gaba Archives • Alison Mitchell Naturopath

What you need to know about ADHD and gut health

Alison — Mon, 04 May 2026 04:58:35 +0000

TL;DR

The gut and brain communicate constantly via the gut-brain axis and vagus nerve — and for many people with ADHD, the gut is a significant piece of the puzzle.
The gut microbiome produces around 90% of the body’s serotonin, as well as dopamine precursors and calming neurotransmitters like GABA.
Compromised gut lining (leaky gut) can trigger neuroinflammation that directly impacts focus, mood, and behaviour.
Microba gut microbiome testing can show us exactly what’s happening rather than guessing — and help build targeted, effective support.

Why the gut keeps coming up in ADHD

If you or your child has ADHD, chances are most of the focus so far has been on the brain. Medications, strategies, routines, sensory tools. And all of that absolutely has its place. But there’s another system worth paying serious attention to, and it lives a lot further south.

The gut.

Over the last decade, research into ADHD gut health has grown enormously. What’s emerging is genuinely fascinating: the gut communicates constantly with the brain, produces a significant portion of the body’s neurotransmitters, and houses an immune system that can either support or undermine how we think, focus and feel. When the gut is struggling, the brain often is too.

In clinic, I see this pattern regularly. Kids and adults with ADHD who also deal with constipation, bloating, food sensitivities, or a history of frequent antibiotic use. It’s rarely a coincidence.

Gut health isn’t separate from brain health in ADHD — they’re part of the same conversation.

The gut-brain axis: a two-way conversation

The gut-brain axis is a sophisticated communication network linking the digestive system and the central nervous system. It works through the vagus nerve, the enteric nervous system (the gut’s own independent nerve network), immune signalling, and hormonal pathways.

The vagus nerve is the superhighway of this system. Here’s what surprises most people: roughly 80 to 90 percent of the signals travelling along it go from the gut up to the brain, not the other way around. The gut is quite literally briefing the brain all day long.

For people with ADHD, vagal tone — how efficiently the vagus nerve functions — is an area of growing research interest. Poor vagal tone has been associated with difficulty regulating the nervous system, increased impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, and reduced attentional control.

The enteric nervous system adds another layer. This network of over 500 million neurons lining the gut wall operates largely independently of the brain. When its environment is disrupted, the signals it sends upstream change accordingly.

The microbiome and ADHD: what your gut bacteria are doing

The gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms living in the digestive tract — has an outsized influence on brain function. Here’s how:

Serotonin production

Around 90–95% of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut. Serotonin influences mood, sleep, impulse regulation, and is a precursor to melatonin. When the microbiome isn’t producing adequate serotonin, all of those areas are affected.

Dopamine precursors

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter most directly implicated in ADHD. While dopamine itself doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier, gut bacteria influence the availability of the precursors that do — including L-DOPA.

GABA

GABA is the brain’s primary calming neurotransmitter, playing a key role in reducing anxiety and supporting focus. Certain gut bacteria are involved in its production — and these species are consistently lower in people with ADHD.

Short-chain fatty acids

SCFAs like butyrate are produced when gut bacteria ferment dietary fibre. Butyrate feeds the gut lining, supports blood-brain barrier integrity, and has anti-inflammatory effects in the central nervous system. Altered SCFA profiles are consistently found in children with ADHD.

What the research says

Studies consistently find distinct microbiome profiles in people with ADHD — lower Bifidobacterium, lower Lactobacillus, and lower Faecalibacterium. A 2025 meta-analysis also found a 63% increased risk of IBS in people with ADHD, covering data from over 175,000 individuals.

Leaky gut, neuroinflammation, and ADHD

The gut lining is designed to be selectively permeable — allowing nutrients through while keeping bacteria, toxins, and larger molecules out. When that lining becomes compromised (leaky gut), things get through that shouldn’t.

This triggers an immune response. Inflammatory signalling compounds called cytokines increase in circulation, and inflammation begins to affect the brain as well as the gut. This state of neuroinflammation is increasingly understood as a meaningful contributing factor in ADHD symptoms.

