Caffeine & ADHD

Here I explore the relationship of caffeine use and ADHD to answer three questions. First, is ADHD associated with caffeine use? The answer seems to be yes from studies of teens and adults, especially those having ADHD. The more symptoms of ADHD, the greater the use of caffeinated beverages, especially when severity of ADHD rises to that of a clinical disorder.
Second, does caffeine benefit children or adults with ADHD. After all, caffeine is known increase levels of dopamine in the brain, among other neurotransmitters. But it also increases adrenaline, which explains the increase in symptoms anxiety with increasing use of the substance. The answer to the second question is “maybe” for adults, but no for children. The problem with determining if caffeine helps adults with ADHD is that there is little if any research comparing caffeine against a placebo in adults with ADHD to answer that question. There is suggestive evidence that increasing use of caffeine may decrease level of ADHD symptoms but such findings are only suggestive of a positive benefit and of self-medication with caffeine among those with higher levels of ADHD symptoms or the clinical disorder.
The third question is does caffeine use by mothers during pregnancy increase risk for ADHD in offspring. The answer from a meta-analysis of the research is no.
You can find more information on this topic in my books, Taking Charge of Adult ADHD.
References
Agoston, C. et al. (2022), Self-medication of ADHD symptoms: Does caffeine have a role? Frontiers in Psychiatry. www.frontiersin.org/articles/...
Marmorstein, N. (2016). Energy drink and coffee consumption and psychopathology symptoms among early adolescents. Journal of Caffeine Research. www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10...
Cipolione, G. et al. (2020). Exploring the role of caffeine use in adult-ADHD symptom severity of US Army soldiers. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(11). www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/11/3788
Perotte, G. et al. (2023). Effects of caffeine on main symptoms in children with ADHD: A systemative review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Brain Sciences, 13(9). www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/9/1304
Haan, E. et al. (2022). Prenatal smoking, alcohol and caffeine exposure and offspring externalizing disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction, 117(10). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/f...

[@slavepusher]

Anectdotally I can just say that my coffee consumption is much lower (1 coffee) when medicated vs 5-6 coffees unmedicated (which usually doesn't make me more awake).

[@sfstucco]

Same here. Lower coffee consumption when medicated. When unmedicated, I’m grasping at caffeine as if it’s going to fix the problem (which it does not).

[@veeveri]

I'm less likely to eat drink highly stimulating foods like chips and caffinated drinks during medication but my appetite was much better too. Much more consistent meals than procrastinating on when I should eat.

[@azlizzie]

Yep. Not medicated, I’m consuming multiple shots of espresso throughout the day. And maybe a caffeinated soda. On medication, I barely nurse one shot of espresso and it is mostly because it is habit at that point.

[@sarahs7669]

Agreed. Same.

[@thepolygotcoder]

I feel like I should be medicated in order to cut down the amount of coffee I drink. I've been feeling for a long time now that 5 cups (which is about 2.5 litres given my size of cup) is just too much and I've tried to see about getting treatment here where I live in Colombia but its hard. I'm permanent here but its just not that commonly heard of here. Not really a specialty for them. I did a test recently with a neuroligist who said my short term memory was average but my long term memory was lower than average and I should check again in 18 months. Well that doesn't solve the fact that my brain moves so fast onto another topic - I completely forgot what I was doing. Sometimes.....if I move between two windows (I'm at my computer all day) I'll be on route to do something and something else catches my eye and then I've completely forgotten what I was doing. It happens often. Until I medicated with Modafinil but then I don't feel I'm doing myself any favours treating myself for something I don't know if I have or not. I just know that Modafinil or high doses of coffee make me feel like I Can do something even if its boring to me.

[@hugglesnz]

As a massive caffeine user with awful ADHD symptoms it's a relief to know that hasn't caused my kids ADHD. Life is hard enough without having to bear that load

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes😊

[@takiyaazrin7562]

All the best.

[@Rollwithit699]

I always wondered why caffeine never affected like everyone else. It didnt make me jittery or stay awake at all, even right before bed. It actually seemed to do calm me down a bit. Found out last year at 68 that I have ADHD and Aspergers which makes a lot of my life behaviors now make sense.

[@cjsun7871]

Yes!!!! I always wondered the same thing. I could fall asleep after drinking a coffee with espresso

[@Tomiply]

Hmm, I also have ADHD and Asperger's, but my heart goes crazy when I have caffeine. Used to drink it nearly every day for 15+ years too, so you'd think my body would get used to it, but no. I get super jittery, stressed and my heart pumps wildy. I've vut caffeine out of my life now though. My siblings, on the other hand, who don't have Asperger's (my brother has ADHD though), don't get any energy at all from caffeine, not even from energy drinks. They can even have them before bed and it does nothing with their sleep. Pretty weird.

[@grummelameise]

i have the same thing.- i dtink coffe before bed, it doesnt work on me at all. like the guy from the other comment i drink lots more if i dont take ritalin.

[@tonycelentano2071]

I didn't discover coffee until my mid-20s and your comment feels exactly relatable. Always wondered why stimulants of any kind don't make me jittery or "euphoric", only calm me down. I've taken naps after 2 cups of coffee.

[@stefanmargraf7878]

Welcome to the club! Me 62, autist and ADD, and i am hobby-coffeeroasting...

