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Pine Bark & ADHD

Adults and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may receive some relief from their symptoms by taking pine bark extract. This extract reduced hyperactivity and improved attention, concentration and coordination in children who participated in a 2006 controlled study, which was reported in the journal of European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, according to Medical News Today.

  1. What It Is

    • Pine bark extract comes from the French maritime pine tree and appears to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can treat a variety of conditions, including ADHD, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Pycnogenol is the trade name for pine bark extract.

    Possible Option

    • Pine bark extract is a natural option for treating ADHD that parents may want to consider, says Dr. Peter Rohdewald of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Munster in Germany. Prescription medications typically used to treat ADHD are Ritalin, Dexedrine and Adderall. People who take these drugs often have side effects such as anxiety, depression and irritability.

    Possible Benefits

    • Pycnogenol does not have the side effects common to typical ADHD medications, according to Medical News Today. And, because pine bark extract is an antioxidant, it can be helpful in other ways besides treating ADHD, such as being beneficial for a person’s heart, circulatory system and skin.

    Results

    • The results of the European study showed--after one month of treatment with Pycnogenol--a decrease in hyperactivity and an increase in motor-visual coordination and concentration in the test subjects, according to Medical News Today. One month after stopping the treatment, study participants, who averaged 9 1/2 years of age, exhibited their ADHD symptoms once again.

    Warning

    • People who use pine bark extract for ADHD can have lower energy levels and increased irritability, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The center also notes that studies on the effectiveness of pine bark extract helping ADHD symptoms yielded mixed results.

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