It's not a shock that PRESCRIPTION STIMULANTS (the two most common are Ritalin and Adderall) are being abused.  What is shocking (kind of like the SLEEPING PILL STUDY I recently shared with you) is the extent to which it's happening.  Case in point, a study from this month's issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry (Prevalence and Correlates of Prescription Stimulant Use, Misuse, Use Disorders, and Motivations for Misuse Among Adults in the United States).  The study revealed that approximately 2% of our adult population (5 million) are abusing these drugs.  Furthermore, almost 7% of the population (16 million adults) have taken these stimulants in the past year.

Researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, both of which are in Maryland, used the 2015 and 2016 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health to show that close to half a million adult Americans have "use disorders" (addictions) when it comes to these stimulants.  Where are they getting them?  "The most likely source of misused prescription stimulants was by obtaining them free from friends or relatives (56.9%). More frequent prescription stimulant misuse and use disorder were associated with an increased likelihood of obtaining medications from physicians or from drug dealers or strangers and less likelihood of obtaining them from friends or relatives."

America has a CULTURE OF DRUG USE, both pushed and prescribed.  At less than 5% of the world's population, we are, according to our own governmental statistics, using 75% of the world's prescription medications (HERE).  I don't care who you are or what your belief system is, that's ridiculous.  If you are looking to get off the medical merry-go-round and start taking your life back from a group that sees you as nothing more than a commodity (Big Pharma), I've created a simple (and free) protocol that will help most of you get the ball rolling (HERE).   And be sure to show some love on FACEBOOK if you are enjoying our site.

Dr. Archibald Cochrane (1908-1988) was a Scottish physician whose seminal work, Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services, argued that the medical profession could best move forward by placing its emphasis on the evidence extracted from placebo-controlled, randomized trials and cohort studies.  Five years after Cochrane's death, a group of physicians and researchers decided to do just that by starting the Cochrane Collaboration (now simply called 'Cochrane'), which publishes their findings in the Cochrane Library, a series of databases.  It also contains their numerous "Cochrane Reviews".

Cochrane Reviews are large meta-analysis of numerous studies that summarize and interpret the results of medical research.  Unlike many research organizations who make you pay to see their results (usually only the abstract is free), Cochrane Reviews are always freely available to the public in their entirety.   How respected is this group of 37,000 professionals?  A decade ago the Canadian Medical Association Journal stated that Cochrane Reviews are.....

"The best single resource for methodologic research and for developing the science of meta-epidemiology....."

Thus, the Cochrane Library is an important piece of what we today call "EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE".   In a perfect world, neutral third-party researchers review studies from around the world on a specific topic, and crunch the data.  This is the goal of Cochrane.  We know, however, that there is little research not tainted at least to some degree, by FINANCIAL CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST.  Cochrane is probably as good as anyone at cutting through the COI, weeding it out, and getting down to the brass tacks facts.  A perfect example of a Cochrane Review was found in my recent post on THE EFFICACY OF FLU SHOTS (hint: they're not).   And just the other day they gave us their thoughts on the drugs used to treat ADHD --- the most common being Ritalin.

In case you did not know, Ritalin, as well as similar drugs like Aderall and Concerta, are prescription methamphetamine (HERE), which makes them a prime target for all kinds of abuse.  The recent Cochrane Review (Benefits and Harms of Methylphenidate for Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder --- ADHD) tackled this issue head on.  After telling us what ADHD is, and how prevalent it is in American society, they told us something we already knew; "Methylphenidate is the drug most often prescribed to treat children and adolescents with ADHD".  They looked at 185 studies that involved over 12,000 children diagnosed with ADHD.  They determined that, "Most trials were small and of low quality, and seventy-two of the 185 included trials (40%) were funded by industry."  They also said that the short duration of the studies, "made it impossible to assess the long-term effects of methylphenidate."    The group's conclusions?

"Findings suggest that methylphenidate might improve some of the core symptoms of ADHD – reducing hyperactivity and impulsivity, and helping children to concentrate. Methylphenidate might also help to improve the general behaviour and quality of life of children with ADHD. However, we cannot be confident that the results accurately reflect the size of the benefit of methylphenidate.

The evidence in this review of RCTs suggests that methylphenidate does not increase the risk of serious (life threatening) harms when used for periods of up to six months. However, taking methylphenidate is associated with an increased risk of non-serious harms such as sleeping problems and decreased appetite."

