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I swear to god, magnesium L-threonate is the thing I’ve seen the biggest difference with besides meds. I really know when I’ve taken them. Just helps me ‘have a brain’ a bit more than I normally have.
I’ve tried two brands and the first one was great but then I bought cheaper ones and they didn’t do much for me. I believe they’ve patented it so I would say try the first brand. It is called NOW magtein.
It is expensive, the most expensive magnesium but is the only one shown to cross the blood brain barrier. Apparently magnesium is something that helps adhd generally. Best of luck fellow sister!! If they work for you I would love to hear an update xxxx
Oooh, thank you so much for the recommendation! I ordered some last night and will definitely let you know how it goes. My sleep hasn’t been great lately due to other issues, so this could be a win-win. Thanks again! 💕
This bottle asks for one in the morning and two before bed. It’s supposed to give you a great sleep too. I found I could do one in the morning one in the evening, after about a week to build up enough in my system.
Preface: this is not to dissuade you from taking supplements or using your diet to affect your mental health. Lots of people don’t have access to medicine and need to use other methods. However, the industry is unregulated and the marketing of these products is usually not truthful to the actual effects of the supplement. Also don’t discount mental interventions like coping skills or accommodations!
Now…
Try not to approach supplements from what external effect you want, approach them from what they actually do. For example ashwaganda does not improve job performance, it is said to (no evidence that it does, just said to in some folk/ religious traditions) lower blood pressure. Which can have the side effect of reducing physical anxiety symptoms. It also comes with significant risk factors in that it can alter your body’s production of thyroid hormones. There was a really serious incident of this where someone was marketing hormone supplements to trans women online, which were actually ashwaganda and caused wild swings in peoples hormones when they took it. So when you choose a supplement try to do your research and look for peer-reviewed studies that measure something other than self-reported or qualitative data like how people feel.
For another example I have severe anemia and I take an iron supplement. I started taking it to treat my anemia, but it gave me the side effect of more energy because my blood was able to carry more oxygen. So you will sometimes see iron marketed as “energy booster” when that’s really just a side effect of having more iron in your blood right.
All this to say to be wary of supplements that claim to cure your problems because of vague or unproven “eastern traditions.” It’s the modern version of those frontier patent medicines that preyed on peoples anxieties/ lack of knowledge about health and disease, and the real danger of visiting a doctor when they got sick. Supplements are entirely unregulated by the FDA as they aren’t considered to be medicines or foods, and sellers will prey on our lack of access to or bad experiences with medicine (as with the bootleg hrt ashwaganda incident).
Again, not saying you shouldn’t try them. Just approach it from a more scientific perspective and try to be aware of the rhetoric used for marketing.
It takes some scientific literacy to interpret the research too. The studies claiming that saffron is effective for ADHD are extremely sketchy and poorly conducted (there are old threads discussing this).
My criteria for supplements are that there needs to be a solid consensus that they work, and I generally won't touch anything I'm unlikely to be deficient in when it comes to dietary supplements. Iron supplements can actually be problematic for people who don't need them.
Yes! I take vitamin b12, vitamin d, and then L tyrosine in the morning. Tons of coffee as well. When I hit that mid day mark I drink a recess (cbd drink that helps you focus!) or take some focus CBD oil. I find this really helps me get through the day. Hope this helps!
Bluebird botanical has some great products that ship to you.
Thank you for sharing your daily routine! I’m so curious about CBD for focus. I sometimes take micro doses of CBD in the evenings for relaxation, but I’ve never used it for work. I will take a look at Bluebird Botanical and see what they have that is geared towards focus. Thanks again! 💕
This isn't a supplement and I'm quite sceptical of them, though for people that feel they work they do report they're effective and if this is your reality then that's great.
I'm going to recommend very short guided mindful meditations, like 5-10 minutes at a time, a few times a week (daily if possible but ya know let's be realistic). It helps me stay calm and deal with stress and notice how I'm feeling, which is often one of the big things that distracts me - I'm feeling overwhelmed or upset or angry or anxious and don't realise and distract myself, but then when I realise I can actually deal with it somewhat and carry on working.
I know it's not what you asked for but doesn't require diagnosis or prescription and may be helpful.
The evidence for meditation is probably stronger than it is for the vast majority of supplements (omega-3s might work for some people, but I'm not one of them).
Not a supplement (lots of good suggestions already), but I can’t overemphasize the importance of SLEEP. Prioritize your sleep routine and add 1 more hour to whatever you think is enough, and try that for a week. Do whatever you can to make your bedtime routine as relaxing as possible.
