid accumulation can make its way into the brain regions and have an impact on neurological symptoms including ADHD-like behaviors. This was discussed in a recent post investigating the high prevalence of ADHD in children who suffer from frequent ear infections.

While these possibilities are strictly hypothetical at the moment I firmly believe that we should further explore the possibility of specific blood types as possible underlying causes or risk factors for developing ADHD.

Iron Levels, Sleep Disorders and ADHD

The aim of this post is to investigate the potential connection between ADHD and sleep disturbances, and how a deficiency in iron levels may in fact be a possible triggering factor for both disorders. We will be drawing heavily from a very recent article by Cortese and coworkers on Sleep Disturbances and Serum Ferritin Levels in children with ADHD. Iron typically does not exist in the body in its free form, but rather in the form of larger complex molecules such as hemoglobin or ferritin (think of iron being "encaged" in these larger complexes).

We have previously dabbled in the field of ADHD and sleep issues in earlier posts, such as a recent one entitled CREM gene, Melatonin and ADHD. I also plan on doing further posts on the connection between ADHD and Restless Legs Syndrome, which is also believed to be connected to low iron levels. It is interesting to note that there may also be an underlying genetic component to this association as well.

Some of the major findings of the Cortese article are listed below:

1. Children with iron-containing ferritin below a concentration of 45 micrograms per liter (don't worry about these numbers yet, we will be discussing them further down) had higher levels of ADHD symptoms as well as sleep disorders than those above this concentration. We must consider the fact that sleep disorders appear at higher levels in individuals with ADHD than in the general population. With regards to ADHD, these results are in agreement with another prominent study by Konofal on Iron Deficiency in Children with ADHD. According to the study, among the different sub-categories of sleep disorders, the only disorders associated with a deficiency of the iron-rich protein ferritin were Sleep Wake Transition Disorders (SWTD). These SWTD's are characterized by "abnormal movements in sleep", according to the Cortese article.
   
   Carrying this a bit further, we find that iron-related sleep disorders are also seen in children with autism, a disorder which shares a fair degree of overlap with ADHD on a genetic basis as well as structure and function of specific brain regions and an overlap of motor problems and other symptoms. It is also important to note that iron is a critical factor for the synthesis of the brain chemical dopamine (which is often at lower levels in the areas between nerve cells in specific brain regions of individuals with ADHD), and that dopamine related functions are connected to motor control behaviors.
   
   
2. While it may be tempting to assume that these problems may be fixed by iron supplements, we need to be careful, especially based on the content of the study. The Cortese article indicated that none of the children had anemia. Keep in mind that anemia comes in multiple forms, with the most common being iron deficiency anemia, which can be caused either by a lack of dietary iron (a possibility) or inflammatory conditions such as parasitic infections (which was not seen in any of the patients). It is interesting to note that serum ferritin is also a bio-marker of inflammatory processes, so the fact that no inflammatory conditions were present was a crucial control for the Cortese study.
   
   While none of the children in the study exhibited outward signs of nutritional deficiencies, diet-related anemia is the result of prolonged deficiency in iron and other supporting nutrients, so it is entirely possible that the children in the Cortese study were simply not far enough along in their iron deficiency situation for anemia detection. However, we must be careful before administering iron supplementation as a potential treatment option. While studies have shown that iron supplementation can effectively reduce the occurrence of periodic limb movements, we must watch out for the toxic effects of rampant iron supplementation (for a general upper limit for iron supplementation, please click here).
   


3. Nevertheless, the effects of an iron deficiency can be drawn out, and symptoms can be delayed. Ferritin, which, mentioned above, is a type of storage protein for holding iron in the body, typically exists at a concentration roughly between 30-45 millionths of a gram (micrograms) of ferritin protein per liter of serum (serum is the watery part of the blood which does not include blood cells) in children, but can be significantly higher in adults. While this number may not mean much on its own to most of us, we should be more cautious about the next number: 12 millionths of a gram per liter of serum. If the concentration of iron-containing ferritin protein falls below this critical level, then hemoglobin synthesis begins to be impaired.
   
