Dr. Chris Caffery

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http://www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com/

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Dr. Chris Caffery

Welcome! At Integrative Healthcare Solutions, every patient is seen and treated as an individual That’s what functional medicine does.

If you are dealing with any kind of chronic medical condition, from thyroid issues to diabetes, allergies to arthritis, or obesity to asthma, just to name a few, then functional medicine is a way for you to get to the root of your health problem instead of just taking medicine to manage your symptoms. Here are just a few ways you can benefit from functional medicine:
• You will be looked at as an individual, not a condition or symptom.
• You and your functional medicine practitioner will form a partnership, and create your treatment plan together, customizing it to your particular needs and priorities.
• This targeted approach to focusing on your priorities can help you to see the results you want in the fastest way possible.
• This approach is non-invasive. Instead of relying on surgery or drugs, functional medicine takes a holistic approach to addressing imbalances in the systems in your body that are at the root of your health issues. Think of it this way: Your body is like a car—a highly sensitive machine with lots of parts that have to interact correctly with each other to function, or to drive. To keep a car in good condition or fix a problem, it’s not enough to just know about how struts or tires or brakes work—you need to know how all of those things work together. It looks at the big picture, recognizing that all of those systems are connected. One other image that may help is to think of a tree. The roots and base of the tree are all of the things that influence your health and contribute to what you see in the trunk: the different imbalances the systems in your body can have, and the signs and symptoms these imbalances lead to. These signs and symptoms then expand out into the branches of medicine that address the body’s systems. Functional medicine looks at the whole tree, rather than just picking off one twig or leaf. The end result is better overall health. To hear about the difference functional medicine has made in the lives of some of my patients please visit my website and view the patient testimonials.

02/25/2026

** REMINDER: Starting March 3rd **
FREE Seminar Series on ADHD

There are still some seats available for the first seminar of Dr. Chris Caffery’s free education series on ADHD. Join us for one, or all three!

DATES: March 3rd, March 10th, March 17th
TIME: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Two Echelon Plaza, 221 Laurel Rd., Ste. 160, Voorhees, NJ 08043

** Seating is limited**
RSVP
p: 856-888-1860
e: staffintegrativehealthcare@gmail.com

drcafferyintegrativehealth.com

02/24/2026

Pycnogenol Study #6, Pycnogenol Reduces Stress Response in ADHD

In addition to the clinical trials we’ve been discussing, another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study looked deeper at the biology behind ADHD and how Pycnogenol® might help. Researchers measured stress-related brain chemicals (catecholamines) in children with ADHD and compared them with healthy children. What they found was interesting.

Children with ADHD showed:
⚡ Higher adrenaline
⚡ Higher noradrenaline

Even more notable, noradrenaline levels were linked with the severity of hyperactivity. This suggests that part of ADHD may involve overactivation of the noradrenergic system.

What happened with Pycnogenol?

After one month of supplementation:
📉 Adrenaline decreased ~26%
📉 Noradrenaline decreased ~17%
The placebo group showed no meaningful change. Researchers also observed improvements in markers related to the body’s oxidative stress balance.

Why this study is important

While earlier trials showed improvements in ADHD symptoms, this study helps explain how that might be happening biologically.

It suggests Pycnogenol may:
• Help normalize stress-related neurotransmitter activity
• Reduce oxidative stress
• Support more balanced nervous system signaling
Taken together with the clinical trials we’ve already posted, these findings add another piece to the puzzle of how this pine bark extract may support children with ADHD. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.

02/21/2026

Pycnogenol® for ADHD – Study #5 (Randomized Controlled Trial)

🧠 Another Pycnogenol Randomized Trial Shows ADHD Improvements, This Time in Just 4 Weeks!

In one of the earliest randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of Pycnogenol® in children with ADHD, researchers looked at how a standardized pine bark extract affected classroom behavior and cognitive performance over four weeks.

Here’s what they found:
📊 Teacher ratings (classroom behavior)
• Inattention improved by ~27%
• Hyperactivity improved by ~25%
• The placebo group showed little change.

🧠 Cognitive performance
Testing of visual-motor coordination, attention, and concentration improved by about 13–15% compared with only small changes in the placebo group.