There are a couple things that stuck out to me in these two short paragraphs.  Firstly, one of the things we know from Cochrane and others is just how UNDER-REPORTED ADVERSE EVENTS really are.  According to several large meta-analysis on the subject, about the best you ever see is that 1 in 10 adverse events is ever reported to the proper authorities so that it can actually become a statistic, with most studies putting that number closer to 1 in 100 (see the link).  Secondly, although they don't reveal it in these two paragraphs, no one is really sure how these drugs even work.  A scary thought considering we are dealing here with one of the most addictive substances on the planet --- Meth.  And thirdly, while the Cochrane Review considers things like INSOMNIA & DECREASED APPETITE, "non-serious," I would argue the opposite.

Not only are these two side-effects potentially serious --- particularly for children ---- but they are the very hallmarks of methamphetamine addiction.  After Googling "hallmarks of meth addiction" and clicking the first thing that came up (Behavior Characteristics of Meth Addiction and Crystal Meth Addicts at Stop Meth Addiction dot com), the second thing on their list --- right behind "jumpy eyes" was, "loss of interest in normal activities, food, water, sex, sleep."

Every time I think about this topic I think of the late Kurt Cobain, front man for the Seattle grunge band Nirvana.  It's no secret that like many children and adolescents, he had issues.  And like millions of other American children, even though Nancy was telling us all to 'Just Say No,' those who were supposed to love and care about us the most (parents, teachers, doctors, etc) were instead prescribing Meth.  It's no secret that Cobain was on Ritalin by age 7.  After blowing his head off with a shotgun in April of 1994, his widow, Courtney Love, said, "When you're a kid and you get this drug that makes you feel that feeling, where else are you going to turn to when you're an adult?"  If what she is saying is accurate, and I think it is, we are making addicts out of a second generation of American children.

The thing is folks, there are better ways to deal with your children's attention and behavior issues than taking them to a doctor who is going to give them Meth (and you thought WEED was a gateway drug).  I would argue that the first thing you need to do is to clean up their diet.  What do I recommend?  Essentially the same thing I recommend for all CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY ILLNESS or AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES ---- a PALEO-LIKE DIET based on WHOLE FOODS.   Honestly, if you follow this step, you will solve 90% of these cases.  The other thing you might have to do is actually DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILD.  Bottom line, if you are trying to justify the reasons you are allowing a physician to prescribe Methamphetamine (Methylphenidate), it might be time to re-evaluate the situation.

Although many of you are already aware of this, most of the drugs commonly used to treat children with ADHD are actually forms of methamphetamine.  In fact, if you look at the names of the three most commonly prescribed drugs for this problem (both adults and children), you'll find that some portion of the word "methamphetamine" is used as part of the drug's chemical name (Concerta --- methylphenidate, Aderall ---amphetamine / dextroamphetamine, Ritalin ---- methylphenidate).  There are numerous others. 

A recent article on Yahoo (Taking My Kid's Ritalin was a Nightmare and a Revelation) exposed a stepmom's shock at the strength of her stepson's medication --- medication he had been on non-stop since first grade.  After mistaking his RITALIN for one of her sleeping pills one night and subsequently feeling, "her jaw tightening, clammy, agitated, and chilled," she was not so surprised that her son, "seemed emotionally dependent on having his meds".  It is no wonder that Courtney Love, widow of Nirvana's front man, Kurt Cobain, who killed himself 20 years ago last month at age 27, said of their drug use, "when you're a kid and you get this drug that makes you feel that feeling, where else are you going to turn to when you're an adult?".   Cobain was diagnosed with ADHD and begin taking Ritalin at age 7. 

Note the dichotomy here.  Even though "M" (from the quote at the top of the page) wishes doctors would have explored other options before the drugs, his stepmom writes that, "he feels that some of his prescription drugs have allowed him to function in society far more effectively than he might have otherwise. At the same time, he's concerned about the effects of synthetic chemicals on a developing brain. He also wonders if other issues that arose in his late teens might have been related to long-term Ritalin use."  In the end, the author states that, "it's impossible to know now whether it was a mistake to start M on Ritalin all those years ago".

My point with sharing this article is not to beat folks over the head for something they may honestly not have known, but to educate them about better ways.  In the same way that "Meth" is a dangerous and highly addictive street drug, so are the meth-based medications used to treat ADD / ADHD.  You need to do whatever it takes to get your child(ren) off these meds.  Because many mental issues (DEPRESSION for instance) are considered to be "INFLAMMATORY" problems, you first need to figure out how to squelch the inflammation.  Start by following the previous link and consuming PGFO.  Also,  ADD / ADHD is another one of the "NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS" that is being heavily linked to GLUTEN.  And everyone knows what SUGAR does to these kids --- it's not some sort of mystery.  You'll probably have to deal with some GUT ISSUES as well --- particularly if your child has been on any amount of ANTIBIOTICS.  This is a starting point.

