By Stephanie Ray, ND, BCN, Chinese Herbalist

As parents, we all want our children to feel better, think more clearly, and have the energy and resilience they need to grow and thrive. Today, many kids with neurodevelopmental symptoms are carrying a heavier load of environmental pollution than their bodies can easily manage. This includes heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, and lead, and chemicals found in plastics, pesticides, and air pollution.

These toxins don’t just “sit” in the body—they can actually interfere with important biochemical pathways. One of the places this shows up is in something called the heme pathway, which is part of how the body makes energy, gets oxygen to the brain, and detoxifies chemicals.

To understand how toxins affect this pathway, we use a simple urine test that looks at natural compounds called porphyrins. When porphyrins show up in certain patterns, it helps us identify which toxins were involved and how much stress they may be putting on your child’s system.

In a study I conducted with 34 children with neurodevelopmental symptoms, we looked at how two natural supplements—NDF® and NDF Plus®—helped support the body during detoxification.

We measured:

• Porphyrins (to see which metals or chemicals were interfering)
  

• ATEC scores (behavior, communication, sensory awareness, and physical health)
  

The group that made the biggest improvements used both NDF® and NDF Plus® together.

Why the Heme Pathway Matters for Your Child

This pathway plays a role in things most parents recognize as day-to-day challenges:

• Getting oxygen to the brain
  

• Detoxifying chemicals
  

• Making cellular energy
  

• Supporting normal blood flow and focus
  

When toxins interfere with this pathway, kids can struggle with:

• Energy
  

• Brain fog
  

• Sensory overload
  

• Poor sleep
  

• Irritability
  

• Difficulty with transitions and communication
  

The good news?
When we support the heme pathway and help remove these toxins, we often see meaningful improvements.

What the Study Looked Like

34 children, ages 2–14, all with neurodevelopmental symptoms, such as:

• Trouble with eye contact
  

• Cognitive or sensory challenges
  

• Low appetite
  

• Sleep issues
  

• Low energy
  

• Behavioral difficulties
  
  

The children were divided into four groups:

• Group A: NDF Plus®
  

• Group B: NDF®
  

• Group C: NDF® + NDF Plus®
  

• Group D: Chlorella tincture (placebo)
  

All groups also received Liver Life®, and groups A–C received Loving Energy® to support stress tolerance and detoxification.

The study lasted 6 weeks, with porphyrin tests and ATEC evaluations before and after.

What We Saw in the Kids

Group A — NDF Plus® alone (gentle support)

These kids showed some improvements and gentle detoxification, but many toxins were still appearing in the urine.

Group B — NDF® alone (strong detox)

This group released more toxins, especially markers related to mercury. Some detox pathways were still “working hard,” which told us they needed more support.

Group C — NDF® + NDF Plus® (best results)

This group did the best overall.

They showed:

• 45% decrease in a key mercury marker
  

• 43% decrease in another toxin-related marker
  

• 42% decrease in total porphyrins
  

• 23% improvement in the heme pathway stress marker
  

These changes tell us the combination helped:

• Remove more toxins
  

• Support the pathways children rely on for oxygen, energy, and detoxification
  

• Improve overall function
  

Parents, teachers, and caregivers also noticed:

• More eye contact
  

• Better sociability
  

• Improved sensory tolerance
  

• Better sleep
  

• More speech and imaginative play
  

• Calmer moods and easier transitions

Why Combining NDF® and NDF Plus® Works Better

Each product plays a different role:

NDF®

• Helps bind and remove heavy metals and chemicals
  

• Clears out toxins that interfere with the heme pathway
  
  

NDF Plus®

• Nourishes and supports the underlying systems
  

• Helps the body regulate and stay balanced during detox
  

• Provides herbs and nutrients kids often need more of
  
  

Together, they:

• Clear toxins more effectively
  

• Support healthy oxygenation and energy
  

• Help normalize detox pathways
  

• Improve behavior, focus, and physical health
  
  

This is why the combination group saw the strongest improvements across the board.

What This Means for Your Child

Here’s the encouraging part:
When we support detoxification gently and correctly, children often begin to feel, think, and act more like themselves again.

In this study, as porphyrins dropped and pathways became less stressed, kids showed improvements in:

• Sociability
  

• Sensory and cognitive awareness
  

• Physical comfort and behavior
  

• Overall symptom scores
  

This wasn’t a coincidence—the biochemistry and the behavior changed together.

How These Findings Can Guide Your Child’s Detox Plan

If your child has neurodevelopmental symptoms and signs of toxic exposure, here’s where to start:

1. Consider urinary porphyrin testing

It gives us a clear window into what toxins may be affecting your child.

2. Use NDF® and NDF Plus® together

This pairing offers the strongest support for detoxification and pathway balance.

3. Support the liver and adrenal system

Liver Life® and Loving Energy® helped children tolerate detox with very few reactions.

4. Track behavioral changes

Small shifts—better eye contact, calmer mood, improved sensory tolerance—often appear as the body releases toxins.

5. Go gently and individually

Every child detoxes differently. A thoughtful plan is always best.

In Closing

In this study, children with neurodevelopmental symptoms who used NDF® and NDF Plus® together had:

• The greatest reductions in mercury-related and toxin-related porphyrins
  

• The best improvements in markers of heme pathway stress
  

• Meaningful improvements in ATEC scores for sociability, sensory/cognitive awareness, and health/physical behavior
  

This tells us that:

• The body was releasing stored toxins
  

• Detox pathways were better supported
  

• Many children were functioning more comfortably in their daily lives
  

For parents, the key points are simple:

• We can measure some of this toxic stress with urinary porphyrin testing
  

• We can support detoxification and nourishment with NDF® and NDF Plus®, especially in combination
  

• We can make the process easier on kids by including liver and adrenal support
  
  

Every child is unique, and detoxification needs to be thoughtful and individualized.
If you’re working with a practitioner and want your child’s detox plan to be rooted in testing and clinical experience, this study offers a clear direction on how these tools may help support your child’s body and brain as they heal.