Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 2 — RCT / large cohortPeer-reviewed

Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Broad-spectrum Vitamin and Micronutrient Supplementation in Children and Adolescents with Irritability, Impulsivity or Compulsivity (VANTASTIC Study) (Preprint)

Andrea Dietrich, Manuel Schlipf, Ruth Berg, Konstantin Mechler, Julia J. Rucklidge, Alejandro Arias Vásquez, N. Rommelse, Tobias Banaschewski, Pieter J. Hoekstra, Alexander Haege

2025

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Summary

This protocol describes a 20-week double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised controlled trial investigating broad-spectrum micronutrient supplementation (including NADH, B vitamins, vitamin D3, magnesium, zinc, iron, selenium, phospholipids, and L-carnitine) on irritability in 210 children and adolescents. The study addresses a gap in evidence regarding micronutrient efficacy and tolerability for irritability across diagnostic boundaries, including both ADHD and other mental health conditions, in both medicated and unmedicated youth. Primary outcomes include responder status on the CGI-I and clinically meaningful reduction in parent-rated affective reactivity.

UK applicability

The findings will be relevant to UK clinical practice and policy regarding non-pharmacological interventions for irritability in young people, particularly if efficacy is demonstrated. However, applicability may depend on whether the micronutrient formulation is accessible and affordable within NHS commissioning pathways in the United Kingdom.

Key measures

Clinical Global Impression Scale of Improvement (CGI-I) responder status at week 10 (scores 1–2); ≥30% parent-rated Affective Reactivity Index (ARI) reduction

Outcomes reported

The study will measure irritability reduction as the primary endpoint, assessed via Clinical Global Impression Scale of Improvement (CGI-I) and parent-rated Affective Reactivity Index (ARI), in a sample of 210 children and adolescents aged 11–17.6 years, with and without ADHD, both medicated and unmedicated.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Micronutrients & dietary adequacy
Study type
Research
Study design
RCT
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Preprint
Geography
Europe
System type
Other
DOI
10.2196/preprints.87761
Catalogue ID
SNmp2b3kd6-vo9xqp

Topic tags

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