[@nnylasoR]

Thank you once again for your time and compassion. I am a 42yo ADHD woman who has multiple cups of black tea (made with three tea bags) per day, as well as 4 shot lattes here and there throughout the week. I have found that consuming caffeine seems to mellow me and quiet the racing thoughts and ideas. I am still unable to miraculously FOCUS on a single task, manage my time well, nor get started on something that really needs doing but I have zero interest in……. but at least I don’t feel restless and “hyper” whilst “hopped up” (on caffeine).

[@treymtz]

Anecdotal, having clinically diagnosed ADHD since I was young, coffee/caffeine I've noticed has never affected me the same as others around. It feels "calmer" and focused. The only explanation that seems to solve this is the brain getting that stimulation rather than trying to search for it, causing it to "settle" its search for more stimulation. However, this doesn't make me immune to the side affects of overconsumption as I've experienced those as well. And at amounts non-adhd users would expect to find those symptoms. I feel as if can conclude, for myself, moderate and controlled occasional consumption of caffeine drinks is the best middle ground. Saved for days where I feel like my ADHD symptoms are likely to flare up.

[@thp4983]

What a treat to have this video come out right as I sat with my morning coffee. Great content as always Russel!

[@SCORPIUSANCTUM]

ha! ditto! ☕☕

[@theromanian8194]

To be honest if I don't take my treatment I can't function. If I stop it just 1 day the lack of norepinephrine hits and am just miserable, deppresed and stuck in bed. To function like a neuro-typical person I need to take my treatment (concerta 36mg) and also drink 2-3 coffee's. In a society where ADHD is seen as joke or an excuse, the work you do for us is a beacon of hope.

[@EdithFrost]

I’m 59 and just got diagnosed. I’ve been the world’s biggest coffee hound since my late teens. I don’t even know where I would’ve gone in life without my coffeefriend! ☕️😋

[@Freakattaker]

I was LITERALLY just trying to search YT to see if you had anything on this like last night lol. Much thanks to you Doc!

[@bdurushia]

I came here because what everyone is saying on social media about ADHD and caffeine use because none of what they say is actually based on any data. I’ve tried looking up some stuff before but it’s so hard for my brain to focus on reading studies. So this video was helpful in learning a few interesting things on the topic. Also, to all those who, unmedicated, say they’ll have like 3-6 cups of coffee in a day: are you drinking dark roast? If so, get rid of that burnt stuff and get some light or medium-light roast. Bam. Now you can get a bunch of caffeine in with less liquid and hopefully remember to drink more water throughout the day. 1-2 shots of light or medium roast espresso and my 10mg of adderall works pretty okay for me. Well at least until the medicine wears off.

[@wallaceman105]

I've had my diagnosis for around 15 years, and I've definitely noticed that while my symptoms may or may not be benefited by caffeine, the usual benefits of caffeine help enough to get me through whatever I'm dealing with (usually an executive function issue or multitasking). Is it simply that the usual boost of caffeine is just really helpful to people with ADHD? Fantastic breakdown, and I really do hope that this research continues.

[@chrislastname1994]

Yea I feel like my adhd symptoms got worse the heavier I used coffee and caffeine.

[@michaelbeggs2013]

I am not diagnosed with inattentive adhd but I was watching a guy who does have it and it was like he was reading off a checklist of my life. I worked in nursing for 35 years on the 11pm-7am shift and I eventually became an avid coffee drinker. I started to do intermittent fasting and I would drink coffee in between meals to suppress my appetite. I drank very large amounts of coffee and other than appetite suppression, I just feel like it helped me feel focused and maybe a little more energetic, but no jitters or difficulty sleeping. Eventually though, the overconsumption did affect me. I had shooting pains in my legs, double vision, and I couldn't stand for long periods and walking up stairs became more difficult and something to avoid. I thought it was my Lyme disease and aging causing my symptoms. I had kind of made a mess of my life and I ended up retiring early in the Philippines on a small pension. One day I was eating at Jollibee with my girlfriend and I ended up stumbling going up the stairs and I dumped all our food on the stairs because my legs were weak and I could not hold the handrail because I was holding the tray of food. I was so embarrassed and I said to myself that this just was not normal for me. I did some research and I eventually realized that I had all the symptoms of beri-beri, otherwise known as severe thiamine deficiency. Overconsumption of caffeine or alcohol can severely deplete thiamine in the body. I started taking benfothiamine and a few other supplements. My double vision disappeared overnight, and after a week or so my legs felt better. Back in America I had an abundance of eggs because I raised chickens and I would have four poached eggs on toast with my coffee for breakfast. I think the eggs were helping keep the symptoms away and I was rarely eating eggs when I left America. Being retired has not been easy and I just seem to lack motivation to even do the basics some days. I was a workaholic back in America and now it just feels like there is nothing to focus on. I am considering getting a job at a call center just to interact with other humans more and supplement my income until I can draw social security. Nursing was a good career and it helped me learn to interact with people and I miss the human contact and connection I had with patients. I am just debating whether an adhd diagnosis would be beneficial at this point. Medications absolutely do not appeal to me and adhd meds are possibly unavailable here in the Philippines. I am sure that I will figure it out.

