Environmental Toxins, Food Additives, and Screen Time in ADHD Development and Management

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• Environmental Toxins and ADHD Risk
• Pesticide Exposure and ADHD
• Artificial Food Colors and ADHD
• Practical Dietary Changes
• Screen Time and Electronics in ADHD
• Full Transcript

Environmental Toxins and ADHD Risk

Exposure to environmental toxins significantly increases the risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, cites a compelling clinical trial that analyzed umbilical cord blood from newborns. The study found an average of over 200 industrial chemicals present, which the infants were bathed in for nine months during gestation. Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, emphasizes that more than 180 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer in humans, while 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system.

The toxic effects of these chemicals are often additive, creating a compounded risk that is difficult to measure. Dr. Anton Titov, MD, notes the staggering implications of this chemical cocktail for a multitude of diseases beyond ADHD. Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, explains that while individual chemical levels might be low, their combined synergistic effect poses a significant threat to neurodevelopment.

Pesticide Exposure and ADHD

Pesticides used on conventional fruits and vegetables are a major source of neurotoxic exposure linked to ADHD. Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, references clinical trials that measured pesticide levels in children. The research clearly showed that children with higher amounts of pesticides in their systems had more than twice the incidence of an ADHD diagnosis.

Other industrial pollutants, like dioxins from smokestacks, also show a strong correlation. Dr. Newmark points to data indicating that individuals with the highest blood levels of these chemicals had three times the amount of ADHD. The evidence firmly establishes that common environmental pollutants are a major modifiable risk factor for the disorder.

Artificial Food Colors and ADHD

Artificial food colorings and flavors have a proven negative impact on attention and behavior in all children. Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, states that several clinical trials demonstrate these additives make children more hyperactive and worsen their attention. This effect is so well-established in Europe that products containing certain artificial colors must carry a warning label stating they may cause inattentiveness and hyperactivity.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD, highlights the stark difference in product formulation between regions, using the example of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. The same product uses artificial yellow dye in the United States but is required to use a natural coloring in Europe to meet stricter regulatory standards and consumer demand. This double standard underscores how avoidable exposures are still prevalent.

Practical Dietary Changes for ADHD Management

Parents have significant power to reduce their child's toxic burden through simple dietary changes. Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, offers a highly effective solution: choosing organic food. He explains that feeding children organic food, grown without pesticides, can reduce their pesticide body burden by up to 80 percent.

Eliminating foods with artificial colorings is another direct and practical step. Dr. Newmark advises parents to read labels carefully and avoid products with these additives, as they can harm children vulnerable to ADHD or worsen symptoms in those already diagnosed. These dietary interventions are among the easiest environmental factors for families to control.

Screen Time and Electronics in ADHD

Excessive screen time from television, video games, and electronics is correlated with worsened ADHD symptoms. Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, confirms that clinical trials show a clear link between increased television watching and ADHD. While the relationship was initially correlational, newer research suggests that excessive screen time can actually worsen ADHD, particularly in children who are already vulnerable or diagnosed.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD, notes the modern reality where screen time is compounded by homework on electronic devices, leading to many hours of daily exposure. Dr. Newmark concludes that for susceptible children, this constant overstimulation from bright, fast-paced content can definitely make attention and hyperactivity issues worse, making screen time management a crucial part of holistic ADHD care.

Full Transcript

Food toxins, additives, and colorings influence the likelihood and severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Constant use of electronic gadgets, computer games, and TV affects children with ADHD and ADHD-susceptible kids.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: Environmental toxins penetrate almost all aspects of modern life. They are found in the air, in food, and in drinks. What effect does exposure to toxins in the environment have on the development of ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: We have good evidence that these toxins do affect ADHD. We did one small clinical trial where cord blood was taken from the umbilical cord of infants. This is what they were bathed in for nine months. Cord blood from these newborn children had an average of over 200 industrial chemicals in it.

