Recruiting for new ADHD research trial

A team of researchers at St Mary’s University, Twickenham are conducting research into the effects of a probiotic drink in children with ADHD. They are looking to recruit children between the ages of 8 and 13 years who are not on ADHD medication to take part in this clinical trial.

Why is the research being conducted? Research suggests dietary manipulations may be a helpful treatment option for children with ADHD, although the most effective are highly restrictive, with little known about why they might work. One theory is that they may work by altering the balance of bacteria that live within the gut. Optimising the gut bacteria in individuals with ADHD may help alleviate some of the symptoms of this condition via the gut-brain-axis. A probiotic fermented dairy drink has been associated with an increase in beneficial gut bacteria.

What is the purpose? The purpose of this research is to assess the effect of probiotic drink consumption on symptoms such as hyperactivity, sleep disturbance and attention which are associated with ADHD.

What is involved? Your child would be asked to drink a small dairy drink daily for six weeks. They will receive either a probiotic drink, or a placebo drink. The drinks will be provided free of charge and delivered to your home. Drinks can be mixed into a smoothie or sweetened with honey if your child prefers. The week before starting the drinks, and again in the last week of having the drinks, testing will be conducted. This will involve completing online questionnaires, your child wearing a sleep tracker watch, completing an online attention task and providing a small stool sample. To find out more and see if your child is eligible to take part, please email adhdresearch@stmarys.ac.uk providing a phone number if you would like us to call you back.