[@Dragonkrux]

I found this fascinating! Completely not what I was expecting! TLDR in the last two paragraphs. I started drinking coffee during the coffee hour after church when I was 4yrs old. It was more having coffee with my milk and sugar but by the time I was a teen black coffee was the only thing getting me through a day. On and off over the years I tried quitting in favour of non caffeine alternative with the goal of simply avoiding the osteoporosis that runs in the women of my family (heavy tea drinkers) but eventually gave up because I enjoy breathing. It was always the most effective way of relieving the asthma I'd always suffered from even when I was little, but was only finally diagnosed with that in my mid 20s (gosh, I have had bad doctors over the years...) and even then I was only given emergency inhalers, so caffeine remained a staple. While I noticed how hard it was to think without it, I assumed the fog I was always in was due to breathing issues. It took another 10 years before I was given a preventative inhaler that worked well enough, but I was never fully able to cut out the coffee due to concentration issues. Flash forward to April this year when I was finally diagnosed with ADHD predominantly inattentive and put on Concerta. The Concerta was expensive and worked only in so far as a placebo for a day or two. I quit coffee leading up to taking it and without the coffee I really couldn't do much. I continued to ramp up the Concerta for a month and a half eventually only leading up to symptoms of over medicating. My doctor had a hard time believing me that Concerta didn't work so eventually I quit the Concerta and was off it for over a month and back on coffee (keeping it to two a day plus decaf), before I could convince him to try me on Vyvance. The 40mg was astonishing! I of course proceeded to burn my self out by the end of the week trying to do everything but the only thing I missed about caffeine, for the first time in my life, was just having a warm drink through the day. We ramped up and then down and we're trying me on 50mg for a few months to see how that floats. An interesting note: Neither side of my family has substance abuse problems outside the rare relative, including my ADHD brother, who smokes. The smokers are on my father's side, while the ADHD seems to run on my mother's. I'm the only one with asthma so this was never even a thought to me. While I'm often told people with ADHD have substance abuse problems I know of 3 direct close relatives, outside myself, without issues, other than my brother who smokes. We suspect from anecdotes that my maternal grandfather had ADHD but he died while my mother was an infant (self inflicted) and so it's hard piecing together. Neither my mother or father's families are big drinkers, with more than a few on each side not drinking at all for just not liking it, rather than an ambition of abstinence or recovery. One aunt is actually dreadfully ill if she even has communion wine, which they found out the hard way. All my relatives drink caffeine but only the ADHDers in the family have had to make sure they're not drinking too much and don't seem able to last more than 2 to 3 weeks of trying to quit before the lack of EF is too debilitating and go back on. Only two of the four of us are medicated now, due to the expense of diagnosis and treatment. So, now to my purpose in the long preamble. As the Concerta did literally nothing for my ADHD but the Vyvance was immediately successful, it would have been cheaper to take a DNA test first to see which medications would have worked for me. Could there also be a connection to a genetic use case for caffeine in some individuals with ADHD and not in others? While I don't ever feel the need for caffeine now within 20min of having my pill in the morning, it was truly the only way I managed for the 42 years prior. Is it possible that some people with ADHD simply respond differently to other ADHDers thus making caffeine more or less effective of a self medication. I was VERY surprised by these findings. Especially as I would have thought a methylxanthine would have been more obviously of benefit. It's obvious how xanthine helped my asthma all those years but I'm completely stymied as to how it's not considered an effective self medication for ADHD. My instincts say there surely must be something we're missing here. What other factors could be studied in relation to caffeine consumption and how it's processed by the ADHD brain?

[@timvarano5562]

This video and the video on nicotine are extremely useful for me, as they are both applicable to my situation. I'm studying psychology in college, and I've been researching a lot about nicotine and caffeine, because I'm a frequent user, and I never correlated that with my ADHD symptoms. Thank you for this information, and clear explanation!

[@MissSekhmet666]

i've found a cup of coffee in the morning helps combat some of the procrastination issues over work, it doesn't lessen my symptoms, but the caffeine kick just gives me enough of a boost to get started with things. Tea does not have the same effect. I don't consume energy drinks.

[@annadachowska24]

For me coffee is just a relaxing ritual. I also can't have more than two coffees per day because I'm starting to shake and feel unwell so I never was able to raise my caffeine use

[@phaedrussocrates7636]

Smart thing was how you put entire summary in video description - that way I was motivated to let ADDS RUN OUT while I read summary and went on my marry way (after posting this 😊)

[@sebben13]

Thanks for these videos Russell, they make my chaotic diagnosis journey a little less chaotic. I feel there are so many aspects of my ADHD I don't know about, but you going through them thorouglhy one by one make is much easier to handle :)

[@cheebmama]

I was unable to continue drinking caffeinated drinks because of the panic attacks and overall anxiety (i guess the adrenaline was too much for my body), but i can anecdotally say it did help tremendously with my level of concentration and executive functioning. I did the things, and i know because i was able to focus on said things 😅

[@jamie3039]

Thank you so much, Dr. Barkley, for covering this topic! I was curious to know more about it after you mentioned it in another video. I personally find some kind of benefit from drinking coffee at strategic times in my day. I only have two coffees. I tend to be sensitive to things, so that is enough for me. For me personally, having a morning coffee calms down my loud amd disordered brain so I can think clearly and plan my day. Then when I hit my brain crash at about six in the evening, I have another one and it helps me finish my day. Maybe there is another reason for me that it improves my symptoms. I have chronic pain and suffer often from fatigue. Maybe that fatigue exacerbates my ADHD symptoms. But somehow, coffee does help me focus. Thank you again for shedding light on the research on this topic!

[@BenjaminKuruga]

Wow, I was just looking around for some content by you regarding caffeine and couldn't find any. I was going to e-mail you at some point yesterday and sure enough, here you are. Thanks Dr. barkley!

[@123string4]

I was literally searching google scholar yesterday for papers talking about caffeine and ADHD and today you come out with this video! Thank you!

