Micronutrients are a safe and effective treatment for kids struggling with severe irritability, anger and aggression, according to a small New Zealand study of 48 children aged 5-10.
After four weeks, 67% of the children who took a powder blend of 36 micronutrients showed 'much' or 'very much' improved emotional regulation, compared with just 8% of those who did not.
These benefits continued throughout three months of treatment, with added benefits for ADHD, and symptoms returned, although to a lesser degree, when children stopped taking the micronutrient powder.
Abstract
Objective
Previous evidence has established that micronutrient capsules can improve emotion regulation in children. This three-phased randomized open-label waitlist-controlled study investigated the safety of a micronutrient powder absorbed by the oral mucosa and its effects on emotion dysregulation in 5-to-10-year-old children. The primary outcome measures were the Revised Clinician-rated Temper and Irritability Scale (CL-ARI) and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale (CGI-I).
Method
Forty-eight children with moderate-to-severe symptoms of irritability were randomized to an initial treatment group (ITG) or waitlist control group (IWLG) (four-week delayed start), followed by the two groups alternating between taking the micronutrients for four weeks or having a four-week break. For the last three months of the trial, both groups took the micronutrients continuously.
Results
Overall adherence rates were high (93%). At the end of RCT phase, there were large group differences (CL-ARI; d = 1.25, p < .001), and 67% in the ITG and 8% in the IWLG were ‘much’ or ‘very much’ improved (CGI-I).
Further, the ITG displayed a clinically meaningful reduction in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Impulsivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) symptoms as measured with the Child Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV Questionnaire 26 (SNAP-IV) compared to IWLG.
The treatment effect regressed when participants stopped taking the micronutrients and was reinstated when participants were taking the micronutrients.
The observed benefits were maintained over a sustained time period. The IWLG reported significantly more headaches (p = .040) and sweating (p = .037) at the end of RCT. By the end of the study, seven participants (14.5%) dropped out non-differentially by group (p = .22).
Conclusion
The findings showed that micronutrients absorbed by the oral mucosa are a safe intervention that can effectively improve emotion dysregulation in children. Future double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trials are needed to support these findings.
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https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0311794