Other clinical trials have shown that you can measure the level of pesticides in a large number of children. Those children who have a higher amount of pesticides have more than twice the incidence of ADHD. These are pesticides like you would spray on fruit and vegetables.

Another clinical trial looked at dioxins and diabenzoflurenes. These are chemicals that come out of smokestacks. The clinical trial found that people with the highest levels of these chemicals in their blood had three times higher the amount of ADHD. We know that these pesticides and other environmental pollutants are increasing the risk of having ADHD.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: This is a staggering amount of chemicals. In this clinical trial that you quoted, there were over 200 chemicals found in the umbilical cord blood. More than 180 of those chemicals cause cancer in humans. 217 chemicals are toxic to the brain and nervous system. Over 200 chemicals cause birth defects in animals.

This is not just a problem that is relevant to ADHD but to a multitude of other diseases.

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Exactly. We should say that we don't know at what level it takes for these chemicals to cause a problem. But their toxicity is additive. Sometimes one chemical is dangerous at this level and another chemical is dangerous at this level. If you put both chemicals together, they are going to be dangerous at an even lower level.

What happens if you put 200 chemicals together?

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: That could be a staggering compound effect?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: We just don't know. Perhaps nobody is interested in doing high-quality clinical trials because studying the chemical effects on attention deficit disorder would be very expensive. They would require a lot of people to do the clinical trial.

Yeah, such clinical trials are very difficult to do. Then the second question is this: "What are we going to do about keeping these things out of the environment?" Most of them were legal. These chemicals were allowed to be used before we had any testing procedures.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: What to do to get rid of them now?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Pesticides are the easiest one. If you feed children organic food, grown without pesticides, you can reduce their pesticide level by 80 percent.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: Organic food helps in ADHD. Food is something that parents can control in the environment of their children. Food is the easiest to control perhaps.

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Yes.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: Many children's foods come in unnatural colorings, most of these are artificial. Do food additives and artificial colorings have any effect on ADHD?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Yes. We know artificial colors and flavors make all children more hyperactive. Children have worse attention after they eat food with artificial colorings. There are several clinical trials that show that.

In Europe, if you put certain artificial colors in your products, then you have to put a label on that product. You have to say: "This may make your child inattentive and hyperactive."

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: Who would buy such a product?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Exactly! They stop using it. As a matter of fact, there's something very famous in the United States. This food is called Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. "Kraft macaroni and cheese."

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: The ultimate kids food?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Yeah, the ultimate kids food. In the United States, it has artificial color, artificial yellow. Why they have to do that color is beyond me. In Europe, they use the natural color.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: By the same manufacturer?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Yes. That is amazing!

Yes. Why? Because nobody's going to buy it in Europe if it has the artificial color. Why don't they do that here in the US? It's probably more expensive.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: Parents should check every food for artificial colorings. Artificial colorings used in food potentially can harm the child who is vulnerable to ADHD. Or it might worsen the clinical situation in a child who might already have ADHD.

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: Exactly! That's one relatively simple thing that parents can do. It is certainly very helpful, very practical. Yeah, yeah.

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: Children today spend a lot of time watching TV. TV often shows very emotionally charged content. TV programs have bright flashes that overstimulate the visual system. There is also computer gaming. There is a lot of homework that involves electronics.

How does that affect kids who are perhaps more susceptible to ADHD? Or who might already have been diagnosed with ADHD?

Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD: We know that there's a correlation between increased television watching and ADHD. Several clinical trials showed that. We were not really sure whether the increased television watching causes the ADHD or whether kids with ADHD watch more television.

But there has now been one really good clinical trial. It shows that it looks like more television watching and video games will worsen ADHD. Some kids are not as susceptible to ADD; it probably won't make them have ADHD.

But for those kids who are vulnerable to ADHD or who already have an ADHD diagnosis, TV and computer games could definitely make things worse. Then you start adding computer time and television time. Children use electronics for doing homework.

Soon you are talking about many hours a day when children are doing electronics and television more than anything else.