[@audhdcreativity5899]

I gave up caffeine because after being diagnosed with ADHD (began taking atomoxetine- helped me focus, sleep better, be more predicable/able to have routines) Autism and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I realized how completely burnt out and ridiculously anxious/irritated I was. It helped me SO MUCH!!! Caffeine angers me, makes my hot flashes way worse and makes me almost paranoid. But that's me. I know others with undiagnosed ADHD who it helps a lot. Interestingly, I also gave up alcohol decades ago- I seemed to be super sensitive to small amounts of both caffeine and alcohol, plus alcohol addiction was in my family (many who are/were undiagnosed ADHD and Autistic)...

[@W.C.]

Thank you so much for making these short and concise! It is much more accessible than an audiobook or long lecture.

[@BlackIceDragonSalome]

Thank you for this inteesting review! I'm a bit confused why the studies about adults and caffeine are? Just from my self help group alone, I would assume that the more severe ADHD-HI people would drink tons of coffee, before medication, while the ADHD-I drink less, because they somehow get more anxious, while the HI-Type people get calm(er). It would be really nice if the ADHD science community would start looking at Caffeine, Selfmedication and ADHD-Subtypes. :)

[@Dragonkrux]

I'm on the more ADHD-I end of the spectrum and I drank A LOT of coffee right up into my 30s. Only real reason I reigned it in was I suspected I was generally over indulging rather than actually feeling I was. So I think it all might be more complicated than that, which makes sense as ADHD is super biologically complicated.

[@BlackIceDragonSalome]

Yes of course it's more complicated than that. :) Nontheless the trend is there at least in a sample of n=100 so it would be really interesting so see what happens in a double blind group test setting :) @@Dragonkrux

[@Ing0s]

Thank you very much for these awesome videos! Also I want to point out that I feel personally adressed by the video title. Although, my daily coffee consumption reduced by more than half since starting medication.

[@TheContrariann]

Thank you so much for this video Sir ❤❤😊

[@creedo8301]

Thank you dr. barkley that was very informative

[@erinsjourney315]

Thank you!

[@ehsankhodadadi5448]

❤❤❤ Very good Thank you Dr Barkley I hope that you will continue these videos because people with Adhd really need them

[@cosmogang]

I have severe ADHD. Throughout my life I've gone through ups and downs with my caffeine use, sometimes drinking multiple cans of energy drinks in a day. I have never noticed caffeine's effect on me 😅 i dont think it wakes me up, I also dont feel like it helps me with anything 😅 i just like the drinks😅

[@S3L3N3BEAR]

This is so interesting. I have a cup of coffee in the morning. I used to drink more but realised it started to make me sleepy. I tried Gfuel and that had me fighting to keep my eyes open 😂

[@poledra73]

Recent (50yo fem) diagnosis of ADHD (Inattentive type). Learning so much about myself. I used to drink a lot of coffee in high school and uni and early career days but realised it wasn't helping to keep me alert or awake, it was just an excuse to have a break and a nice drink. So I cut right down and made sure that if I had 1 or 2 coffees a day it was going to be a good one. Hence my journey to becoming a self-confessed coffee snob. But I digress. IMO if someone with ADHD was trying to self-medicate with coffee it simply wouldn't work because there would be no stimulant feeling. Just my personal observation.

[@nonyobisniss7928]

That's interesting, I've tried coffee a few times and not noticed a huge effect, besides possibly feeling sleeping a little while later (this could be a coincidence though).

[@ff7h]

It makes me sleepy unless I wait the 90min after waking up. If I have a lot later in the day, it will make me sleep. I have to keep the quantity low.

[@nyarparablepsis872]

I use coffee to help me fall asleep.

[@coffeeinvasion]

I definitely drank more coffee in college before I was diagnosed. It didn't help much and just made me jittery. Now I'm properly medicated and just have my one cup in the morning because it's warm and I like it.

[@PabloYaos]

As someone with inattentive ADD as well (was just diagnosed!) I cannot focus on anything or be articulate without coffee. It helps with my energy and focus enormously and is not an excuse to have a drink like you said. I think coffee does not react to people in the same way regardless of ADHD or ADD.

[@ivana61681]

I’ve been drinking 2-3 coffees per day for years and recently in addition to that I’ve started to drink a couple of Red Bulls a day (with a hyperactive 4-year-old I need all the energy I can get). I used to think I might be dependent on coffee, but I couldn’t drink any amount throughout my first trimester because it made me feel nauseated, and I felt absolutely no difference. I guess I drink it just because I like the taste of it (and of energy drinks too)!

[@eems6859]

Be careful consuming too many energy drinks. They give heart problems if you drinking multiple a day.

[@drgillykahn]

I’m glad this is todays video 👍🏻

[@Torymorgan9]

I’ve been digging your videos recently Dr. Barkley! I think I have ADHD, but I need to get officially diagnosed. Lots of evidence of time blindness and skewed focus.

[@chrisakins692]

Interesting studies. However, we know that stimulants work differently in ADHD brains than neurotypical brains. It would be interesting to see studies of caffeine use in subjects that have a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, as opposed to undiagnosed ADHD type symptoms.

[@Dispell4904]

Clinical research gives us physiological clues but physicians will diagnose based on history and consultation. Stimulants calm the ADHD mind, motivation-habit complexes are off, and there even talk of two ADHD profiles. At best, the ladder will be considered in diagnosis. Is a well developed questionnaire too different from an armchair session if you’re bringing the bar for ADHD into physiology? What’s the ‘however’?

