Findings seen across conditions, including total symptoms and irritable bowel syndrome
THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with a nearly 50 percent increase in gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms compared with people without ADHD, according to a review published online Sept. 10 in the Journal of Attention Disorders.
Sarah Blake, from Warwick Medical School in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to examine whether individuals with ADHD have a higher prevalence of GI symptoms versus neurotypical controls.
Based on 23 included studies (more than 1.9 million participants), the researchers found that ADHD was associated with increased odds of every GI symptom investigated, including total GI symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 1.48), irritable bowel syndrome (OR, 1.58), constipation (OR, 1.97), and encopresis (OR, 4.32).
“We can”t yet say ADHD causes these gut problems, or exactly what is driving the link, but the pattern is striking enough to warrant attention,” Saran Shantikumar, also from Warwick Medical School, said in a statement. “Clinicians caring for people with ADHD may want to consider asking about GI symptoms, particularly if they may be affecting quality of life.”
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