If you’re living with ADHD, you might have noticed something no one warned you about: some weeks you manage quite well, and other weeks—often for no clear reason—everything seems harder.
Your focus disappears. You feel scattered, overwhelmed, or unusually emotional. Simple tasks feel monumental, and it’s as though your brain has short-circuited overnight.
If this sounds familiar, it’s likely not in your imagination—and it’s certainly not a reflection of willpower or effort. There’s a real, biological reason many women with ADHD experience a worsening of symptoms at certain times of the month.
Let’s explore how your menstrual cycle may be influencing your ADHD, the underlying mechanisms that drive these changes, and the comprehensive, root-cause approach I use to help women like you bring balance back to both mind and body.
The Symptom: When ADHD Feels Unpredictable, Scattered, and Emotionally Overwhelming
For many women, the lead-up to menstruation—the so-called “PMS” window—brings more than mood swings or cravings. It can cause a profound worsening of ADHD symptoms such as:
- Severe brain fog and mental fatigue
- Emotional outbursts, irritability, or anxiety
- Increased forgetfulness or disorganisation
- Lack of motivation and sharp dips in focus
For some, it feels like a complete derailment of cognitive function and emotional stability.
The key to finding relief lies in understanding the deeper cause of this cyclical pattern.
The Hidden Cause: Hormonal Shifts and Neurotransmitter Dysregulation
What drives these monthly ADHD flare-ups isn’t simply hormones in isolation—it’s how hormonal fluctuations interact with brain chemistry, stress systems, and nutrient status.
The Oestrogen-Dopamine Connection
In the first half of your cycle—known as the follicular phase—rising oestrogen has a stabilising effect on dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for focus, motivation, and emotional regulation. This is often when ADHD symptoms are less pronounced.
The Luteal Phase: The Perfect Storm
After ovulation, oestrogen declines while progesterone rises. This shift can destabilise dopamine and alter GABA levels, the neurotransmitter involved in calming the nervous system. If you already have underlying neurotransmitter imbalances—as is common in ADHD—this hormonal shift can intensify symptoms dramatically.
Low oestrogen + fluctuating progesterone = increased ADHD symptoms, emotional dysregulation, poor concentration, and sometimes even depressive symptoms.
Why This Happens in ADHD
Women with ADHD often have innate difficulties regulating dopamine. When hormonal fluctuations decrease dopamine even further, the system becomes overwhelmed. These changes can also affect cortisol (the stress hormone), further compounding the picture.
This hormonal-neurotransmitter imbalance is the deeper reason so many women experience ADHD symptoms as cyclical and unpredictable.
The Multi-Layered Solution: A Functional Medicine Approach
The good news is that you don’t have to simply accept these monthly ups and downs. A root-cause, functional approach can help identify the exact drivers of your symptoms and create a personalised roadmap for improvement.
Here’s how I help my clients achieve this:
1. Targeted Nutrient Therapy to Stabilise Neurotransmitters and Hormones
In clinical practice, I often see nutrient deficiencies at the heart of both hormonal imbalance and neurotransmitter dysfunction. Addressing these can dramatically improve both ADHD and premenstrual symptoms.
-Magnesium (Glycinate or Threonate)
Magnesium supports dopamine receptor sensitivity, calms the nervous system, and assists in oestrogen metabolism. Low magnesium is extremely common in women with ADHD and hormone-related mood disturbances.
-Activated Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate)
B6 plays a crucial role in neurotransmitter synthesis, particularly dopamine and serotonin. It also assists in progesterone modulation, making it helpful for emotional symptoms in the luteal phase.
-Zinc (Picolinate or Citrate)
Zinc supports dopamine regulation and hormone detoxification. Deficiency is linked to low mood, poor focus, and worsening ADHD symptoms.
-Iron (Monitored by Testing Only)
Optimal ferritin levels are essential for dopamine production. Low iron status, which is common in menstruating women, can worsen both cognitive function and fatigue. Testing is always required before supplementation.
2. Herbal Medicine to Support Hormonal Balance and Calm the Mind
Herbal medicine offers gentle yet powerful support for both hormonal shifts and neurotransmitter balance.
-Vitex agnus-castus (Chasteberry)
Vitex modulates progesterone and can ease premenstrual mood swings, anxiety, and emotional volatility. It’s often part of treatment where PMDD-like symptoms overlap with ADHD.
-Rhodiola rosea
This adaptogen supports dopamine production, improves stress resilience, and reduces mental fatigue—ideal for the energy dips of the luteal phase.
-Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Passionflower increases GABA activity, helping to reduce racing thoughts, irritability, and premenstrual anxiety.
-Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo enhances cognitive function, focus, and mental clarity, particularly when brain fog and forgetfulness worsen in the premenstrual window.
Herbal prescriptions are always personalised, based on individual presentation, history, and testing where appropriate.
3. Functional Testing: The Missing Piece
One of the key differences in my approach is the use of functional testing to uncover the real drivers behind hormonal imbalance and ADHD symptoms. This may include:
- Comprehensive hormone panels (including oestrogen, progesterone, cortisol)
- Nutrient status (iron, zinc, B vitamins, magnesium)
- Gut health assessments (where indicated)
By identifying the exact imbalances, we can move beyond guesswork and create targeted, effective treatment protocols.
4. Practical, Individualised Lifestyle Support
When ADHD symptoms are flaring, complex routines rarely work. I focus on realistic, achievable strategies such as:
- Cycle tracking to anticipate hormonal shifts and adjust workload or stress levels accordingly
- Nervous system regulation tools such as breathwork, nature exposure, or short mindfulness practices
- Sleep support using nutrients, herbs, and circadian rhythm optimisation
How I Can Help You Move Forward
Your symptoms are not “all in your head”—they’re rooted in real, biological imbalances that deserve proper investigation and targeted care.
I help women like you:
- Identify the hidden imbalances driving ADHD symptom flare-ups
- Develop personalised supplement, herbal, and lifestyle protocols that actually work
- Restore calm, clarity, and confidence throughout the menstrual cycle
If you’re tired of struggling through these ups and downs, I can help you create a clear, evidence-based plan so you can feel like yourself again.
Get in touch to start your personalised functional medicine journey.
Balanced hormones. Steadier moods. Clearer focus. It’s possible—and I’m here to help you get there.