📉 What happened when supplementation stopped?
After a one-month washout period, symptom scores returned close to baseline, helping demonstrate that the improvements seen during treatment were a real effect of the intervention.

This short trial suggests Pycnogenol may modestly improve attention and classroom behavior in children with ADHD. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.

02/21/2026

Pycnogenol Study #4, ADHD & Glutathione

🧠 Pycnogenol Improves Glutathione Redox Balance by 45% in Children with ADHD 🧠

Glutathione is the body’s master intracellular antioxidant, critical for protecting neurons from oxidative stress and maintaining healthy signaling.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, children with ADHD were given Pycnogenol® (1 mg/kg/day) for one month.

Here’s what researchers found:
🔬 Reduced glutathione (GSH) increased 26.8%
(102.9 → 130.4 µmol/L, p = 0.005)
⚖️ Oxidized glutathione (GSSG) decreased 22%
(4.60 → 3.58 µmol/L, p = 0.013)
📊 The glutathione redox ratio (GSH/GSSG) improved by 45%
(35.9 → 52.3, p = 0.05)

The GSH/GSSG ratio is one of the best indicators of intracellular oxidative stress. The placebo group showed no meaningful changes. Even more interesting, elevated reduced glutathione levels persisted after a one-month washout period, remaining 36% above baseline. Total antioxidant status also increased (7%, p = 0.002), and improvements in antioxidant normalization correlated with improvements in inattention scores.

What this suggests:
In this cohort, ADHD was associated with altered redox balance. Targeted antioxidant support significantly shifted glutathione metabolism toward a more favorable state, changes that were linked to behavioral improvement. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.

02/20/2026

Pycnogenol Study #3, Low Antioxidant Status in ADHD

⚡ 222% Higher DNA Damage in ADHD, Targeted Antioxidant Support Shows Measurable Improvement ⚡

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined oxidative stress in children with ADHD and whether Pycnogenol® (French maritime pine bark extract) could influence it.

Here’s what researchers found:
🔬Children with ADHD had markedly higher DNA damage at baseline.
Total DNA damage was 222% higher in children with ADHD compared to healthy controls (198.5 vs 61.7, p < 0.001), indicating significantly elevated oxidative stress.
🧬 Pycnogenol reduced oxidative DNA damage by 26% in just one month.
Levels of 8-oxoG, a marker of oxidative DNA injury, decreased from 0.558 to 0.412 (−26%).

Compared to placebo, oxidative damage was 35% lower after treatment. The placebo group showed no meaningful change. After stopping supplementation, levels rose again, suggesting continued use is required to sustain the effect.

🛡 Antioxidant status improved.
Total Antioxidant Status increased by approximately 6% from baseline, reflecting improved redox balance.

📊 These biological improvements were linked to behavioral changes.
In the companion randomized clinical trial conducted by the same research team, children taking Pycnogenol experienced approximately 30–35% reductions in teacher-rated inattention and hyperactivity after one month.
In this oxidative stress study, the strongest statistical correlations were with inattention, meaning children who had the greatest reductions in oxidative DNA damage also showed the greatest improvements in attention.

📌 What this suggests:
In this cohort, ADHD was associated with elevated oxidative stress, and targeted antioxidant support reduced oxidative DNA damage in a measurable way, changes that were meaningfully associated with improvements in attention. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.

02/20/2026

Pycnogenol Study #2, Weight Loss & Safety

Pine Bark Extract Did Not Suppress Appetite or Cause Weight Loss, Unlike Stimulants, and Demonstrated an Excellent Safety Profile in Children with ADHD

In a 2022 randomized controlled trial, researchers compared French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®), methylphenidate, and placebo in children with ADHD. While methylphenidate significantly reduced Neuropeptide Y (an appetite-regulating hormone) and led to measurable weight loss over 10 weeks, the pine bark group showed no suppression of appetite signaling and maintained normal, age-appropriate weight gain.

Importantly, pine bark extract did not worsen oxidative stress markers or disrupt immune biomarkers. While the study did not show dramatic shifts in antioxidant measures, it demonstrated a metabolically clean, well-tolerated profile, which matters greatly in pediatric care.

For families concerned about appetite suppression and growth effects with stimulants, this study adds meaningful safety data to the conversation. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.

02/20/2026

🧬 Natural Compounds Help Reduce Polyps in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)?