[@entropy2283]

No they don't. It's about dosage. I am by today's lowered standards (was diagnosed in the 90s) severely ADD (inattentive). I abused Ritalin to get high when I was a teen, and that sure as hell gave me a rush. There are plenty who are not diagnosed who take to help with school (there's a huge black market at colleges) because it works the same for them (or it wouldn't be so helpful for them). Low dosage helps focus and gives clarity for anyone. High dosage gives euphoria and energy for anyone. AD(H)D people cannot focus naturally as well so such drugs are given out to help with this. I am very pleased to be off all drugs prescription or otherwise and I am a lot healthier for it. But I actually use a lot of caffeine which is why I am here. It sure helps me anyhow :)

[@s.m.4948]

I definitely have ADHD but have always been weirdly sensitive to caffeine. Like, in my 20s when I worked a 9-5 office job, I'd drink 2 diet Cokes for breakfast (I know, I know) to help me wake up, because I always had sleep disorders since childhood. But if I drank anything caffeinated after 10:30AM, I wouldn't be able to sleep that night. I know there are plenty of ADHD people who fall asleep after drinking an espresso but not I.

[@SamLopez11]

I'm the same way, at least I think. Even though I enjoy the taste of coffee, I often skip because it can make me jittery when combined with my stimulant medication. Though I had coffee today along with meds and it's like a switch turned on, I was so much more focused. I would be interested to see any studies that try to determine if those with ADHD are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine!

[@sunshinelively]

Same. I would drink three stiff cups in the morning, crank as best I could then become less effective later in the day. But if I didn’t couldn’t sleep right. Now on Concerta - I have to take it at 5am so I can fall asleep at night. But, it is working really well, so worth it.

[@Michalos86]

Thank you for the video. Is there any research on use of creatine and ADHD?

[@takiyaazrin7562]

Great video!

[@matthewdee6023]

So anecdotally, some people with ADHD have a coffee before bed to help them sleep. I'd call that self-medicating. I'd also guess that "an easier time falling asleep" isn't one of the things that's tested for in these trials. In other words, how much of what the researchers consider "self-medicating" crosses over with how people actually self-medicate?

[@gypsypath1]

It’s like they don’t actually _talk_ to people with ADHD.

[@Mater_Literarum]

I ALWAYS have a cup of Coffee if I can't sleep. Works better than melatonin, for me!

[@anima379]

Caffeine makes me relaxed and sleepy. I can have an energy drink and go straight to bed an hour later. Drinking too much caffeine however gives me horrible anxiety.

[@alexsavastru8125]

Similar to methylphenidate. The right dose is fine, but during titration, upping the dose usually upped the anxiety as well.

[@Josiah_Vidzro]

It’s highly likely that even if you can fall asleep your sleep quality is negatively affected

[@lizdoesit]

Thanks Dr. Barkley. I'd like to see this same question answered regarding nicotine (nicotine gum, pouches, etc)

[@dazzle187]

Would love a deep dive on DMAE and if its effective in treating various disorders including adhd. There was a brand name called Deanol back in the 60s and 70s which was prescribed to treat various disorders. There was number of clinical studies done in the 70s as well on its effectiveness in treating various disorders including what medical professionals would now classify as adhd. The interesting study was a double blind comparing it to methylphenidate and a placebo. Seems to have dropped off the radar after 80s though and research never really went further.

[@andylee3114]

I'm surprised there isn't more research on whether caffeine helps with ADHD. It would seem to be the most obvious, the most well-known, and the most easily procured form of self-medication. Maybe it's an inherently difficult question due to the number of possible confounding factors, such as sleep deprivation, which type of ADHD people have, how severe it is, and so forth.

[@simonshotter8960]

We give my son tea before school now, it has seemed to calm him down

[@erinm9445]

The thing that is difficult about meta-analyses such as these--and most clinical reasearch, really--is that they don't account for the possibility that different people respond differently. I'm pretty sure caffeine is self-medication for me, but I have two friends with ADHD who can't tolerate caffeine. One feels significantly better on it in some ways, but it disrupts his sleep so much that it makes him feel much worse in others. The other seems to have some weird side effects from caffeine so he stays away from it--which is hard because there are certain ways it does make him feel better. If you were to do a study with n=3 of the three of us, the result would be that caffeine has no benefit or is negative, and that ADHDers don't tend to self-medicate with caffeine. But that completely misses the real picture, which is that caffeine affects each of us differently, but for those it helps (ie me) it's very beneficial.

[@MilkyFudgeNuts]

Thank you for making this video. I was completely appalled lately when the How To ADHD channel had a video titled "How to cope if you can’t get your ADHD medication" with Dr. Hallowell suggesting to "try caffeine to replace your prescription, it works pretty well."😧 So what if you're already taking the max amount of caffeine your body can handle Dr. Hallowell? Just add more? I found it pretty boofheaded. It should have been an important video for people looking for help but it was fluff. The channel creator usually does a better job than that. I think he paid her to be on there marketing his new book. But I am glad you have put up this science based video to kind of counter people like him. Keep it up.

[@Dragonkrux]

I agree there. That channel started me on the journey to a diagnosis but often I find the videos don't apply to me all that well. Two to three cups a day is all the ADHD brain should have because more often than not, a person will start feeling adverse effects of greater fatigue. Also, some of the managing suggestions assume I have a full size home and have all the money to spend on ADHD tax.