   While the difference between the 45 micrograms/liter and 12 micrograms/liter indicates that there is some room to play with between low iron levels and a hemoglobin deficiency, the same study that found the 12 micrograms/liter cutoff point also found that much higher levels than 12 micrograms/liter must be reached before iron stores (and subsequent hemoglobin synthesis) resume to full levels. Therefore, the complex restoration of iron balance is not something that can be typically achieved overnight or even within a week.
   
   Furthermore, the Cortese paper suggested that the transfer of iron stores in the nervous system may also take sufficient time to build back up and may depend on significant iron storage levels. In other words, the effects of iron supplementation and treatment and restoration of iron-containing complexes may not be felt immediately, especially in the brain region and the central nervous system, which is bad news for those suffering from ADHD and related disorders. While no exact quantity was specified, the 30-45 micrograms/liter concentration range seems to be a good starting place for children.
   
   
4. While many comorbid disorders are predominantly connected to one of the three major subtypes of ADHD (inattentive ADHD, hyperactive/impulsive ADHD or combined subtype ADHD), the sleep disorders in the Cortese article showed no particular subtype affiliation.
   


5. Another recent article may shed some light on the subject as far as to why serum ferritin levels and sleep disturbances may occur. We have previously reported the possible connection between ADHD and Celiac Disease and that Celiac Disease can Cause ADHD Symptoms. Picchietti and coworkers reported that treating patients who had restless legs syndrome and low serum ferritin levels but not overtly low iron levels responded well to a gluten-free diet (the most common treatment for celiac disease). Similar associations were seen in other studies involving iron deficiency and celiac disease (as well as generalized intestinal absorption difficulties).
   
   In other words, celiac disease and other digestive issues may be the underlying factor in individuals who exhibit low serum ferritin levels, but not abnormally low overall iron levels, and may contribute to negative symptoms such as restless legs syndrome. Unfortunately, the while generalized gluten-free diets can single-handedly restore the body to pre-anemic conditions, the process can take time, up to 6-12 months.
   
   It would be interesting to see how many of the patients in the Cortese study who exhibited low serum ferritin levels without other forms of iron deficiency have undetected cases of celiac disease or other digestive problems as potential underlying causes to their ADHD and sleep disturbances. This could be a great follow-up study for the population in the Cortese study.
   


6. It is also important to note that a large number of the children with ADHD in the study also had at least one type of comorbid (co-occurring) disorder. Among the most common ones were Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD, seen in around half of the patients in the study) and Anxiety Disorders. At the moment, it is unclear as to what the confounding effects of these comorbid disorders may be with regards to iron-related sleep problems. We will be discussing the nature and effects of these comorbid disorders in a later post, but for now, we must keep in mind that these co-occurring disorders have pronounced direct and indirect effects on the symptoms and treatment strategies for ADHD.
   
   
7. Finally, the Cortese paper cited another study in which Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Daytrana), and Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), both of which are ADHD stimulant medications, decreased the amount of nocturnal motor activity in patients. Cortese suggested that iron supplementation, which can boost free dopamine levels in a manner similar to most ADHD stimulant medications, may possibly accentuate these postive effects. While this is certainly a possibility (which remains to be seen), I also recommend extending this drug/mineral supplementation strategy to zinc, which has been shown to boost Ritalin's effectiveness as an ADHD treatment.

This article ties together well with our recent posts on the numerous ADHD comorbid disorders. We will be having several further discussions on ADHD and sleep disorders, including potential underlying causes, in the near future.

Celiac Disease causes ADHD Symptoms

One of the biggest challenges in diagnosing and treating ADHD is trying to separate it out from other disorders that often present similar-looking symptoms. One such disorder is known as celiac disease. When gluten (a type of plant protein found in corn and wheat) is ingested in individuals with celiac disease, an inflammatory response in the upper portion of the small intestine occurs. When repeatedly challenged by gluten exposure, damage can occur to this portion of the digestive system, which leads to painful symptoms and impaired digestive and absorptive function.

