What makes hyper

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Arlington, Va. Accessed Jan. Brown A. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Rochester, Minn. Voight RG, et al. National Institute of Mental Health. Accessed Jan 26, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What is ADHD? American Psychiatric Association. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Ra CK, et al. For parents and caregivers. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Bikic A, et al. Clinical Psychology Review. Partain PI, et al. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. If it happened once or twice, nobody would think much of it.

What causes people to be hyperactive? Age is an important factor, especially with young kids. It takes time for them to develop the skills they need to keep their behavior in check.

One child might have good self-control at age 4 while it takes another until age 6. But there comes a point where most kids in an age group have similar ability to manage their energy levels and act in an appropriate way. There can be different reasons for hyperactivity. But a main cause is ADHD, a common condition that results from differences in how the brain develops.

But some never lose that need to move. These parts of the brain are responsible for a group of skills called executive function , which includes self-control. This may partly explain why some people with ADHD are hyperactive. Hyperactivity can look different at different ages, and it can vary from person to person. Kids with hyperactivity might:. Teens may be active in other ways.

They might stay seated, but constantly squirm, jiggle their legs, or fiddle with things. Adults might move less, but still feel restless. They can have so much energy that they wear other people out. Also, they may jump from task to task without finishing anything. Kids who are hyperactive need positive ways to use up excess energy. These can include games, activities, and chores that involve physical activity. Regular exercise can make a big difference. So can treatments for ADHD.

A look at the giggles, the silliness, the loudness and energy might seem to confirm this assumption … but what does the science say? The answer, based on numerous studies over several decades, might surprise more than a few frazzled parents.

From a scientific perspective, there is no substantial evidence that sugar or artificial sweeteners cause hyperactivity in children. In a double-blind research study undertaken in , children some of whom had been identified by their parents as sugar-sensitive and their families were placed on a different diet for three consecutive three-week periods.

In fact, the statistician who worked on the paper, in which the researchers statistically combined the results from all of the studies done until then, said that, "he had never had such consistently negative results. Originally published on Live Science. Laura is an editor at Live Science. She edits Life's Little Mysteries and reports on general science, including archaeology and animals.

She has won multiple awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association for her reporting at a weekly newspaper near Seattle. Laura holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and an advanced certificate in science writing from NYU.

Live Science. Laura Geggel.