While stimulants are the first-line treatment for ADHD, there are plenty of situations where it may not be the right option for you right now (or ever). For this reason, many ADHD’ers look to the supplement market for help. The abundance of available products is overwhelming, and how do you know if any of this stuff works?
Inspired by my preschooler’s success with Accentrate, I gave the adult formula a try. While not a drastic transformation, Accentrate 110 provided enough relief that I was able to go off a stimulant that had been giving me side effects. It’s a solid choice for those considering natural ADHD treatment.
Here’s a look at how and why I considered Accentrate and some answers to commonly asked questions about the ADHD supplement. As always, consult your doctor before trying Accentrate.
Accentrate Ingredients
In our house we call Accentrate “brain food” because that’s exactly what it is. The Accentrate formula includes the following omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins:
- Tissue-Targeted® EPA & DHA – Omega-3 fatty acids that are vital in protecting brain tissue and brain cell communication. The EPA and DHA in Accentrate’s formula are in phospholipid form, optimized for brain delivery.
- L-Methylfolate – B vitamin used to address or prevent low levels of folate in the brain.
- Vitamin B6/Vitamin B12 – Deficiencies in these have been linked to cognitive deficiencies.
- Vitamin D3 – Deficiencies of this have been linked to many psychiatric conditions, including ADHD.
- Riboflavin – Otherwise known as B2, deficiencies have been linked to fatigue and brain dysfunction.
Notably, Accentrate updated their formula in 2019 to add riboflavin and increase EPA, DHA, L-methylfolate, and Vitamin D. They also removed magnesium, which is also found in their sister product Accentrate MZI (a combination of magnesium, zinc and iron).
Clinical trials with a university are in the works to test the efficacy of their formulations and respond to the ongoing discoveries and advancements in this space. Supplements are not required to undergo FDA testing, although Accentrate’s ingredients are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA and their manufacturing facilities are compliant with FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations.
Why Did I Try Accentrate?
The main reason I tried it because there were quick and dramatic results with my child. While the label said to give it three weeks, I was getting positive feedback from teachers sooner than that. Around the same time, I had been struggling with my stimulant prescription and was ready to take a break from them. Having Accentrate as an option made me feel more comfortable with giving this a try. While it wasn’t such a night-and-day difference for me, I think I would have struggled even more if I hadn’t been taking it. My child’s specialist remarked that of her parents who have tried it, they would often think it wasn’t working then stop using it and then they were able to see that it actually was working.
While I finally did find a stimulant that didn’t give me side effects, I am grateful for the time that I was able to benefit from Accentrate. Additionally, I can relax knowing if I’m ever in a situation again where I can’t take my stimulant that I have another option in the arsenal.
Things to Consider
- As always, consult your doctor before trying Accentrate. This is especially crucial if you have a family history of bipolar illness and/or you are taking anticonvulsants (which can interfere with the folate).
- Because this isn’t a supplement you can just grab from Target, planning ahead is important so that you don’t run out. I personally used the subscription feature. One fun benefit of taking it with my child is that if I ever ran out, I could double up on hers and be close to what I would be receiving with the adult/older child formula.
- At a price point of $69.99 for a 30-day supply, these aren’t cheap. Ordering in 3-month increments provides the most cost savings, which will save you $10 a month. Promo codes also are occasionally shared via their newsletter. There is no return policy if Accentrate doesn’t work for you.
- It does take awhile for it to start working, ranging anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months. For my daughter, the results were quickly detected in less than 3 weeks. In my case, the results were more subtle but I definitely felt better off for the 7 months I took Accentrate while taking a break from stimulants.
- Some patients take the supplement with stimulant medication while others use it to replace stimulants – again, please consult your doctor on what is best.
