Green tea for ADHD has attracted a lot of attention lately. There are parents who have tried this with their ADHD kids and have found that it does calm down the hyperactivity, restlessness and the fidgeting. As green tea also is a powerful antioxidant because it contains flavonols, it is also useful as an anti aging supplement and can act as protective shield for many chronic conditions.
But let us return to ADHD green tea as this is the main focus of this article. The reason why green tea has got noticed by neurologists is that it seems to help the brain function better. In the case of the child with ADHD, that means better concentration, a longer attention span and a sharper focus.
We all know that the stimulant medicines which can actually calm a child down, come with inevitable side effects. One of these is that as the medication wears off, the child is going to crash. There is also the problem that in the long term, say after two or three years, these medicines will cease to have an effect and the parent searches desperately for something else.
But green tea for ADHD actually contains an amino acid known as L-theanine which acts in a similar way to the medications. It has one great advantage in that there is no crash, there is no drowsiness either and kids seem to be sharper without being constantly on the go. That is a such a boon for parents who wonder what on earth will calm their children down when they suffer from the hyperactive type of ADHD.
There are various studies which show that L-theanine can be effective. One study actually showed that a group of children after being on a daily dose of L-.theanine in the form of supplement rather than green tea, showed considerable improvement when compared to those in the placebo group.
The results were startling in that the L-theanine group after about a month were showing better cognitive function, were sleeping better and above all were paying more attention.Some parents are convinced that caffeine can have the same effect. The problem here is that caffeine can contribute to anxiety, whereas L-theanine is a stimulant which does not cause that side effect.
Green tea for ADHD can be useful and it may well calm a hyperactive child down considerably and reduce some of the distraction. You may choose to add green tea to your child’s diet or a L-theanine supplement. The only problem is that the type of green tea available here does not contain as much L-theanine as the matcha type from the Far East. In this case, if you cannot find matcha, a supplement will do just as well.
However, whatever you decide it should be a part of a comprehensive program of treatment which must include behavior modification and alternative medication. A cup of green tea is not going to teach the child what is the difference between good behavior and unacceptable behavior.
So, there you have it. Green tea and ADHD is a definite possibility. If you want to take this further, why not find out what is the ideal type of treatment for ADHD and how you can easily raise a happier and calmer child.