Last updated on: November 27th, 2019 ~
The truth about ADHD and caffeine is different for everyone. Many people with ADHD respond very well to caffeine. Some people with ADHD actually feel sleepy after downing a coffee. And, just about everyone with ADHD has used caffeine as a coping mechanism for ADHD at one point or another.
So, this article explores the following 6 topics regarding ADHD and caffeine consumption…
- Why caffeine “works” for most people with ADHD
- Why caffeine makes some people with ADHD feel tired
- The downsides of using caffeine to treat ADHD symptoms
- Using caffeine with ADHD medication
- ADHD children and caffeine consumption
- My favorite sources of natural caffeine that I personally use
Just keep reading to get the full scoop on using caffeine to fight through your ADHD symptoms.
And, make sure to read this article through to the very end to see my personal recommendations for natural caffeine sources…
Contents
Why most people with ADHD love caffeine
Most people with ADHD love caffeine. This is tough to deny, because many of us have spent years of our lives using coffee and energy drinks as a coping mechanism for dealing with ADHD.
I personally spent many years chugging coffee, guzzling Red Bulls, and shooting 5-Hour Energy shots.
This is probably because I went a long time undiagnosed. So, caffeine was the sole motivator that kept me going for quite some time.
Most people with ADHD ultimately enjoy caffeine because caffeine mimics the effects of stimulant-based ADHD drugs (although at a somewhat milder level).
One study indicates that tea consumption may be an effective treatment for ADHD. I strongly agree with this study, because I find tea to provide the “cleanest” source of natural caffeine.
Another study shows that drinking coffee reduces suicide risk by 50%, and serves as a natural antidepressant.
Unlike previous investigations, we were able to assess association of consumption of caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages, and we identify caffeine as the most likely candidate of any putative protective effect of coffee.
– Michel Lucas, Researcher at the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health
It should be pretty clear that there’s something extremely beneficial about using caffeine to temporarily reduce ADHD symptoms, and live a more enjoyable lifestyle in general.
Now that I no longer take ADHD medication (at least for the time being), I primarily use tea and coffee as a natural substitute for tackling ADHD symptoms.
When people with ADHD use caffeine, most will feel…
- More focused
- Calmer
- Awake
- “Normal” (I hear this one a lot – caffeine makes people with ADHD feel like an ordinary human being)
So, if you’re a healthy adult with ADHD, and you feel the need to take down some coffee or tea in order to get a grip on your ADHD symptoms, go right ahead.
I think you’ll be just fine to do so.
Why caffeine makes some people with ADHD feel sleepy
Believe it or not, some people with ADHD may actually feel tired after drinking a cup of coffee or tea.
I initially found this hard to imagine, because I feel so awake and upbeat after ingesting caffeine.
But, many people with ADHD claim to experience a paradoxical reaction to caffeine.
John Billings, who is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, explains this paradoxical reaction on the Untapped Brilliance blog:
I have treated Adult ADHD since 2004, as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. I have found that about a third of my clients will actually fall asleep if they drink a caffeinated soda, or a cup of coffee. In fact, I have a son-in-law and three grandchildren that drinking a Dr. Pepper at bedtime will put them to sleep. Without the caffeine they may stay awake for hours.
Theoretically, if a person has ADHD they don’t produce enough nor-epinephrine (nor-adrenaline). Nor-epinephrine is needed to be able to release serotonin. You need serotonin to be able to sleep, possibly because you need serotonin to make melatonin. Therefore, by consuming caffeine, nor-epinephrine is released, then serotonin is released, then melatonin is made, and the person goes to sleep.
I have not found research articles that explore this phenomena, and therefore there is little evidence to base the theory, or treatment of insomnia caused by ADHD with stimulant medication. However, a third of my clientele have benefited by being able to fall asleep when the ADHD is properly treated.
After researching the paradoxical “sleepy” reaction that some people with ADHD experience after consuming caffeine, I could only find anecdotal evidence.
