Caffeine for ADHD

Many patients wonder whether it wouldn't be safer and/or cheaper to take caffeine for their ADHD.  Caffeine, after all, is known for enhancing alertness and attention.  And it is easy to get--as easy as your nearest coffee pot or vending machine.

The reason caffeine sometimes works for ADHD symptoms is that it is a stimulant.  It is incredibly similar to amphetamines and methylphenidate.  It also shares many of the same side effects in terms of raising heart rate and blood pressure, decreasing the seizure threshold, increasing anxiety, causing insomnia, and being habit forming.

I personally do not recommend caffeine because of the following issues:

• It is a little difficult to know how much caffeine you are getting from say, a cup of coffee.  After all there is grandma's coffee flavored milk and there's black expresso and everything in between.  This makes it difficult to know how much is safe in combination with prescription medication and also to know if you've gotten an adequate dose to expect a response.
• It has the the same side effects as prescription medication.
• A recent study showed that use of energy drinks is associated with worse hyperactivity and inattention in middle schoolers with ADHD, so there may be a trade off  such as short term improvement of symptoms versus long term worsening.

That being said caffeine is cheap and it is short acting so it could be given potentially after your stimulant has worn off, and still allow you to sleep at night.  If you do decide to take caffeine remember the following health and safety tips:

1)  Consult with your doctor first.  Mixing caffeine and ADHD meds (even certain nonstimulants) can be really dangerous for your heart and could lead to things like seizures and hallucinations as well.  Be sure that the amount of caffeine and the timing of your dose is safe.
2)  Don't use it every day.  Daily use is sure to lead to caffeine withdrawal headaches and may possibly lead to tolerance--a need to use more to get the same effect.  Typical situations which might be appropriate would be the need to take caffeine for a weekly or twice weekly activity which requires attention--such as a team sport or evening class.
3)  Be aware of what you are taking with your caffeine.   For example, taking your caffeine as a soda may involve also adding a lot of sugar to your system and acid to your teeth.  As always, check labels for gluten, dyes, or other additives which may make things worse instead of better.


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