Research Recap with Skye: The ADHD and IBS Connection
Welcome to Hacking Your ADHD. I’m your host, William Curb. Today I’m joined by Skye Waterson for our research recap series. In this series, we dive into a single research paper to see what it says, how it was conducted, and find any practical takeaways.
In this episode, we’re discussing a paper called "Association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and intestinal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis." It’s a fascinating one because they started with nearly 2,000 papers and narrowed it down to 11 high-quality studies.
If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at https://HackingYourADHD.com/262
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William Curb: Welcome to Hacking Your ADHD. I’m your host, William Curb. Today I’m joined by Skye Waterson for our research recap series. In this series, we dive into a single research paper to see what it says, how it was conducted, and find any practical takeaways.
In this episode, we’re discussing a paper called "Association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and intestinal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis." It’s a fascinating one because they started with nearly 2,000 papers and narrowed it down to 11 high-quality studies.
Skye Waterson: Exactly. This came about because we were talking about the common associations with ADHD. We know about things like dyslexia or autism, but there are other strange connections people don’t always talk about—like chronic fatigue, sleep apnea, or hypermobility. The one with the most up-to-date data, however, was intestinal disorders.
William: I was looking at the citations, and this isn't even a new discovery. There’s a paper from 1987 asking about irritable bowels in hyperactive children.
Skye: It’s amazing that before ADHD was even well-known, people were asking these questions! These researchers looked at children reporting more constipation and flatulence. They conducted a systematic review, meaning they searched key databases and excluded any studies where the diagnosis wasn't made by a doctor or based on medical records. Even though they narrowed it down to 11 studies, those studies covered 3.8 million people.
William: And the big finding was a significant correlation between ADHD and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), though not necessarily other intestinal disorders.
Skye: Right. They didn't say other disorders couldn't be associated, but IBS was the one with the significant positive association.
William: For many listeners, this might be an "aha" moment. I know I’m never far from a bottle of Gas X because it can be quite uncomfortable. The study basically confirms that, yes, kids with ADHD may experience more symptoms like flatulence, which can complicate the management of ADHD.
Skye: It also mentioned that Methylphenidate (like Ritalin or Concerta) can increase the risk of abdominal pain in ADHD patients, which I hadn’t heard before. It leads to the question: Why is this happening?
William: The researchers speculate it might involve the gut microbiome. Since ADHD is a developmental disorder, there might be a connection there. Now, I’ve heard people claim the gut microbiome causes ADHD, but we should be careful with that. ADHD is highly genetic, and many people have ADHD without IBS. However, gut issues can definitely exacerbate symptoms. If I’m feeling physically awful or distracted by stomach pain, my ADHD symptoms are going to feel much worse.
Skye: 100%. Beyond the biology, there’s a behavioral side too. Do people with ADHD eat differently? We deal with impulsivity and dopamine-seeking behavior.
William: It reminds me of Russell Barkley’s research. People with unmanaged ADHD have a higher risk of health issues, often due to the choices made under impulsivity. Managing a chronic condition like IBS is just plain harder when you have ADHD.
Skye: It really is. It’s hard to maintain a "gut-healthy" diet when you forget to eat or skip meals because you're hyperfocused. We also have more sensitivity in general.
William: Gut microbiome research is still a very young field. We know a diverse microbiome is linked to better health, but we don't always know exactly why or how to fix it definitively.
Skye: We know ADHD brains look different on scans. I’d love to see someone do the "bowel version" of a brain scan to see if ADHD guts look different too. There is such a strong connection between the gut and the brain.
William: If people want to improve their gut health, my advice is to be cautious of "miracle cures" online. Stick to the basics:
Increase fiber.
Eat a variety of plants.
Try fermented foods (natural probiotics).
Limit highly processed foods when possible.
But don't make "mastering the microbiome" your primary goal if you haven't handled the ADHD basics yet. Don't let the "advanced stuff" distract you from the "big movers."
Skye: I call that the House of Cards vs. the Dominoes. We often try to build a house of cards—fixing ten things at once—and then life happens and it all falls down. Instead, find the first "domino." What is one small change that makes the next thing easier?
William: Start small and stay practical. Don't just chase the "cool" new thing because your dopamine is calling for it.
Skye: But if you’ve been wondering, yes—the association is real.
William: And if you're having regular gut problems, talk to your doctor. I might be doing that myself; maybe I don't need to be taking Gas X five times a week!