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) is a genetic condition that leads to hundreds to thousands of colon polyps, and without surgery, nearly a 100% lifetime risk of colorectal cancer.
Standard treatment involves colectomy (removal of the colon) plus lifelong surveillance. In some cases, medications like NSAIDs are used to reduce polyp burden, but they are not curative.

Recently, I revisited a small but intriguing study looking at nutritional compounds as an adjunct.

The Study
Five patients with FAP (all post-colectomy (colon removed), with retained re**um or pouch polyps) were given:
• Curcumin 480 mg, three times daily
• Quercetin 20 mg, three times daily

After about 6 months:
✅ Polyp number decreased by ~60%
✅ Polyp size decreased by ~51%
✅ Minimal side effects
✅ No laboratory abnormalities

One patient became non-compliant mid-study, their polyps increased, and then decreased again when treatment resumed. That adds some biologic plausibility.

How Does This Compare to Conventional Therapy?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as sulindac and celecoxib have demonstrated similar magnitudes of polyp reduction (roughly 30–60%) in larger randomized trials.

However, NSAIDs carry known risks:
• GI bleeding
• Ulcers
• Kidney strain
• Cardiovascular risk (particularly COX-2 inhibitors)
They work, but long-term safety can be limiting.

Important Limitations
This study included:
• Only 5 patients
• No placebo control
• No randomization
• Short follow-up

So this is preliminary data, not definitive evidence.
And importantly:
➡️ This does NOT replace surgery in FAP.
➡️ It does NOT eliminate cancer risk.
➡️ It should be viewed strictly as an adjunct.

But…
For a genetic disorder with very limited non-invasive treatment options, this is potentially meaningful.

We are talking about:
• A low-cost
• Widely available
• Very safe
• Mechanistically plausible
• Orally administered supplement intervention

In a condition where the primary therapy is major surgery and the main pharmacologic alternative carries notable toxicity. Even if this approach only reduces polyp burden or slows progression, that could have real-world implications for surveillance intervals, rectal/pouch management, or overall inflammatory load. The study is small but the signal is strong enough to justify further research. (study in comments below)

Yours in health, Dr. Chris Caffery URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional

02/19/2026

Pycnogenol® for ADHD – Study #1 (Randomized Controlled Trial)

In a 10-week, randomized, double-blind trial, French Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol®) was compared to methylphenidate (Ritalin) and placebo in children ages 6–12 with ADHD.

📊 Teacher-Rated ADHD-RS Outcomes (Primary Endpoint)

Total ADHD symptoms
• Pycnogenol®: ~29% reduction
• Methylphenidate: ~45% reduction
• Placebo: ~5% reduction

Hyperactivity/Impulsivity
• Pycnogenol®: ~33% reduction
• Methylphenidate: ~46% reduction

Inattention
• Pycnogenol®: ~26% reduction
• Methylphenidate: ~46% reduction

Both active treatments significantly outperformed placebo.
Methylphenidate showed larger overall effects, particularly for inattention.

⚖️ Tolerability

Adverse effects were reported approximately 5 times more frequently with methylphenidate than with Pycnogenol®.
Common stimulant effects included appetite suppression, GI symptoms, insomnia, and emotional lability.
Pycnogenol® was generally well tolerated.

Clinical Takeaway
Pycnogenol® demonstrated meaningful improvements in classroom-rated ADHD symptoms, particularly hyperactivity and impulsivity, with substantially better tolerability than stimulant medication.

The effect size was smaller than methylphenidate, but the safety profile may make it a reasonable option in:

• Mild–moderate presentations
• Stimulant intolerance
• Families seeking non-stimulant approaches

Study in the comments below.

In upcoming posts, I’ll review the mechanistic data behind this intervention, including oxidative stress, glutathione balance, immune modulation, and catecholamine metabolism. Because in ADHD, biology matters.

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional

02/16/2026

FREE Seminar Series on ADHD

Dr. Chris Caffery, DC, DACNB, FACFN, IFMCP, AFMC is hosting an in-person, education series on ADHD.
Come to one, or join us for all three!

