Ask the Diva: Can Choline Help with ADD?
Nutrition Diva suggests some alternate sources of choline and discusses whether they can really help.
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
Q. I have a 10-year-old son with ADD. One of the ADD forums I follow suggested adding more foods with choline to his diet to boost brain development. He hates eggs and fish but he loves bacon. How much bacon can I safely give him per week? Are there other sources high in choline that I could give him?
Answer. If bacon is a regular part of your son’s diet, I recommend seeking out a brand that’s made without nitrates, for reasons I talk about in my episode on Nitrates and Nitrites. In addition to fish and eggs, good sources of choline include meat, liver, nuts, beans, peas, spinach, milk, and wheat germ.Â
I can only imagine how challenging it must be to deal with an ADD diagnosis and forums can be a great source of support. However, forums like these also often are fertile breeding grounds for speculative “therapies” that have no scientific (or even logical) basis. It’s true that choline is important for healthy brain development, but there is no evidence that ADD is caused by (or causes) choline deficiency. Also, reports that loading kids up with extra choline can make their brains function differently are anecdotal. So take everything you read in forums with a grain of salt.
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About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.Â