Transcript ADHD - Essential Oils Obsessed

ADHD and Essential Oils
Terry Friedmann, MD
ADHD
• One of the most frequently diagnosed
disorders in young children and teenagers
• Over 3 million children are being treated for
ADHD. Treatments include:
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Ritalin
Dexadrine
Behavior management
Counseling
Holistic Approach
Symptoms
• Inattention
– Shorter than usual attention span
• Impulsivity
– Cannot control impulses
• Hyperactivity
– Periodic over activity
Consequences
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Poor school performance
Low self esteem
Underdeveloped social skills
Lifelong habits that can translate into an
underachieving adult
• Never reach potential
Ritalin: New Recreational Drug
• Ritalin has several side effects
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Psychosis
Mania
Disrupting growth hormone secretion
Drug abuse and addiction
• Ritalin is being ground up and inhaled by street drug
users as an illegal “high”
Essential Oil Connection
• In Feb 2000 Dr. Friedmann began testing 20
children using three essential oils
– Lavender (Lavandula officinalis)
– Vetiver (Vetiveria Zizanioides
– Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
• These oils are among the highest in
sesquiterpenes
Hypothalamus
• Essential oils stimulate the
hypothalamus/pituitary axis through the
limbic structures of the brain
• This allows modulation of dopamine,
serotonin, catecholamine, and other
hormone levels
Study Design
• Two groups of children between age 6
and 14 were randomly selected
– 16 controls who received no treatment
– 18 subjects who were treated with one of
the three essential oils
• Cedarwood
• Lavender
• Vetiver
Testing Design
• Theta and beta waves were measured by
real-time EEG (electroencephalograph)
– Beta waves measure alertness, mental
concentration (13-30 cycles per sec.)
– Theta waves are active when the brain is asleep
or daydreaming
• Severity of ADHD was measured by TOVA
score
Essential Oils
• Subjects were asked to inhale the essential
oil three times a day
– The open bottle of oil held next to the nostrils
– Three deep inhalations
• Inhalation Therapy continued for 30 days
• Following the protocol, EEGs and TOVAs
were remeasured
Data Analysis
• Data was collected and analyzed by Dr.
Dennis Eggert at the Center for Statistical
Research at Brigham Young University in
Provo, Utah
Results
• Dramatic Changes Noted:
– Vetiver—34% improvement
– Cederwood—24% improvement*
– Lavender—17% improvement*
*Not statistically significant