Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children and youths. The prevalence of this disorder was reported between 5-10% in literature. Children with ADHD are characterized by hyperactivity, lack of attention, and impulsivity. The aim of this review was to overview the role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of ADHD. Methods: Data bases including PubMed, Scopus, Sciencedirect, Web of science, and Google scholar were searched by using these keywords: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, and Magnesium. The related observational and interventional studies published up to February 2017 were extracted and used. Results: Recent studies suggest that ADHD symptoms may have contribution in nutrients status in body, such as magnesium. While most of these studies suggest a low magnesium level in children with ADHD, there have not been enough well-designed controlled clinical trials to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of magnesium supplementation or dietary magnesium interventions as a treatment. Conclusions: Considering the contradictory findings about the magnesium and ADHD, magnesium therapy in children with ADHD is not recommended until enough well-designed studies are provided.