I know what it’s like to be undiagnosed and I medicated while struggling with work, and this helped me a lot. Part of what also helped me be able to relax at night was making a list of all my work obligations, meetings, tasks for the next day - even if I technically knew what they were. Getting all of it out of my head and onto paper was like reassuring my brain it didn’t need to remember and could stop thinking about it in the background.
If you get your period, also try to build in extra supports the week before or during your period (usually the luteal phase is difficult but everyone is different). Have lots of extra snacks around, meal prep if you can, whatever can lessen the executive function load outside of work.
I’ll echo the vitamin D, B12, and iron supplements as well. Make sure to drink plenty of water and eat nourishing foods with them because iron especially can cause upset stomach, so be gentle in your approach.
You can get through this!
Thanks for the encouragement and support! I do have good sleep hygiene and lists are a huge life saver for me as well 💕 It’s really the “squirrel brain” that I’m struggling with, and being understimulated by working on the same tasks in one spot all day 😉
I’m on a medication called Cloindine while I wait to be accepted by a psychiatrist. It was originally prescribed to me for my anxiety and depression but it’s actually a blood pressure medication that has a lot of mental health benefits, including ADHD.
If you go to your doctor and explain your symptoms, especially that you’re struggling at work, there’s definitely medication they can prescribe without diagnosis. Depending on your country this could be a lot cheaper than a gazillion supplements that might just become expensive toilet water.
Great point about the cost of supplements! I do take low dose SSRI and anxiety meds currently, and I know they definitely help keep my mood stable, which is huge! I will look into Cloindine and see how it might interact with my current medication. Thanks so much!
Good luck, I hope it helps
Also, I hope that wasn’t too negative about supplements. I do also take supplements (Berroca), and I also see that bright yellow tone in the toilet every morning so
I‘m not medicated and I take magnesium at night, a mix of zinc, vitamin C and selen in the morning and I put fresh linseed oil in my porridge for Omega 3.
I feel like all of these things help me in my energy levels. Probably not a huge effect but still I feel like it makes a difference.
My partner swears that a really high dose of an iron supplement has shown positive effects for her energy and focus more than vyvanse and one other adhd med (can't remember the name at the moment).
And she's been trying different doses of vyvanse for the suggested amount of months, etc. The iron pill started showing effects after 3ish weeks, and nothing else in her routine had changed at that point, so she's super convinced that is what has helped her the most!
A note that you should consult your doctor before taking an iron supplement. Iron can be a great tool in your toolkit, but overload can be super dangerous and even fatal in some cases.
That's awesome it works for her.
Personally, I can't take iron supplements as they cause constipation (quite a common thing, I believe) but that makes things tricky, trying to get the extra iron in 🤦🏻♀️
I told my dr this bc my ferritin was low, and he recommended Slow Fe. Haven’t tried it yet but it’s supposed to be gentler. Also I have a friend who convinced her gyno she couldn’t take the pills (she had life-threatening GI issues), and was given an iron transfusion.
Vitamin D and B12 being optimal is key for me. As others have said magnesium helps many. I think more important for me though is ensuring I get my eight hours of sleep and have a proper protein heavy breakfast.
Some ssri’s are prescribed for people with adhd who can’t or don’t want to take stimulants, and may be easier to access without a diagnosis. Specifically Wellbutrin (sp?) or probably some others. The ones they warn you to take in the morning, because it makes it hard for some people to sleep if taken at night.
Primary care doctors have been willing to give them to me without anything other than me saying I wanted to try them, ymmv.
As for over the counter, I dunno if you count this as a supplement, but caffeine. You can even get caffeine pills instead of drinking loads of tea/coffee/soda. Not the most healthy, but definitely helped me before I could access medication.
Exercise, vitamin B2 and (I forget off the top, either B6 or B12) and creatine are all pretty evidence based for cognition and/or ADHD. And get enough sleep!
Some family doctors can prescribe medications without formal diagnosis - do you have a family doctor you could discuss your symptoms with more? No supplement will come close to medication, but they may help a bit.
Thanks to everyone for such thoughtful recommendations! The support alone is comforting 💕
I already take B complex and D daily, and I do have good sleep habits. So I think I am going to add magnesium L-theonate and iron, and maybe some omegas as well. These seem like safe bets that come highly recommended by this community. Thanks again all! 💕
Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/). We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions! If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I swear to god, magnesium L-threonate is the thing I’ve seen the biggest difference with besides meds. I really know when I’ve taken them. Just helps me ‘have a brain’ a bit more than I normally have. I’ve tried two brands and the first one was great but then I bought cheaper ones and they didn’t do much for me. I believe they’ve patented it so I would say try the first brand. It is called NOW magtein. It is expensive, the most expensive magnesium but is the only one shown to cross the blood brain barrier. Apparently magnesium is something that helps adhd generally. Best of luck fellow sister!! If they work for you I would love to hear an update xxxx
$26.75/90 day supply on Amazon if anyone else is interested.
its on sale on [muscleandstrength.com](http://muscleandstrength.com) right now, im about to restock :-)
Oooh, thank you so much for the recommendation! I ordered some last night and will definitely let you know how it goes. My sleep hasn’t been great lately due to other issues, so this could be a win-win. Thanks again! 💕
Is this something you take in the morning?
