Iron pills tested as a simple fix for restless sleep in children with ADHD
NCT ID NCT07061470
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether daily iron supplements can improve restless sleep and ADHD symptoms in 70 children with ADHD who have low iron levels. Participants will take either iron or a placebo for 3 months, and their sleep and attention will be measured using motion-sensing leg bands and questionnaires. The goal is to see if a simple, over-the-counter supplement can make a real difference.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ferrous Sulfate (iron supplement)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, over-the-counter iron supplement to ease restless sleep and ADHD symptoms in children with low iron levels.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early phase 1/2 trial with only 70 participants. The supplement may not improve sleep or ADHD more than a placebo, and results may not apply to all children with ADHD.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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About 70 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Mar 2027
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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8 to 18 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * clinically diagnosed with ADHD * have blood ferritin level below 50ng/mL * have parent- or self-reported restless sleep Exclusion Criteria: * presence of any chronic medical or genetic condition that could impact iron metabolism * presence of moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea * having received Iron supplementation treatment within the past 3 months * having blood ferritin level indicative of anemia that requires immediate treatment
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Kennedy Krieger Institute
Baltimore, Maryland, 21231, United States
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