The current model gaining traction in research: gut dysbiosis leads to increased intestinal permeability → systemic inflammation → impaired blood-brain barrier function → neurological environment associated with worsening of symptoms associated with ADHD. It’s not the whole picture, but it’s a significant part of it.

Signs that gut health may be contributing to ADHD symptoms: frequent digestive complaints, history of repeated antibiotic use, significant food sensitivities, strong sugar or processed food cravings, sleep difficulties, mood instability or anxiety alongside ADHD, and history of formula feeding or caesarean birth.

Microbiome testing: actually seeing what’s going on

One of the most valuable things we can do when ADHD and gut symptoms overlap is to look at what’s actually happening in the microbiome — rather than applying a generic protocol and hoping for the best.

This is where I find gut microbiome testing genuinely useful. I currently use Microba, a gut testing service that uses deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing — a significantly more detailed method than standard testing. Rather than just identifying which bacterial families are present, it can identify bacteria at the species and strain level, measure functional capacity, and assess markers like SCFA-producing potential and inflammation-related species and metabolites.

What Microba testing can show
Microbiome diversity and composition
SCFA-producing bacteria and estimated butyrate production capacity
Presence of inflammatory or dysbiotic species
Markers of intestinal permeability risk
Markers associated with poor motility, inflammation, altered immune response, and there are some markers associated with an increased likelihood of mood issues

Testing is done at home with a stool sample and returned to the lab via post — straightforward for both adults and kids. The results are detailed but translated into accessible language, which I find really useful for explaining findings to patients.

This information takes the guesswork out of gut support. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, we can see exactly where the gaps are and tailor support accordingly — specific probiotic strains, prebiotic foods, dietary shifts, and targeted herbal or nutritional support where indicated.

It currently costs ~$400-$500 depending on which level of test you choose which is not feasible for some people, but certainly gut health work can still be done without this, just not with the same level of fine tuning.

Common questions about ADHD and gut health

Does gut health affect ADHD?

Yes. Research consistently shows that people with ADHD have distinct gut microbiome profiles compared to those without the condition. The gut produces key neurotransmitters including serotonin and dopamine precursors, communicates directly with the brain via the vagus nerve, and influences neuroinflammation. Gut health is not the sole cause of ADHD, but it is a meaningful contributing factor for many people.

What gut issues are common in people with ADHD?

Constipation, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), reflux, and food sensitivities are all more common in people with ADHD than in the general population. A 2025 meta-analysis found a 63% increased risk of IBS in individuals with ADHD, covering data from more than 175,000 people. These symptoms often indicate underlying gut dysbiosis rather than coincidental digestive complaints.

Can improving gut health help ADHD symptoms?

Supporting gut health can be a helpful part of a broader ADHD management approach. Improving microbiome diversity, reducing gut inflammation, and supporting short-chain fatty acid production may positively influence neurotransmitter balance, sleep, mood stability, and attention — all areas affected in ADHD. It works best alongside, not instead of, other management strategies.

What is the best gut test for ADHD?

Comprehensive microbiome testing using shotgun metagenomic sequencing — such as Microba — provides the most detailed picture of gut health relevant to ADHD. This goes beyond basic bacterial identification to assess functional capacity, SCFA-producing potential, and inflammation markers, allowing for much more targeted support.

How does leaky gut relate to ADHD?

When the gut lining becomes permeable, bacteria, toxins, and inflammatory compounds can enter the bloodstream and trigger immune responses. This chronic low-grade inflammation can affect the brain and contribute to the neuroinflammatory environment associated with ADHD symptoms including inattention, mood dysregulation, and impulsivity.

Naturopathic support for ADHD gut health isn’t about replacing other management strategies — it works alongside them. The focus is on identifying the specific factors influencing your (or your child’s) presentation, and building support from there.

