Does Synaptol Work for ADD/ADHD?

Synaptol by MicroNutra Health is an all-natural supplement for improving attention span and concentration. But is it a good alternative to ADD / ADHD stimulant medications such as Ritalin, Focalin, or Strattera? Based on the actual user comments below, it may be worth a try.

Unfortunately, Ritalin and the other stimulant medications have bad side effects including insomnia, upset stomach, headaches, dizziness, mood changes, increased heart rate, and even drug dependence. The parents of children with ADD/ADHD (as well as adult suffers) could use something that relieves the symptoms without harsh side effects.

Herbal and other "natural" remedies come to mind. The problem with natural products is you never know who to believe. Every website, salesperson, and manufacturer will tell you their own product is wonderful.

Actual User Comments

Here is a strategy I use when I want to know whether a product really works:  I perform a search of forums and blog posts, looking for actual user comments.

I realize I'm not the only one who does this. But you have to be careful - there are salespeople posing as users who really aren't users. Sometimes it's obvious, like when they say, "... XYZ product is the greatest product ever created for the treatment of [insert condition here]!!" followed by an affiliate link. Other salespeople are more subtle and you can be fooled.

So what real comments did I find about Synaptol?

• Bad experiences.  I found two users who complained that Synaptol caused an upset stomach. Several others had no problems but said Synaptol did not seem to improve their ADD/ADHD or concentration.
• Skeptical.  I found a number of comments from people who have not tried it but were skeptical (not surprising).
• Good experiences.  I found several positive comments that in my opinion seemed to be from actual customers - real people who either have ADD/ADHD or have children with ADD/ADHD.

Here's a sample of the positive customer feedback I found:

Finding those positive comments was encouraging. So next I did some research on the manufacturer to see if there were any red flags.

About MicroNutra Health

Synaptol is made by a company called MicroNutra Health. Here's how they describe their own processes and procedures:

MicroNutra Health™ products are manufactured and packaged under the strict guidelines of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP. Our food supplement facilities are FDA-registered and our product claims conform to rigorous FDA standards. We are one of a few like companies to achieve this standard.

So far, so good. They appear to be complying with FDA guidelines and following good manufacturing practices.

Interestingly, MicroNutra Health does not advertise Synaptol as a treatment for ADD/ADHD. Their website describes it as a natural supplement that can support "healthy concentration, attention span, and a calm attitude". No mention of ADD/ADHD at all.

But the user comments I found were from parents and sufferers who had purchased Synaptol specifically to combat ADD/ADHD. I think that not mentioning ADD/ADHD is MicroNutra's way of not going too far with their product claims. But those users figured out the connection anyway.

Drama with the BBB

Next I checked out MicroNutra's record with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). That's when I ran into something strange. As of today, 11/03/08, the BBB has assigned MicroNutra a rating of "UNSATISFACTORY".

This didn't really make sense to me. MicroNutra website doesn't even mention ADD/ADHD or any other disease. I couldn't understand what (if anything) was being exaggerated.

So I emailed MicroNutra Health to ask them about the negative BBB rating.

I received a reply almost immediately. Apparently MicroNutra Health changed hands in April 2008. While the previous owners had some issues with the BBB, the new owners are 100% committed to following regulations. That's their story - and I tend to believe them.

Here's what the MicroNutra representative said in his email:

In other words, the BBB rating reflects poor choices by the previous owners. The new owners are playing by the rules.

Regardless, the negative BBB rating, while not good, is not all bad either. Other than the advertising issue, the BBB had nothing else negative to say about MicroNutra Health. The BBB reported no complaints from users of MicroNutra Health products.

I think the right thing to do is judge their products based on the actual user comments. The company may have stumbled in the past, but they seem to be on track now.

Synaptol Return Policy

If you're still not sure whether to try Synaptol, the MicroNutra return policy might put your mind at ease. Here's their product guarantee:

90-day money back guarantee on all unopened products and two bottles/packages of opened product, minus shipping, handling, and a 15% restocking fee.

So you can get most of your money back if you don't like the product. They do ask that you try the product for 30 days first (reasonable).

That's the story. I'll leave it up to you to weigh the pros and cons. If you're fed up with the bad side effects of the stimulant ADD/ADHD medications, Synaptol might be worth a try.

The link above goes to the product details page. That page explains exactly what's in the product. I'm not a doctor or pharmacologist so I'm not going to comment on the particular ingredients.

Which reminds me: Always consult a doctor before trying any medication or herbal remedy. The information on this website is not meant as medical advice!

If you do Synaptol, I'd be interested in hearing about your experience. Feel free to send me a message using the Contact Me link at left.

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