But, many people with ADHD are adamant about feeling tired after consuming caffeine. So, I do believe that the relationship exists.
The downsides of using caffeine to treat ADHD symptoms
In my experience, the biggest downside of using caffeine to treat ADHD symptoms depends on how you consume your caffeine.
For example, if you’re drinking soft drinks like Mountain Dew, then you’re taking in a lot of sugar with your caffeine. And as you probably know, sugar is one of the most harmful ingredients that people with ADHD can consume, since sugar tends to worsen ADHD symptoms.
Unfortunately, diet soda doesn’t always cut it either. Many diet soft drinks like Diet Coke contain aspartame, which is considered by some to be the most dangerous substance on the market.
Even coffee isn’t always a safe option. Starbucks coffee drinks can contain 70+ grams of sugar in a single beverage.
So, the greatest dangers of consuming caffeine involves how you consume caffeine. Those of us with ADHD need every cognitive advantage that we can get. We don’t need to be ingesting loads of sugar, synthetic ingredients, and similarly harmful ingredients that can slow us down mentally and physically.
This is why I ultimately recommend sweetening coffee or yerba mate with xylitol sourced from birch trees. Using xylitol will help you reduce your sugar intake, while actually enjoying the taste of your caffeinated beverages.
It’s also worth noting that consuming too much caffeine can increase your level of anxiety, make it difficult to sleep, increase your heart rate, and raise your blood pressure. Make sure to chat with a medical professional if you have any concerns about using caffeine to treat your ADHD symptoms.
Should you take caffeine with ADHD medication?
When I used Vyvanse for a period of one year, I would almost always drink a little bit of coffee after taking Vyvanse.
In my experience, Vyvanse and caffeine are synergistic to a point. The combination worked pretty well for me.
But, I did notice that I would feel pretty anxious if I drank too much coffee after taking Vyvanse.
So, I recommend being extremely conservative with caffeine after using ADHD medication. One cup of coffee is more than enough for a healthy adult. One cup of coffee might even contain too much caffeine if you’re sensitive to stimulants. If this sounds like you, try drinking half a cup of joe.
The other thing to be cautious of while combining caffeine and ADHD medication is how much water you consume.
Caffeine isn’t dehydrating, contrary to popular belief. But, it’s still a good idea to drink plenty of water if you’re ingesting ADHD medication and caffeine.
I know that I always feel better and think more clearly whenever I drink plenty of filtered water throughout the day.
Should kids with ADHD drink coffee or use caffeine?
Most medical professionals advise against giving kids coffee or caffeine, because there’s a chance that caffeine can increase children’s blood pressure, heart rate, and level of anxiety.
On the flip side, there are some parents who give their kids coffee as a substitute for ADHD medication.
Christie Haskell, who is the author of the article, claims to give her child a 4 oz cup of coffee twice per day.
A separate article suggests that Ritalin gave Haskell’s child unwanted side effects – unlike coffee.
The reality is that more kids are drinking caffeine. And, while caffeine might not be the all-time healthiest ingredient for children to use – treating children’s ADHD symptoms with caffeine may be better than leaving them untreated.
It’s ultimately going to be up to you and a trusted medical professional to decide how you’re going to treat your child’s ADHD symptoms. You might choose to give your child a light dose of caffeine, ADHD medication, or even a natural stimulant for ADHD.
The best sources of natural caffeine for people with ADHD
I’m not a huge fan of chugging Red Bull or similar synthetic products to get a quick caffeine buzz.
When I use caffeine, I prefer to consume high-quality and natural sources of caffeine. I find this to drastically reduce the amount of side effects that I experience.
So, I primarily use 3 different sources of natural caffeine to treat my ADHD symptoms…
ADHD caffeine source #1. Yerba mate
Yerba mate (Amazon) is my favorite source of natural caffeine. I love yerba mate because it contains the perfect amount of caffeine, reduces your anxiety, and makes you feel highly alert.