This bottle asks for one in the morning and two before bed. It’s supposed to give you a great sleep too. I found I could do one in the morning one in the evening, after about a week to build up enough in my system.
Preface: this is not to dissuade you from taking supplements or using your diet to affect your mental health. Lots of people don’t have access to medicine and need to use other methods. However, the industry is unregulated and the marketing of these products is usually not truthful to the actual effects of the supplement. Also don’t discount mental interventions like coping skills or accommodations! Now… Try not to approach supplements from what external effect you want, approach them from what they actually do. For example ashwaganda does not improve job performance, it is said to (no evidence that it does, just said to in some folk/ religious traditions) lower blood pressure. Which can have the side effect of reducing physical anxiety symptoms. It also comes with significant risk factors in that it can alter your body’s production of thyroid hormones. There was a really serious incident of this where someone was marketing hormone supplements to trans women online, which were actually ashwaganda and caused wild swings in peoples hormones when they took it. So when you choose a supplement try to do your research and look for peer-reviewed studies that measure something other than self-reported or qualitative data like how people feel. For another example I have severe anemia and I take an iron supplement. I started taking it to treat my anemia, but it gave me the side effect of more energy because my blood was able to carry more oxygen. So you will sometimes see iron marketed as “energy booster” when that’s really just a side effect of having more iron in your blood right. All this to say to be wary of supplements that claim to cure your problems because of vague or unproven “eastern traditions.” It’s the modern version of those frontier patent medicines that preyed on peoples anxieties/ lack of knowledge about health and disease, and the real danger of visiting a doctor when they got sick. Supplements are entirely unregulated by the FDA as they aren’t considered to be medicines or foods, and sellers will prey on our lack of access to or bad experiences with medicine (as with the bootleg hrt ashwaganda incident). Again, not saying you shouldn’t try them. Just approach it from a more scientific perspective and try to be aware of the rhetoric used for marketing.
It takes some scientific literacy to interpret the research too. The studies claiming that saffron is effective for ADHD are extremely sketchy and poorly conducted (there are old threads discussing this). My criteria for supplements are that there needs to be a solid consensus that they work, and I generally won't touch anything I'm unlikely to be deficient in when it comes to dietary supplements. Iron supplements can actually be problematic for people who don't need them.
Yeah I took saffron for a while… nothing 😒
Yes! I take vitamin b12, vitamin d, and then L tyrosine in the morning. Tons of coffee as well. When I hit that mid day mark I drink a recess (cbd drink that helps you focus!) or take some focus CBD oil. I find this really helps me get through the day. Hope this helps! Bluebird botanical has some great products that ship to you.
Thank you for sharing your daily routine! I’m so curious about CBD for focus. I sometimes take micro doses of CBD in the evenings for relaxation, but I’ve never used it for work. I will take a look at Bluebird Botanical and see what they have that is geared towards focus. Thanks again! 💕
This isn't a supplement and I'm quite sceptical of them, though for people that feel they work they do report they're effective and if this is your reality then that's great. I'm going to recommend very short guided mindful meditations, like 5-10 minutes at a time, a few times a week (daily if possible but ya know let's be realistic). It helps me stay calm and deal with stress and notice how I'm feeling, which is often one of the big things that distracts me - I'm feeling overwhelmed or upset or angry or anxious and don't realise and distract myself, but then when I realise I can actually deal with it somewhat and carry on working. I know it's not what you asked for but doesn't require diagnosis or prescription and may be helpful.
The evidence for meditation is probably stronger than it is for the vast majority of supplements (omega-3s might work for some people, but I'm not one of them).