Here's the good thing.  In the time since Cobain and "M" were prescribed their Ritalin, the internet has taken a prominent place in our society.  There are huge quantities of information on dealing with ADD / ADHD naturally --- some of it right here on our site.  If you do nothing else, please do whatever it takes to keep your kids of these drugs!

Less than two weeks ago, St Louis based think tank, Express Scripts Lab (a division of the huge Pharmaceutical Management Company), released a report called, "Turning Attention to ADHD: U.S. Medication Trends for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder".  The report provided some rather shocking statistics.  Not only did they show us the dumbfounding numbers of Americans on ANTI-DEPRESSANT DRUGS, they revealed how the use of drugs to treat ADHD is skyrocketing.  In fact, the report stated that, "spending on ADHD medication rose 14.2% in 2012, the greatest increase seen among any traditional drug category".  They also said that by 2015, that number should hit 25%.  Enter Dr Richard Saul.

Richard Saul is a sharp guy.  He is a medical doctor with over 5 decades of experience as a Behavioral Neurologist.   He holds board certifications in both Neurology, and Immunology (two extremely complex specialties) as well as Pediatrics and Behavior & Development.  He runs the Diagnostic and Developmental Center near Chicago, and has made the news recently because of his latest book ----  ADHD Does Not Exist.  Dr. Saul and his book have made headlines in virtually every single newspaper and magazine in the Western world over the past week or so, and although I have not read the book, we should all take notice of some of the things he is saying.  If you condense his recent article in Time Magazine down to a couple main points, they would be that according to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the criteria for diagnosing ADHD is so broad that virtually everyone either has it or could be diagnosed with this it.   He also makes the point that stimulant use and addiction are epidemic in America, and that the medical community has to do more for people with ADHD symptoms than merely provide them with stimulants.

That's correct.  The drugs that physicians use to treat ADHD, are "stimulants", and led by some heavy hitters that most of you are at least somewhat familiar with; Aderall, Concerta, and Ritalin.

• ADERALL:  Amphetamine / Dextroamphetamine is commonly used by athletes looking to boost energy levels and performance.

• RITALIN / CONCERTA:      Methylphenidate is commonly abused by adults looking for a big high, or college students hoping to get better grades.

Here's what I want you to notice.  The chemical names of these drugs contain either the word "amphetamine" or "meth" in them.  Yep; when you allow a doctor to prescribe your child various forms of Methamphetamine (HERE) to control their ADHD, problems are bound to ensue.  Ask someone who knows.  It was Kurt Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, who said when asked about the relationship between his ADHD and drug problem, "When you're a kid and you get this drug that makes you feel that feeling, where else are you going to turn to when you're an adult?".  It's a valid point.  According to the report, not only are the people on ADHD meds far more likely to be taking Depression medications, but, "Children on ADHD medications are 10 times more likely to be using an antipsychotic than children who are not using ADHD medications."  I could go on and on, but the report itself is fairly short.  You can read the whole thing in 15 minutes or less.  But this is not the only place that ADHD drugs take you.  It leads to the land of INSULIN RESISTANCE.

Not quite a year ago (HERE), I told you that men who had been diagnosed with ADHD as children, were twice as likely to be OBESE as adults.   A recent study of 164,000 people done by doctors at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and published in the journal Pediatrics confirmed these results. The crazy thing was that the stimulants kept people lean while they were young, but as they got older, their BMI's tended to rise rapidly ---- probably due to frying their ADRENAL GLANDS.   Although the researchers speculate on the reasons for the weight gain, they never give a definitive reason.