The latter is of particular interest, since we have seen in other posts that nutrient deficiencies can lead to or exacerbate the onset of certain ADHD symptoms. For example, iron has been shown to be a useful supplement in treating certain underlying factors in ADHD, as seen in previous posts. It is thought that a celiac disease-damaged system can contribute to iron deficiency, likely through impaired iron absorption, thus presenting a challenge to the ADHD patient.

Interestingly, celiac disease has also been linked to other neurological disorders such as depression and depressive-like symptoms. This may be due to poor absorption of the amino acid tryptophan (which is found in high concentrations in turkey, and is a big reason why turkey can make a person sleepy). Tryptophan is converted to another important agent in the body called serotonin, which is often found to be reduced in patients with depression and other related symptoms (sugar and milk can also give a temporary rise in serotonin levels, which is why ice cream and chocolate are often "comfort foods").

In addition to depressive behaviors, possible connections have been identified between celiac disease and other metabolic disorders such as diabetes and thyroid problems. We have explored the possible connection between ADHD and thyroid dysfunction in a previous post. Additionally, there is a possible connection between celiac disease and other symptoms or common ADHD comorbid disorders such as epilepsy, dyslexia (which is thought to be a possible result of impaired gluten breakdown), anxiety disorders and social phobias and impaired sensory functions.

The good news to all this is that a gluten-free diet (which, unfortunately, can be very difficult to administer due to the prevalence of wheat in the Western diet) has been shown to ameliorate most of these negative symptoms. A study done on celiac disease patients and ADHD symptoms found that after treating patients with a gluten-free diet for 6 months, a number of ADHD-like symptoms subsided. The study used a method called Hypescheme, which is a type of computerized checklist used to quantify and analyze data involving ADHD and related disorders in a statistically significant fashion.

Statistically-significant improvements were seen in the following areas: attention to detail, duration of attention span, ability to complete tasks, distractibility, fidgety behavior, leaving a seat (when expected to remain seated), noisy disruptions and answering questions prematurely.

However, statistically significant improvements were not seen in other categories characteristic of ADHD. These include: losing/forgetting materials as well as restless and interruptive behaviors.

In previous posts, we have seen that certain treatments may be favorable for either inattentive ADHD type behaviors, hyperactive-impulsive ADHD behavior, or a combination of the two, called the ADHD Combined Subtype. It is interesting to note that the gluten-free diet results in improvements in characteristics that may be considered either "inattentive" (task completion, attention to detail, distractibility) or "hyperactive-impulsive" (fidgeting, noisy behavior and blurting out answers prematurely). While many studies on the possible connection between food additives and ADHD (see last paragraph of this post for more on this) seem to highlight the hyperactive side of the disorder, this celiac disease study seems to indicate a more mixed improvement across the whole spectrum of the disorder when a gluten-free diet is introduced.

Given the fact that many individuals who have celiac disease lack many of the outward signs of digestive symptoms of the disorder, and the fact that there are so many potential overlapping factors between the symptoms of ADHD and celiac disease, it is quite possible that you or your child's ADHD may be a misdiagnosis of an underlying cause of celiac disease or a related disorder. I therefore strongly recommend individuals who are diagnosed with the disorder of ADHD (especially those who have had poor or adverse responses to previous treatments) to consider testing for celiac disease. This of course, is not meant to knock the competence of most physicians and other professionals, but rather a plea to eliminate a potentially common misdiagnosis through a relatively simple procedure. Several antibody-based tests can be used to detect celiac disease or related disorders with relative ease.

In general, there has been a lengthy debate over the connection between ADD and ADHD and food allergies. While previous studies had certainly performed, a landmark study was done in the mid 1970's by Dr. Benjamin Feingold which sought to link the relationship between food additives and food coloring and hyperactivity. Numerous studies have since followed on this topic, many of which have supported Feingold's hypothesis and many which have refuted it. As a result, a number of physicians began to recommend elimination diets in an attempt to control attention deficits and hyperactive behavior. We will be investigating the original Feingold article and summarize the effectiveness of these elimination diets in treating ADHD symptoms in the near future.