How Does Caffeine Affect People With ADHD?

If you have—or suspect you have—attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you may wonder about the relationship between caffeine and ADHD. Caffeine is one of the world's most popular drugs for a reason. Most people love that it helps them feel alert and focused; some simply enjoy it for the taste.

But if you have ADHD, you may be more drawn to it because caffeine and the medications used to treat ADHD all work on your dopamine system, the reward center in your brain.

Why Is Caffeine a Go-To for Some ADHDers?

Caffeine is classified as a central nervous system stimulant,meaning that it's a drug that increases alertness, energy, and attention. It generally works by blocking the neural receptors that make us sleepy.

Instead, activating these receptors creates a chain reaction that ultimately produces more adrenaline, giving us that extra boost of energy and concentration. Similar to other drugs used more recreationally, caffeine also increases the amount of the feel-good chemical dopamine in the brain.

Also, as caffeine is a highly addictive substance, it is very possible—and common—for one to develop a tolerance for caffeine, meaning they will need more to get the same effect. 

Excess caffeine may also lead to insomnia, resulting in fatigue. Tiredness can lead to even more issues with concentration. Additionally, coffee may lead to an increase in cortisol, the stress hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol have been associated with cognitive issues. Yep, it's a vicious cycle.

Caffeine and ADHD: Does It Actually Work?

Caffeine may be used to manage ADHD, according to some research. Tea, particularly green tea, can be beneficial. It is thought that l-theanine (an amino acid in tea), which helps with anxiety, also increases dopamine in the brain. Fifty percent of people dealing with ADHD also deal with anxiety.

In children, at least, while traditional stimulant medications outperform caffeine in managing ADHD, there is still more of a benefit to using caffeine versus not. Some benefits seen include reduced hyperactivity, increased executive function, and decreased explosiveness.

It may also depend on the medication; Ritalin (methylphenidate) appears to be much more effective than caffeine while Adderall (dextroamphetamine-amphetamine) is not quite as dramatically effective as caffeine.

It is believed that people with ADHD have dysfunction within the dopamine system within their brains, leading many to seek drugs that will release dopamine. So, it makes sense that people with ADHD would seek caffeine, as it both satisfies those dopamine deficiencies as well as helps with the inattention inherent in ADHD.

“Caffeine [use] can often be an inadvertent or unintentional effort at self-medication in people with ADHD,” says Brit Barkholtz, MSW, LICSW. Indeed, research proves that those with undiagnosed ADHD are likely to seek out stimulants to self-medicate, including parents who take their children’s ADHD medication. 

Can You Take Both Caffeine and ADHD Medication?

Most medications for ADHD, with the exception of Strattera (atomoxetine), are stimulant medications that speed up the body and brain’s processes; similarly, caffeine is also considered a stimulant drug. Since both of these substances work similarly in the body and brain, the effects of the two combined may be intensified.

Also, both caffeine and ADHD pharmacological stimulants carry high risks of addiction, especially when taken together—and people with ADHD are already at a higher risk of substance use issues. One study puts that risk at three times more than those who don’t deal with ADHD. However, those who take medication to help with their ADHD are less likely to develop substance use disorders.

Some of the risks of combining stimulant ADHD medication and caffeine:

• Jitteriness/jumpiness
• Elevated heart rate 
• Increased blood pressure
• Insomnia 
• Anxiety 
  

Benefits of Caffeine And Medication

A small study found that in some cases, at the right dose, caffeine and ADHD medication together may actually have a synergistic effect, managing traits like impulsivity, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity. In these situations, one may even need less of their stimulant medication than previously thought. 

How Caffeine Affects People With ADHD Differently

In some areas, caffeine affects people with and without ADHD similarly. However, where these paths diverge is how caffeine affects overall functioning. In one study, children with ADHD had greater improvement with caffeine than those who didn’t have ADHD. Caffeine also seemed to make the kids with ADHD happier than it did the kids who didn’t have ADHD.

Stereotypes exist of both people with ADHD and people who use caffeine bouncing off the walls, but if you have other ADHD traits and you find caffeine has more of a calming and focusing effect on you than an energizing effect, that could be worth looking into, says Barkholtz.