[@MilkyFudgeNuts]

oh yes you see a lot of very upper middle class kind of stuff around when it comes to suggestions to help your ADHD that is out of reach to MANY people and it is so annoying. Like the suggestion that if you are struggling to just delegate some of the things you are struggling with to other people or to just hire a coach. @@Dragonkrux

[@MilkyFudgeNuts]

What really saddens me is that my psychiatrist recommended me to read Dr. Hallowell's book when he diagnosed me with ADHD. All Dr. Hallowell's book was was an ad for expensive fish oil that he was pushing as a cure all and a hype up for how great Dr. Hallowell thought himself to be. I wasn't convinced. Reading ADHD 2.0 WILL WASTE YOUR TIME.

[@bellaluce7088]

Counterpoint: as someone who doesn't have access to ADHD meds and was completely dismissed when I asked my doctor about caffeine as an alternative, I appreciated Dr. Hallowell's comment. Just because advice doesn't fit us personally doesn't mean it shouldn't be mentioned for the sake of the people who CAN benefit!

[@bellaluce7088]

​@@Dragonkrux How to ADHD has been a godsend for me. I think the difference in the current impact of her videos on me (helpful reinforcement) vs. when I first started watching (mind-blowing secrets and validation!!!) is that I've now absorbed so much knowledge about ADHD (thanks in part to her!). HealthyGamerGG and Cas from Clutterbug's videos on ADHD have also been hugely helpful.

[@HolaMindy]

I was a heavy coffee drinker for a decade, but when I decided to get pregnant, I switched to just two cups of black tea per day. I had always thought caffeine didn't affect me because I never felt the rush of energy other people describe. When I cut my caffeine intake, I was surprised to discover that my baseline level of anxiety went way down. I thought I was just naturally a very anxious person. Nope. Turns out six cups of coffee a day was making me anxious. Now I drink decaf.

[@shannigans8]

I personally have had multiple energy drinks daily (except when pregnant) for the last 20 years and was finally dx after 35 years. Wish there was other treatment besides stimulants and the non stims caused me an autonomic response . I know caffeine has always helped me focus just a little better (maybe placebo… maybe not).

[@MsJazbren]

Prior to my diagnosis, I'd tried to quit my energy drink habit, and smoking, multiple times. Once, after a few days without a red bull, I bought one and felt my brain 'turn on' as I finished my large can of it, to the extent that I remarked on it to my partner when he got home from work that afternoon. We thought it was a bad indication of how addicted I was. By the time I was diagnosed at 40, my daily intake of caffeine was higher than the recommended intake for an adult, and when my gp and I did the math, she actually asked me, 'Do you sleep?' To which I answered yes, apart from maybe a once a month Surprise Insomnia Attack. Oddly enough, on those days, I'd usually function fairly well, and then return to my regular(ish) sleep schedule the following night. I learned not to tell people at work about them though, because they'd just say, 'Well, no wonder with all the red bull you drink'. One day out of the month I can't sleep, and you're gonna call out my daily habit? Bugger off, please. My gp also commented, 'it's a wonder you're not huge', given the amount of sugar in energy drinks, and my inability to find a no sugar option i like, but i just said, 'well yeah, but i eat one meal a day, and that's conditional on my appetite not vanishing on a whim.' So I don't think it's placebo. I think it's likely that more than just caffeine is at play though, such as a dopamine boost with the sugar.

[@kellyalsaleh3032]

❤❤❤❤ Coffee. Freshly brewed quality coffee ❤❤❤❤ 6 double espressos before noon. After that I switch to matcha tea (less caffeine, more theanine). I drink lots of water in between. I'm now wondering if I have a caffeine use disorder 🤔 Never had any bad effects and heart rate and bp is healthy. Alcohol has a much more dangerous effect on my ADHD. I cannot do moderate consumption. I am more frightened at how much alcohol I can drink in a short space of time than how many coffees I drink. Also I drink coffee in a pleasurable, appreciative way (i.e. slower, enjoying it)... alcohol is more of a guzzle down. Right I'd better rewind this video and actually listen!

[@UnseenOct]

I noticed a big difference in my ability to focus when i stopped caffeine

[@maryseeker7590]

My profession disallows ADHD meds because they are deamed as stimulants and thus not allowed. So I must self medicate with a single “dose” of black coffee. If I drink two cups I have trouble sleeping. This is not excessive because I view it as medicine.. which I enjoy it also. But do I need I for my ADHD? Absolutely!

[@codydickens2447]

I wish Dr Barkley would review the studies on caffeine and l-thenine. They are much more promising since the two together appear to improve cognitive function more.

[@melodywolff6346]

I've always felt a calming effect from caffeine, unless I take way too much, in which case I start noticing negative physical side effects. I do think it's highly likely there is a beneficial effect in people with ADHD, but like anything, it can be abused.

[@gameziper]

i personally consume caffeine every day and in high doses. i have consumed caffeine regularly ever since my very early teen years and havent been able to stop consuming it. the interesting thing i found about my caffeine addiction / unregular daily dose is that not anyone i have ever met without ADHD thinks its absurd amounts i consume i heard that especially at work because i tend to need it much more at boring jobs to be able to function the way i found i do when i consume caffeine. I think coffee has a better effect on me than energy drinks yet those work fine aswell. I was that typical student consuming 5 energy drinks in a school day on a regular basis in all my teen school years same as when i had access to coffee in my school when i was in the Gymnasium / highschool. idk how to explain gymnasium since its a swedish term of the 2nd highest education status in swedish schools besides högskolan / highschool wich is the best education you can have!. anyways i used to buy 1 or 2 coffee cups every single morning in school and it was so important for me to function properly that even tho i was late to my class i had to buy the coffee and get some more minutes late than late without it because i can focus easier with caffeine than without and i have noticed that my restlessness gets 100x worse without coffee and i cant sit still for long periods without it. I have picked up on those behaviours from being told what i do either at home, in school or at work and my behaviours drasticly changed when there was no access to caffeine. I dont have an ADHD diagnosis yet tho but i have extremely much in common with ADHD behaviours it seems like.