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References

1. Ng, R. W., Chen, Z., Yang, L., et al. (2025). Association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders and intestinal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 15, 19278. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04303-x
2. Steckler, R., Magzal, F., Kokot, M., Walkowiak, J., & Tamir, S. (2024). Disrupted gut harmony in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Dysbiosis and decreased short-chain fatty acids. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity – Health, 40, 100829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100829
3. Stiernborg, M., Debelius, J. W., Yang, L. L., Skott, E., Millischer, V., Giacobini, M., et al. (2023). Bacterial gut microbiome differences in adults with ADHD and in children with ADHD on psychostimulant medication. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 110, 310–321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2023.03.012
4. Phasouk, K., Saengnipanthkul, S., Lao-araya, M., & Chattipakorn, N. (2025). Impact of psychostimulants on microbiota and short-chain fatty acids alterations in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Scientific Reports, 15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87546-y
5. Jiang, H., Zhang, X., Yu, Z., Zhang, Z., Deng, M., Zhao, J., & Ge, X. (2021). Gut microbiota signature in treatment-naïve attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9, 329. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12309550/
6. Liu, Y., Li, W., Zhong, X., et al. (2025). Symptom-specific gut microbial and metabolic profiles in ADHD reveal SCFA deficiency as a key pathogenic mechanism. ISME Journal. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12309550/

Ready to look at the bigger picture?

If you or your child is navigating ADHD and you’ve noticed gut symptoms, food sensitivities, sleep struggles or mood instability alongside the attention challenges, it’s worth exploring the gut connection. I offer gut-focused naturopathic consultations for both adults and children, including Microba testing where indicated.

Book a consultation

The post What you need to know about ADHD and gut health appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Stress and the Nervous System – Podcast

Alison — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 21:09:50 +0000

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Health and Wellbeing Podcast #4

It’s time for podcast number four, and in this one I talk with fellow naturopath Laura Burton about stress, neurotransmitter health, adrenal health, ways to deal with and reduce stress via diet and lifestyle techniques.

Laura is a clinical naturopath practicing in St Leonards and Dural. Her key areas of interest are female hormone disorders, digestive health, stress & adrenal fatigue. Through her clinical experience Laura has identified the prevalence of stress in our everyday lives and sees it as the most common cause or exacerbating factor of her patients health conditions. Laura believes that we need to get back to basics and work on our ability to release and manage stress in order to prevent and treat disease.

Last year Laura set herself the mission to reach beyond the walls of her clinics and send her de-stress message out to Australian and New Zealand households through the Burton Health Tea Club. Each month she sends love letters and tea packages to her members to inject joy and excitement into their days and to remind them to slow down, relax and reconnect while sipping on a cup of organic herbal tea.

You can connect with Laura via her website www.burtonhealth.com.au, on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/health-wellbeing-podcast/id1006574743

Podcast Breakdown:

4:27 What have Laura and I been up to? Laura has been busy with her Tea Club and clinic life, and I have been busy in the clinic as well. I also have the Stress Talk coming up this Saturday at Windsor.

5:50 Stress has a big impact on our everyday life and it can be difficult to recognise stress because it comes in so many different forms. Sneaky stress!

7:00 The impact of over-exercising or the wrong forms of exercise on stress and adrenal health.

8:22 Stress impacts on nervous system balance.

8:54 The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

9:24 Serotonin

10:45 Histamine

12:52 GABA

14:14 Dopamine

14:46 Adenosine

15:26 Laura talks about diet and nutrients for neurotransmitter and mood health

17:30 Digestive health is important in neurotransmitter health because we need to be able to breakdown our foods to absorb the nutrients required for neurotransmitter production

18:22 Vitamin C and other nutrients required for neurotransmitters and adrenal health

21:28 Iron supplementation risks, haemochromatosis and anxiety

22:40 Laura sums up how a balanced diet can usually provide the variety of

22:11 Adrenal health: How norepinephrine and epinephrine work in the body, and why high cortisol can impede muscle gain from exercise. Chronic stress can suppress out immune system and reduce our ability to heal from injuries.

24:50 Adrenal fatigue symptoms we’d look for in clinic.

26:36 Saliva testing for adrenal fatigue

28:00 Diet and lifestyle ways to deal with adrenal fatigue

29:29 Hugs for relieving stress!

30:39 Meditation increases dopamine and serotonin

31:09 Mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises. One moment meditation video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8

35:29 Changing our mindset and ways of thinking

37:43 Gratitude practice

40:31 Our favourite stress herbs

The post Stress and the Nervous System – Podcast appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Don’t Panic! It’s an anxiety epidemic!

Alison — Tue, 20 May 2014 02:49:17 +0000

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YOU ARE NOT ALONE

If you experience anxiety, you are not alone. Conditions like anxiety and depression are becoming increasingly common. In Australia and New Zealand about 20% of adults will experience a mental illness at some stage in their lives. 3% of Australian adults experience anxiety in a year (this is high!) and 55 to 60 % of these are women. The higher incidence of women with anxiety may be due to the fact that men seek treatment less frequently. The average high-schooler today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s. We are getting more anxious every decade.

When we are presented with a stressful situation it is normal to feel some anxiety, however it is when this becomes more prolonged or severe that anxiety is considered to be a ‘disorder’. Anyone who has experienced anxiety knows that you can’t just “stop worrying” or “snap out of it” – if it was that simple then it wouldn’t be such a problem. Thankfully, there is much that can be done. One of the first steps to overcoming anxiety is understanding that it’s not ‘all in your head’, but learning about the condition, and then taking steps to get better by seeking help.

WHY?

There are several types of anxiety, such as generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorders, post traumatic stress disorders and phobias. These can be caused by slightly processes in the body, and will give different symptoms as well.

Given the increased pressure we have on ourselves with work, finance, family, relationships and not to mention all the scary things the media warns us about, it’s no wonder that anxiety is so common. Support networks (groups of people that we can turn to who listen to and understanding our concerns) used to exist in greater strengths, however with everyone’s busy lives and the impact of technology on social interactions we are no longer able to ‘debrief’ as we once were, and so our stresses are exaggerated and not dealt with properly.

There are many different causes and triggers of anxiety (so many that it could fill a book) so I will only list some of them.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals which allow our neurons to communicate with the rest of our body by an electrical signal. If there is an imbalance in these, we can get a problem with mood. Serotonin, Glutamate, GABA and Dopamine are most often involved with anxiety. The way that we make neurotransmitters is like a factory line – we start with protein and there are several steps along the way where certain vitamins and minerals add bits and pieces to get the final product. If something goes wr0ng with that factory line, you get neurotransmitter imbalances.
Emotional triggers. This doesn’t really need explaining.
Hormonal imbalances. Many women (and their partners) are well aware of the affects of PMS on mood. Anxiety and depression are very common around ‘that time of the month’.
Blood sugar level fluctuations. When your blood sugar levels drop it can cause feelings of anxiety, so eating a low GI diet is important to prevent anxiety.
Diet : deficiencies. What you eat can affect your mood. A lot. There are a few vitamins and minerals in particular that have very important roles in making our neurotransmitters (think of the factory line mentioned before), and if you are missing one or any of these then the process either doesn’t occur, or goes in the wrong direction.
Diet : triggers. Food intolerances, caffeine or other stimulants, preservatives and additives can trigger anxiety via a complicated chemical process which ultimately – you guess it – disrupts that neurtransmitter factory line.
Digestive problems. Did you know we make most of our neurotransmitters in our digestive system? It makes sense then that digestive problems can upset the subtle balance of these neurotransmitters, affecting your mood. Most people with IBS have probably noticed this connection for themselves – have a stressful day, and your gut suffers (and vice versa). Liver issues can also be connected with anxiety, potentially via their effect on intestinal health and bilirubin toxicity, even though some conditions such as Gilbert’s syndrome are frequently labelled as being symptom free.
Toxicity (e.g. heavy metals)
Inflammation. A lot of mental health conditions are now being linked to other auto-immune/inflammatory conditions, and depression itself is considered to be an inflammatory condition.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Seek help!

According to a research paper from the Lancet published in 2006, despite the great number of pharmacological options less than half of the patients suffering from panic disorder experience a full and sustained remission. What should we take from this disappointing fact?

We need to realise that what causes anxiety is not the same for everyone. Treatment of anxiety and other mental health conditions needs to be holistic. By this I mean that all the factors that combine to cause anxiety need to be addressed, and that treatment should incorporate different methods to do this, such as counselling, nutrition, herbal medicine, massage and acupuncture to relieve the symptoms of anxiety and address the underlying causes.

Complementary medicine can do marvellous things for anxiety, however if your anxiety is severely debilitating then medication may be necessary in the short term. It is advisable not to self prescribe as anxiety and depression require specific doses and quality of herbs which are difficult to find in the retail range, and there are interactions between some medications and herbs which should be avoided.

There are many different treatment options available giving you plenty of choice and whichever one you choose it is most likely you will get some relief – choose a therapy that you have an affinity with and combine it with a cognitive therapy (e.g. counselling, hypnotherapy or meditation) and you’re on the right path.

Don’t lose hope – if you seek help then you can regain control over your anxiety.

Some tips to help you along your way

Meditation is one of the oldest and most effective ways of managing anxiety and mood disorders. Research has shown that people who take conventional medications for anxiety who also meditate have a better result. This is a good practice to incorporate into your daily ritual to help manage anxiety.

Breathing techniques are a very important part of managing anxiety. A lot of people don’t breathe correctly, which is usually a habit we don’t even realize we have. Some of us are chronically bad breathers as a result of growing up with breathing conditions such as asthma or sinus disorders. This incorrect way of breathing can worsen anxiety, often leading to hyperventilation.

Your diet can have a strong impact on anxiety, both positively and negatively. To begin with, simply reduce the foods that can trigger anxiety (see above) and try to increase your intake of nourishing foods like good fats, vegetables and whole (intact and unprocessed) grains – preferably organic. For further guidance consult a naturopath or nutritionist.

Exercise. Walking, jogging, swimming, pilates, yoga. Get moving – it does wonders for burning up your stress hormones and clearing your thoughts.

Keep Rescue Remedy or Emergency Essence handy to use if you have an acute episode.

Mindfulness exercises are a great technique to ‘unclutter’ your mind. There are plenty of different techniques available (just do an internet search) but the core of the technique is that you are concentrating solely on what is happening at that moment in time. Mindful eating is a great habit to get into – it improves stress as well as digestion.

Works Cited

Brito, D. B. (2012). Bilirubin Toxicity. Retrieved from http://www.ff.ul.pt/FCT/RECI/BIM-MEC/0188/2012/1.pdf
Charles L. Raison, M., Christopher A. Lowry, P., & Graham A. W. Rook, B. M. (2010). Inflammation, Sanitation, and ConsternationLoss of Contact With Coevolved, Tolerogenic Microorganisms and the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Major Depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 67(12), 1211-1224.
Hechtman, L. (2011). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine. Churchill Livingstone Australia.
Leahy, R. H. (2008, April 30). Anxiety: How Big a problem is it? (Psychology Today) Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.china-consult.com.au/2010/09/17/anxiety-how-big-a-problem-is-it/
Mindfulness in Everyday Life. (2007, January). (Black Dog Institute) Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/docs/10.MindfulnessinEverydayLife.pdf
Overeview of mental illness in Australia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.responseability.org/site/index.cfm?display= 134563
Roy-Byrne, P. P., Craske, M. G., & Stein, M. B. (2006). Panic Disorder. Lancet, 1023-1032.
Satish A. Eraly, M. P., Caroline M. Nievergelt, P., Adam X. Maihofer, M., Donald A. Barkauskas, P., Nilima Biswas, P., Agorastos Agorastos, M., . . . Team, f. t. (2014). Assessment of Plasma C-Reactive Protein as a Biomarker of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Risk . JAMA Psychiatry, 71(4), 423-431. Retrieved from http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1833091&resultClick=3

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