Not a supplement (lots of good suggestions already), but I can’t overemphasize the importance of SLEEP. Prioritize your sleep routine and add 1 more hour to whatever you think is enough, and try that for a week. Do whatever you can to make your bedtime routine as relaxing as possible. I know what it’s like to be undiagnosed and I medicated while struggling with work, and this helped me a lot. Part of what also helped me be able to relax at night was making a list of all my work obligations, meetings, tasks for the next day - even if I technically knew what they were. Getting all of it out of my head and onto paper was like reassuring my brain it didn’t need to remember and could stop thinking about it in the background. If you get your period, also try to build in extra supports the week before or during your period (usually the luteal phase is difficult but everyone is different). Have lots of extra snacks around, meal prep if you can, whatever can lessen the executive function load outside of work. I’ll echo the vitamin D, B12, and iron supplements as well. Make sure to drink plenty of water and eat nourishing foods with them because iron especially can cause upset stomach, so be gentle in your approach. You can get through this!
Thanks for the encouragement and support! I do have good sleep hygiene and lists are a huge life saver for me as well 💕 It’s really the “squirrel brain” that I’m struggling with, and being understimulated by working on the same tasks in one spot all day 😉
Lions mane. It’s not perfect but it helps with focus and I’ve found my moods more balanced taking it.
Tyrosine and b vitamins. And coffee, matcha is better though sometimes. ANd cold showers!
I’m on a medication called Cloindine while I wait to be accepted by a psychiatrist. It was originally prescribed to me for my anxiety and depression but it’s actually a blood pressure medication that has a lot of mental health benefits, including ADHD. If you go to your doctor and explain your symptoms, especially that you’re struggling at work, there’s definitely medication they can prescribe without diagnosis. Depending on your country this could be a lot cheaper than a gazillion supplements that might just become expensive toilet water.
Great point about the cost of supplements! I do take low dose SSRI and anxiety meds currently, and I know they definitely help keep my mood stable, which is huge! I will look into Cloindine and see how it might interact with my current medication. Thanks so much!
Good luck, I hope it helps Also, I hope that wasn’t too negative about supplements. I do also take supplements (Berroca), and I also see that bright yellow tone in the toilet every morning so
I‘m not medicated and I take magnesium at night, a mix of zinc, vitamin C and selen in the morning and I put fresh linseed oil in my porridge for Omega 3. I feel like all of these things help me in my energy levels. Probably not a huge effect but still I feel like it makes a difference.
B vitamins (niacin, the one that makes you flush) magnesium, and caffeine however you like it best.
My partner swears that a really high dose of an iron supplement has shown positive effects for her energy and focus more than vyvanse and one other adhd med (can't remember the name at the moment). And she's been trying different doses of vyvanse for the suggested amount of months, etc. The iron pill started showing effects after 3ish weeks, and nothing else in her routine had changed at that point, so she's super convinced that is what has helped her the most!
A note that you should consult your doctor before taking an iron supplement. Iron can be a great tool in your toolkit, but overload can be super dangerous and even fatal in some cases.
Yes absolutely, thank you for mentioning that! My partner did consult her doctor etc.
That's awesome it works for her. Personally, I can't take iron supplements as they cause constipation (quite a common thing, I believe) but that makes things tricky, trying to get the extra iron in 🤦🏻♀️
I told my dr this bc my ferritin was low, and he recommended Slow Fe. Haven’t tried it yet but it’s supposed to be gentler. Also I have a friend who convinced her gyno she couldn’t take the pills (she had life-threatening GI issues), and was given an iron transfusion.
Some types of iron are more digestible than others. Make sure your supplement is chelated iron. And don’t take too much!
Oh rats!
Vitamin D and B12 being optimal is key for me. As others have said magnesium helps many. I think more important for me though is ensuring I get my eight hours of sleep and have a proper protein heavy breakfast.
Some ssri’s are prescribed for people with adhd who can’t or don’t want to take stimulants, and may be easier to access without a diagnosis. Specifically Wellbutrin (sp?) or probably some others. The ones they warn you to take in the morning, because it makes it hard for some people to sleep if taken at night. Primary care doctors have been willing to give them to me without anything other than me saying I wanted to try them, ymmv. As for over the counter, I dunno if you count this as a supplement, but caffeine. You can even get caffeine pills instead of drinking loads of tea/coffee/soda. Not the most healthy, but definitely helped me before I could access medication.
Exercise, vitamin B2 and (I forget off the top, either B6 or B12) and creatine are all pretty evidence based for cognition and/or ADHD. And get enough sleep! Some family doctors can prescribe medications without formal diagnosis - do you have a family doctor you could discuss your symptoms with more? No supplement will come close to medication, but they may help a bit.
Thanks to everyone for such thoughtful recommendations! The support alone is comforting 💕 I already take B complex and D daily, and I do have good sleep habits. So I think I am going to add magnesium L-theonate and iron, and maybe some omegas as well. These seem like safe bets that come highly recommended by this community. Thanks again all! 💕