DATES: March 3rd, March 10th, March 17th
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Two Echelon Plaza, 221 Laurel Rd., Ste. 160, Voorhees, NJ 08043

** Seating is limited**
RSVP
p: 856-888-1860
e: staffintegrativehealthcare@gmail.com

drcafferyintegrativehealth.com

02/14/2026

Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial Shows Ashwagandha Improved ADHD Symptoms, Executive Function, Sleep, and Anxiety

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluated standardized ashwagandha root extract (KSM-66®) in children ages 5–12 with ADHD over 8 weeks.

What were the results?

Primary Outcome: ADHD symptoms
-ADHD Rating Scale-IV scores improved by 36.7% in the ashwagandha group, while the placebo group showed essentially no improvement

Secondary Outcomes: Executive Function (BRIEF-2)
Executive function is the brain’s ability to regulate attention, behavior, emotions, and working memory.

Ashwagandha produced major improvements across all executive function domains:
-Behavioral Regulation Index: 47.9% improvement
-Emotional Regulation Index: 38.7% improvement
-Cognitive Regulation Index: 38.3% improvement
-Global Executive Composite: 44.2% improvement

These improvements reflect better impulse control, emotional stability, working memory, and self-regulation.

Secondary Outcomes: Sleep, Anxiety, and Quality of Life (PROMIS)

Ashwagandha also significantly improved broader neurological and emotional health:
-Sleep disturbance: 39.6% improvement
-Anxiety: 40.7% improvement
-Overall quality of life: 40.2% improvement

Clinical improvement ratings (CGI-C):
-31.0% were rated very much improved
-48.5% were rated much improved
-20.7% were rated minimally improved
-100% of children showed some degree of clinical improvement

Importantly, this was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the gold standard in clinical research, meaning neither families nor investigators knew who received ashwagandha.
This study provides strong evidence that ashwagandha significantly improved ADHD symptoms, executive function, emotional regulation, sleep, anxiety, and overall functioning in children. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional

02/14/2026

Saffron Study #3: Randomized Trial Shows Adding Saffron Improves ADHD Symptoms Beyond Medication Alone

Can adding a natural extract improve outcomes even when a child is already taking standard ADHD medication?

A randomized, double-blind clinical trial published in 2021 compared methylphenidate (Ritalin) alone versus methylphenidate plus saffron extract in children and adolescents with ADHD over 8 weeks.

What were the results?

-Both groups improved, but the group receiving saffron plus methylphenidate improved significantly more
-The saffron group showed about 20-27% greater symptom improvement compared to medication alone
-This represented an additional 8–10 point reduction on standardized ADHD rating scales
-Both parent and teacher ratings independently confirmed the superior improvement in the saffron group

Importantly, the improvement occurred faster in the saffron group, with significant benefits already visible by week 4. This study was randomized and double-blind, meaning neither the patients nor the evaluators knew who was receiving saffron, which helps ensure the results were not due to placebo or bias.

Why might saffron help?

Saffron’s active compounds affect dopamine and norepinephrine pathways, the same brain systems targeted by stimulant medications. It also has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects that may support brain function and regulation. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.

02/14/2026

Saffron Study #2: Another Clinical Study Finds Saffron Comparable to Ritalin for ADHD

A clinical effectiveness study published in Nutrients (2022) evaluated saffron extract (Saffr’Activ®) in children and adolescents with ADHD and compared its effects to methylphenidate (Ritalin) over 3 months.

What were the results?

-Both saffron and methylphenidate significantly improved ADHD symptoms
-There was no significant difference in overall effectiveness between the two treatments
-Both treatments improved executive function, including working memory and behavioral regulation
-Objective cognitive testing confirmed improvements in attention and impulse control

Interestingly, the treatments showed slightly different strengths:
-Methylphenidate showed greater improvement in inattention
-Saffron showed greater improvement in hyperactivity symptoms
-Saffron also improved sleep onset, helping children fall asleep more easily

This study is important because it included objective cognitive testing, not just parent or teacher ratings. These improvements were confirmed using standardized attention tests, strengthening the validity of the findings. (study in comments below)

Yours in health,
Dr. Chris Caffery
URL: www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCaffery

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for educational purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. Nothing here is a substitute for actual medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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221 Laurel Road, Ste. 160
Voorhees, NJ
08043

Website

http://www.drcafferyintegrativehealth.com/

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