[@montegyro]

Prior to getting diagnosed & medicated, I've gotten into all sorts of substances and drank anywhere from 300 to 1500 mg of caffeine in a day (if it wasn't stacker pills), and used benadryl to force myself to sleep. Lol, now I'm medicated and only have caffeine, like way less of it too.

[@stefanmargraf7878]

When i travel to remote areas with a good chance of no coffee available, i take coffee beans in nutella with me. I eat that in the morning to replace the coffee. Pure caffeine pills dont work. And i roast coffee by myself, because i want french roast (oily beans), not availble here in Germany. Alas, that kind of roast conatins less caffein. I assume not caffeine is the goal, but other substances in the coffee oil. Autist, ADD and medical doctor here.

[@MindShiftChronicle]

hey nice study, i suspect that it's the sugar in combination with caffeine that helped.

[@judykappeler6963]

Dr. Barkley, were any of individuals in the studies Identified as having ADHD for which they were being treated with stimulates?

[@tarunarachmad3976]

if coffee no significant what should consume to increase epinephrine and focus as self diagnosed adhd

[@entimusb]

My wife tells me a lot about my condition, with what she sees in Instagram. One of them is that people with ADHD get sleepy with coffee. There´s no serious studies that support that I assume. Can you share some imput about that?

[@victorrivas2350]

Right now, my wife and I are going through with our son's recent diagnosis. He is 6 years old. I'm curious to know if you would have any info over children in this stage of their young lives and managing ADHD, conventional wisdom versus current trends.

[@I_Call_You_Moonchild]

Have you had a chance to look at Dr Barkley's books? He has a wealth of advice for those of us parenting kids with ADHD. It's late and I am exhausted, this not remembering the titles, but look at his list of books and they should be easy to spy.

[@M2Mil7er]

neither conventional wisdom or current trends have really helped the material conditions of those with ADHD. Have a look at the other videos on his channel for the info you need. Or failing that, google Dr Russell Barkley childhood ADHD and there you go.

[@tomryan9827]

I definitely drank much more coffee before I was medicated. 1000+ mg a day when I was young. Not hard to do when a starbucks venti has 600 mg Now I don't need it. I switched to caffeine free diet soda and only drink excessive caffeine if I need to stay awake for 24+ hours. Caffeine quickly loses its ability to keep you awake when consumed in excess, like any drug produces tolerance, so I don't find it helpful to regularly walk around with four lattes in my bloodstream

[@xXxodnanreFxXx]

❤

[@bgoomba2002]

The first studies discussed seem like the are confusing the question of the affect of caffeine one people with ADHD. 'It increased ADHD symptoms in a mixed population' Its really hard to make a useful conclusion there. What percentage had ADHD? If its a small percentage then the affect of caffeine on ADHD people is could be easily masked by its effect on non ADHD people. I have been told by multiple people that a stimulant like Adderal is not overly addictive to people with ADHD but is the opposite for non-ADHD. The implication being that stimulants interact with ADHD brains differently.

[@Deviliza]

Good. More plz on good or debunked "alternative" treatments of ADHD 🙂👍 Safran? Fish Oil? D-vitamins? Pine-needle somthing? Ginko Biloba?

[@lisahouck4833]

As a F, 42, I'll say that red bull helped me focus and perform better at my new job, when i was struggling hard But it to hyper long after I'm clocked out If i eat after work, i go right to sleep

[@TheContrariann]

I'm not sure whether it works for me.

[@tntn3rd654]

I’m a regular drinker of caffeine as a teenager with adhd (high functioning) autism anxiety and few other things and i know you manly focus on adhd but was wondering if you know anything about the effects of caffeine for people with autism

[@thebeatles9]

Doctor, what is your information concerning friends who become tired immediately after caffeine consumption? Is this a sign that the caffeine is "slowing" the person down? Is this a sign of ADHD, where stimulants seem to have the counter effect?

[@Dancestar1981]

I actually use caffeine to treat my adhd

[@alau2058]

I wish caffine would give me a lift! I could easily nap directly after a cup of coffee. I have ADHD.

[@piotr780]

8:00 but you really cant use palcebo against psychoactive substance...

[@cobb9093]

I went from 6 coffees and 2+ energy drinks a day to zero caffeine now that im medicated.

[@btudrus]

The caviat of all of these studies is that these don't account (and correct) for sugar (fructose/sucrose) which is very likely causal to ADHD...

[@AlexShiro]

This is an issue.

[@jerryweller7011]

I am unable to take ADHD stimulant meds due to high blood pressure. (Have tried Strattera - felt like a zombie and the various blood pressure meds that allegedly help ADHD didn't help mine) So I test my ADHD by playing a chess app in the morning. If I can beat the app on an intermediate level my ADHD isn't too bad. If I blunder badly, I get out the bottle of caffeine pills. I do feel like some of the cobwebs subside when I take caffeine equivalent to 4 cups of coffee

[@neptronix]

I have inattentive type ADHD and caffeine is critical for me in my profession: computer programming.

[@user-wg6fe5uj8r]

Q: How does the effects of caffeine, on the quality of sleep, differ between people with ADHD and people without ADHD?

