Navigating ADHD and Metabolic Health: Insights from Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh and Dr. Matthea Rentea

Welcome back to a special dual episode of "Beyond ADHD: A Physician’s Perspective" hosted by Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh. She is joined today by Dr. Matthea Rentea, an internal medicine and obesity medicine physician, to explore the intricate connections between ADHD, the brain, and metabolic health. This conversation aims to shed light on a topic that is rarely discussed—the intersection of ADHD with eating behaviors and metabolic conditions.

Introduction:

Dr. Diana Mercado-Marmarosh is a family medicine physician and an ADHD life coach, particularly for healthcare professionals. Her journey with ADHD was one of initial concealment, fearing professional judgment, but ultimately it became a crucial part of embracing her identity and capabilities. This newfound acceptance has been transformative not only for herself but also for those she coaches.

Dr. Matthea Rentea elaborates on her journey, highlighting parallels with Dr. Mercado-Marmarosh. As an internal and obesity medicine physician, Dr. Rentea has faced struggles with obesity, which fueled her passion for holistic weight management approaches that go beyond calorie counting and medication.

The common professional and personal challenges they share have driven both physicians to advocate for greater discussions around ADHD, executive function, and their implications on lifestyle habits, particularly eating behaviors.

Understanding ADHD and Its Overlapping Symptoms

A significant portion of Dr. Rentea's patients have ADHD, leading her to recognize patterns like emotional eating and impulse control challenges. ADHD, often misunderstood and mislabeled in females, is especially prone to being overlooked due to subtler symptoms like inattentiveness and internalized stress responses.

Dr. Mercado-Marmarosh enumerates key symptoms often associated with ADHD beyond the more commonly known impulsivity and hyperactivity. These include difficulties with executive functioning like emotional dysregulation and time blindness. Understanding these dysfunctions offers a window into ADHD's impacts on daily life, and suggests the importance of creating supportive systems rather than perceiving oneself as flawed.

Strategies for Managing ADHD and Enhancing Well-being

Dr. Mercado-Marmarosh emphasizes three core strategies which can benefit individuals with or without ADHD:

• Planning and Time Management: Proper planning can significantly boost productivity and reduce stress. Incorporating simple tools like calendering future appointments or using timers can mitigate issues with time blindness and scattered focus. She advises setting intentional time for tasks and establishing buffer times to accommodate the unpredictability that often accompanies ADHD.
• Task Initiation and Completion: She advocates for initiating tasks with the aid of timers or favorite playlists. The concept is to break down daunting tasks into manageable time slots, removing the dread and perceived enormity that prevents task initiation.
• Emotional Regulation: Developing emotional awareness and regulation is crucial. This involves acknowledging and interpreting emotions constructively rather than succumbing to reactive behaviors. Techniques such as mindfulness, deep breathing, and seeking external support through accountability partners or therapists can foster resilience and composure in day-to-day challenges.

Interrelation with Metabolic Health and Medication

The discussion transitions to how ADHD symptoms and their management, including medication, overlap significantly with metabolic health behaviors. Dr. Rentea notes how certain ADHD medications and GLP-1 receptor agonists can influence eating patterns and impulse control, often reducing cravings for ultra-processed foods. This inadvertently aids in managing obesity—a common comorbidity with ADHD.

Dr. Mercado-Marmarosh and Dr. Rentea reflect on their personal experiences, such as fluctuating weight and eating to sustain energy and focus, discussing how recognizing ADHD's role can lead to better health strategies.

Top Tips for Patients

Dr. Rentea leaves readers with practical advice:

• Conduct a Nutrition Audit: Understand your eating patterns without judgment to identify areas for improvement.
• Implement Small, Manageable Plans: Utilize timers and structure to prevent overwhelming hunger or impulsive eating.
• Stay