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#560: Neurodiversity & Nutrition: Choline, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Beyond – Emma Derbyshire, PhD

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Release Date: 04/22/2025

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Nutrition is increasingly being considered as a modifiable factor that may influence neurodevelopmental outcomes. While severe deficiencies in certain nutrients are known to have dramatic effects, there is growing interest in the potential impact of more subtle insufficiencies — particularly during critical windows such as pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood.

In conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, and autism spectrum condition (ASC), questions have been raised around whether specific nutrients may play a role in cognitive performance, attention, or learning.

  • Could low choline intake be a contributing factor to altered brain function?
  • Are individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions more likely to have different nutrient needs or metabolic profiles?
  • And how might practical dietary strategies fit into a broader management approach?

In this episode, Dr. Emma Derbyshire discusses the evidence on choline and other brain-related nutrients in the context of neurodiversity.

Timestamps

  • [02:02] Guest background
  • [05:38] Choline: what it is and why it matters
  • [07:26] Research challenges: measuring choline and study design issues
  • [10:49] Maternal intake: choline’s role in fetal brain development
  • [14:24] Choline & neurodevelopmental disorders (ADHD, ASC, dyslexia)
  • [17:14] The choline gap: intake vs. requirements
  • [23:05] Supplementation: adequacy vs. excess and safety concerns
  • [25:05] Food sources: choline in the diet & intake planning
  • [30:14] Nutrition as a tool in ADHD and dyslexia management
  • [38:45] Other key nutrients (omega-3s, iron, iodine, magnesium, water)

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