I have a pretty good idea that much of the physical aspect of this problem goes back to GUT HEALTH (more about this HERE).  Between the barrage of ANTIBIOTICS, SUGAR, VACCINATIONS, ESTROGEN-LIKE HORMONES, GLUTEN, TRANS FATS, HALIDES, FOOD ADDITIVES, MERCURY, JUNK FOOD & SODA, and numerous other substances that we are saturating our babies / children with from the day they are born, we are destroying the bacteria that make up 80% of their Immune Systems, not to mention the wide array of other critical functions they perform (HERE & HERE).   I gave you one example of this phenomenon just the other day (HERE).  Then, as the child gets older, throw in copious amounts of T.V., computers, video games, cell phones, and dumbed-down educational standards, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Without reading Dr. Saul's book, it is tough for me to make an accurate assessment.  But after reading lots of the articles about his book, not to mention reading the short piece in Time that he wrote himself, I am not sure that the most accurate way to describe his position is that ADHD does not exist.  It's a great title that will automatically sell books via its controversial nature.  I think, however, that a more accurate title would have been "Many Different Health Conditions Result in Children that Cannot Concentrate".  Either way you slice it, the drugs used to treat people with an ADHD diagnosis are not only frequently abused themselves, but often times lead to both drug and alcohol abuse.

A new study from the medical journal Pediatrics has determined that men who were diagnosed with ADHD as children, were twice as likely to be OBESE in later life (my guess is that it has a great deal not to do with the diagnosis itself, but in the drugs these kids are given, and their GUT HEALTH).  For more information on the best ways to deal with both problems, please follow the links.  Just be aware that the authors declared support from Eli Lilly, Shire Pharmaceuticals, GLAXOSMITHKLINE, and Genopharm.  This means that soon, these companies will be coming out with new drugs for said problems.  Isn't "EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE" just grand?

Should we really be surprised at this information?  If we really stop and think about it, how could we be?  We live in society characterized and defined by fast food, JUNK FOOD, SUGAR ADDICTION, CRAZY AMOUNTS OF VACCINATIONS, overt consumption of TRANS FATS, OBESITY, GLUTEN SENSITIVITY, AUTISM, violent movies and video games, online porn, and a virtually negligible intake of EPA & DHA and other essential fats.  Not to mention, the average person is getting almost no WHOLE FOODS in their diets, with few getting enough quality EXERCISE.  On top of that, too many people are spending hours upon hours texting or blankly staring at screens of all kinds.   Truthfully, the only thing we should be surprised about is that the rates of ADHD are not higher than they are!

If you are a person who either struggles with ADHD yourself, or have children with ADHD; become proactive and intervene.  Step up to the plate and be the parent you should be.  Their / your future depends on it!  Educate yourself.  Read.  Click on the links.  Don't sit there in sheep-like fashion watching Seinfeld reruns while your doctor "medicates" you or your family with drugs in the Methamphetamine family (Adderall and Ritalin).  Take the steps to defeat ADHD naturally.

"Finally, the illusion that children’s behavior problems can be cured with drugs prevents us as a society from seeking the more complex solutions that will be necessary. Drugs get everyone — politicians, scientists, teachers and parents — off the hook. Everyone except the children, that is."  Dr. L. Alan Sroufe; Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development.

"There's a fine line between genius and insanity."  Oscar Levant

We have not yet covered the side effects of ADHD Drugs like Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin, and others.  Most of this is a no-brainer.  If you are on these drugs very long, the side effects can begin to make you look suspiciously like a meth-head.  And as you have seen, there is good reason for this.  These drugs are amphetamines ---- speed ---- a form of legalized meth.

One of the most common class of side effects involves the Circulatory System (heart).  Six percent of the people who take these drugs have a significantly increased heart rate.  The drugs also commonly cause palpitations, irregular heart beat, and high blood pressure.  And just like meth, they can cause stroke, heart attack, and even death.  But this is not even near all of it.  If you have ever seen people on meth for any length of time, you know they do not tend to cast much of a shadow (they are often skin and bone).  This is because the drugs remove the sensation of hunger (which, by the way, is why most diet drugs are versions of speed as well).  Meth and similar drugs have always been a favorite among those wishing to lose weight via chemical means.  Believe it or not, approximately one in three people taking the ADHD drugs are going to have anorexia-related side effects (nausea, vomiting, anorexia, things taste different, diarrhea, etc).  This is particularly true of Adderall.

Urinary Tract Infections are another common side effect of ADHD drugs.  According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common of these includes symptoms of abdominal pain, increased frequency, cloudy urine, bloody urine, as well as several others.  Although these are bad, the worst is yet to come.  Not surprisingly, ADHD meds have a tendency to mess with people's minds.  Prolonged use of stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin can cause various forms of psychosis such as paranoia, hostility, DEPRESSION, and feelings of worthlessness or uselessness.  Like many other drugs, the amount that it took to cause a certain effect, does not cause that effect any more.  People need more of the drug to get the same effect.  Most of these side effects are synonymous with SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE.