Video: Study: St. John's Wort not affective for treating ADHD

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Parents of children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often turn to alternative remedies either because they don't like the idea of prescription drugs or because those medications haven't worked. But a new study from Bastyr University finds that one of the most popular herbal supplements doesn't work either and may cause side effects.

Adriana Arjona was diagnosed with ADHD when she was six. She's always had trouble making friends.

"They treated me a little differently and sometimes it was a little harder to fit in with people because you know I wasn't like them," said Adriana Arjona. "I always had the need to move."

Like many parents, Arjona's mother chose herbal supplements. One of the most popular is St. John's Wort.

"I think the real concern with St. John's Wort is that one we found that it didn't work for ADHD," said Wendy Weber, N.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. Bastyr University.

Weber and her colleagues studied 54 children with ADHD; ages ranged from six to 17. Half received 900 milligrams of St. John's Wort a day for eight weeks. The other half received a placebo.

"Individuals who took St. John's Wort did no better than the children who took placebo. So we saw no beneficial effect of St. John's Wort in our trial," said Weber.

More concerning are potential side effects including drug interactions, increased sensitivity to the sun and elevated blood pressure in some people.

"Even though it's a natural product does not necessarily mean that it's safe," said Weber. "So you always want to talk to your healthcare provider about using those natural treatments and keep them informed because there can be interactions."

Arjona still has trouble concentrating and sleeping.

"I hope that someday someone will be able to come out with a better, natural medicine for it and so that I can get to sleep," said Arjona.

Until then she's trying to cope with her symptoms.

Researchers looked at the use of St. John's Wort by itself to treat ADHD. The study appears in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association. A previous study in JAMA found that St. John's Wort was not effective for major depression.