The Troubles of Teenage Boys

IN BRIEF

Has your teenage son lost his motivation and only wants to play video games? He may need extra nutrients for his fast growth! Plus his brain dopamine levels may be depleted through overuse of video games and thrill seeking. Diet changes and a few supplements may help!

By Anke Zimmermann, BSc, FCAH

Loss of Motivation

I am regularly being contacted by parents of young teenage boys 13-14, about their son having suddenly lost all motivation for school work and even sports.

“All he wants to do is sleep in, lounge around and play video games,” is a common comment.

"He is skipping classes and his grades are going down.”

“I’m worried about him getting into alcohol and experimenting with drugs.”

Of course, the teenage years can be challenging for any family, but taking a closer look at a couple of the biological parameters underlying some of these issues may lead to some surprisingly helpful changes your teenage son.

He just may get off the couch and start attending classes again, be less grumpy and perhaps even be less tempted by alcohol and drugs.

Nutrient Deficiencies

One of my clients brought in a 14-year-old who had grown about a foot in the past year. At 6’1 he was a willowy heap slumped in my office chair. A detailed look at a week-long diet diary and a hair analysis confirmed my suspicion that he was woefully low in calcium, magnesium and zinc. Blood work showed severe to moderate vitamin D deficiency.

I explained to his mother that her son needed more nutrients to support his accelerated growth, including a lot more calcium, complementary minerals and plenty of vitamin D. We discussed his diet and I advised them on the proper doses of supplements. 

Vitamin D deficiency is endemic in Canada, thanks for long winters, diets low in cod liver oil and people being indoors so much. One of the best tests for prevention of many diseases if a simple vitamin D test which you can ask your GP for or even order online.
It is very important for normal growth as the body can't absorb calcium without sufficient vitamin D. Vitamin K is also important, adults require about 250 mcg a day. 

Tissue Salts

Homeopathically, there are tissue salts which may also help with the fast growth, especially Calc-phos 6D or 6X, which is a low-potency homeopathic preparation of Calcium phosphate. 2 tablets once or twice a day may help the body utilize calcium better and ease growing pains.

Kali-phos 6D or 6X may also help, especially from with the fatique and nervous exhaustion many teens experience. 

The Dopamine Dragon

He was also playing a lot of video games, which can cause dopamine level depletion. Dopamine is a feel-good hormone released by experiencing pleasurable rewards such as eating, sex, the use of stimulant drugs as well as playing video games, all things popular with the teenage boy set. The male brain is especially wired to respond to domamine. 

Overuse of such stimuli depletes dopamine which makes the person feel bad and drives them to seek more of the same stimuli, often creating a cycle of addiction, especially in males as their brains are more driven by dopamine than those of females.

Fortunately, some simple dietary and herbal interventions can help the teenage boy brain recover faster from dopamine slumps. I advised the pair to include lots of high-quality protein in his diet, especially for breakfast. 

Dopamine Boosters

An undenatured-whey-protein smoothie can be a good start to the day or as a snack anytime. Adding some digestive enzymes to the smoothie and letting it sit for 10 minutes before consuming can help to start the protein break-down into free amino acids which can be readily absorbed by the body and quickly used by the brain.

Adding some good fats such as MCT oil, fish oil and ghee and provide much needed support for brain cell membranes.

There you have it, understanding teenage growth and dopamine levels can make your day after all! Of course sometimes other intervention is needed so if this does not improve your son’s disposition please consider coming in for an office visit.​​

Anke Zimmermann, BSc, FCAH, Classical and Modern Homeopathy.

Questions? I offer a free 15-20 minutes meet and greet consultation via phone or skype. You can book online

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