[@Theyoutuberpolyglot]

That is a good question. It depends on the person. I take caffeine and Ritalin daily. It doesn’t affect my sleep quality much. Well, if I stop taking caffeine, I will sleep one or two more hours than I normally do for a couple of nights. It also depends on how tired I am. I keep tracking my sleep behaviour thanks to an app. My light and heavy sleep + REM ( a phase of your sleep when you delve into the dreamland) stages aren’t always the same. A couple of days ago my deep sleep was over 5 hours. A week ago my REM stage was 4 hours and only two hours deep sleep + 1 hour light sleep. My deep sleep will increase if I don’t sleep much or stay awake for 20 or 24 hours straight. Caffeine might delay a couple of hours my tiredness, but later I will have to compensate for the sleep deficit.

[@whyamiwastingmytimeonthis]

WHY OH WHY DIDNT I KNOW YOU HAD A CHANNEL

[@BookDragonKSC]

Thank you for this. My 10 year old does better with a little bit of black tea in the morning. For him it seems like caffeine does help with his focus. However I could see high amounts of caffeine having the opposite for him.

[@WerexZenok]

Maybe the explanation is: -Is already known that people with ADHD tend to have sleep problems due to melatonin secretion delay. -People with sleep problems tend to feel sleepy over the day and use caffeine/energy drinks as a symptomatic treatment to the sleep deprivation. That's the classical "chicken and egg" problem we see everywhere in the scientific research.

[@michaelras1818]

maybe caffenie produces adhd symptoms. it does in me when i had too much coffee

[@JudeNance]

My mother smoked to cigarettes, caffeine and alcohol .

[@nickwatson2217]

What about nicotine? Smoking is way up there with ADHDers, and I imagine nowadays vaping too.

[@Deviliza]

Ohh.. Lorelai 😆

[@Smurfageful]

Guys coffee makes me sleepy but if you put a ton of sugar in there it works!

[@user-cw3wm9lx7w]

i can drink like 5 or 10, 500 mg or more energy drinks and yes i have ADHD.

[@eniggma9353]

Sir this is a very amusing presentation. Mome miust have been trying coke when pregnant haha jk. caffeine use during pregnancy wouldnt really make sense on causing ADHD anyway.

[@gypsypath1]

So basically, the researchers decided that since caffeine (coffee) gives them more energy, they think it will help ADHD. They need to actually _talk_ to people with ADHD! _It makes us sleepy!!_

[@AlexShiro]

Not all. Some of us are super sensitive to caffeine, I get high as a kite off it lol 😂 But alcohol makes me hyperactive…

[@JFK6699]

I have never been clinically diagnosed, but I believe I have ADHD. I feel sick from caffeine. i prefer chocolate. i have a lotof that

[@Theyoutuberpolyglot]

Caffeine or coffee?

[@Brutuscomedy]

Brutus appreciates you saying "friends" as he is Quaker. 😊

[@jonr6680]

My research (sample size n=1!) is that sensitivity to caffeine creates an entirely different person. For good or ill, with attention enhanced... But the ability to DIRECT attention reduced. So I can do more, but if I fall into the rabbit hole of say... KZbin comments (!) .. so that potential productivity is wasted. And the beavering effect destroys time perception. So sensible activities such as breaks for eyesight or RSI are swept aside in a frenzy. Interruptions are more likely to be ignored with an irritated 'can't you see I'm busy!'. In any case the effect is fleeting, with subsequent doses being acclimated by the organism and so far less effective. Demanding constant escalation... With increasing irritability and digestive distress. And finally the killer being that caffeine damages SLEEP, so eventually it becomes a zero sum game. We are thus all zombies carrying around days of sleep debt, watching TV in a haze because we 'can't sleep ' (but really it's the latent caffeine)... Then 0600 craving the next fix just enough to be competent to drive to the open prison aka workplace. The only winner is the company selling that product. Cynical marketing and gullible consumers. And arguably real harms when sleep debt caused by chronic use ( the entire population of the civilized world??) causes performance errors. Like truck drivers falling asleep at the wheel. I'd put caffeine second only to alcohol in it's impact. But since we are all addicted nobody wants to face that.

[@matejpetkovski490]

I would disagree with you on the point that caffeine is second to alcohol. There are many people that have a healthy relationship with caffeine, only having it a 1.5 hours after waking up(to avoid a crash) and having only 1-2 coffees a day, or preworkout or whatever it may be. Whereas the same isn't true for alcohol, because you can't have a healthy relationship with it, as any amount is damaging to your health, even if you limit use and are responsible with it. I do get where you're coming from though, I think that the issue of sleep problems in current society is very real, but more complex than just caffeine. I think caffeine is a bandage that we use to get us through the day, and often because of improper use can take away from our tomorrow. Also, Matthew Walker claims that sleep debt, or the ability to catch up on sleep is a myth. Don't know much about it but it's worth looking into, I think he's pretty highly regarded in the field.

[@jonr6680]

@@matejpetkovski490 Ok chief, stop drinking caffeine right now. It's not essential, just for 'fun'. Right? I double dare you. Different folks genetics and background matter too, so some people are vulnerable to alcohol... But everyone seems to be a caffeine addict but just don't care! Back in C20 everyone smoked bc it was the fashionable thing to do. And the clever self publicist leveraging his position as a scientist... again test yourself by staying awake all night, then you'll see. Lab tests have been done on military personnel, sleep is no less vital as food water or air to breathe. Do both, stop drinking caffeine AND stay up all night. But stay away from cars or the kitchen or your job... You might hurt yourself or someone else.

[@animepussy8356]

My body is a machine which turns caffeine into capital