Yerba mate feels extremely smooth, calming and uplifting.
It temporarily “quiets” your mind (almost as if you’re meditating), and puts your ADHD symptoms at ease for roughly 2 to 3 hours.
If you’re willing to give yerba mate a try, I bet that you’ll absolutely love it.
ADHD caffeine source #2. Coffee
Coffee (Amazon) is the world’s most popular source of natural caffeine.
Yes, coffee is even more popular than tobacco and alcohol. It keeps the people of world energized, and mentally sharp.
Good coffee is available practically anywhere in the world. Yes, you should obviously swing by your local health food store, look for a batch of coffee that’s almost sold out (popular coffee is good coffee), and purchase a few pounds.
Alternatively, I’ve linked to some high-quality coffee on iHerb that you can try if you like. It’s great stuff!
Pro tip: If you need to sweeten any of your beverages that contain caffeine (like coffee, yerba mate or green tea), I recommend using xylitol sourced from birch trees. Xylitol is the healthiest sweetener available to people with ADHD.
ADHD caffeine source #3. Natural supplements
Genius Caffeine (Amazon) is my favorite source of natural caffeine in pill form.
I take Genius Caffeine whenever I’ve already drank plenty of fluids, and don’t feel like drinking coffee or tea.
For example, sometimes I’ll blend a big 16 oz smoothie in my Vitamix blender, drink my smoothie, and then I’ll still crave caffeine afterwards.
Popping a capsule of Genius Caffeine is the perfect solution for this type of situation – where I just want the stimulation that caffeine provides, without having to drink any more liquids.
Each capsule of Genius Caffeine contains 167 mg of extended-release natural caffeine. I find this to be the perfect amount of caffeine for temporarily reducing ADHD symptoms, and avoiding negative side effects (like increased anxiety).
Conclusion
Overall, caffeine is one of the most classic, reliable, and effective tools in the fight against ADHD symptoms.
And luckily, as long as you manage to keep healthy, caffeine shouldn’t cause you any problems in the long run.
Just remember to stay hydrated, eat a good diet, exercise and get plenty of sleep.
If you can manage to accomplish the basics of living a healthy lifestyle with ADHD, then consuming caffeine will most likely help you get a whole lot extra out of life.
Thank you for this bit of information! I am a woman, age 34, and married. We both want to start a family soon, so I’ve gone off my meds. I’ve been off and on my medication for years. Not sure, of course, how long I’ll have to stay off them either. Luckily, I LOVE coffee and LOVE caffeine! Not much a fan of soda either which is a plus because you are right that it is bad for us with ADHD. Too much sugar provides negative results. We tend to get agitated, hyper, and easily fatigued with the sugar crash/come down. It sucks! I was looking into the best way to drink coffee and have it be effective since I am healthy. I know, my father-in-law, who calls himself “scatterbrained” and is also dyslexic, used to depend on coffee. But, now his body can’t tolerate it any longer. So, it’s NOT for everyone. But, the healthy ones should definitely give it a try and at least see what happens. I’ve heard it makes some of us with ADHD drowsy. I had a fried who tried Ritalin/Concerta and THAT made him drowsy which, for me, are the best drugs out there and are most effective! I’ve tried everything else under the sun that were available years ago and nothing else worked. In fact, everythinig else available at the time of this “trial and error” gave me horrible side-effects. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that this will always be my go-to-drug, both Ritalin AND Concerta. For now, coffee will have to do. 😉
I meant that “I had a friend” not “fried. Sorry, I’m usually good at catching typos. Guess this is a tall-tell sign that my scatterbrained ways have come back since stopping meds about a week-ish ago. lol
Haha all good!
Hey Cristina, thank you very much for your comment.
That’s great to hear you’re starting a family soon. That’s an exciting time in your life – and well worth coming off ADHD meds for.
I love coffee and caffeine too! They make for some of the best substitutions for ADHD meds that we have.
You’re definitely right that coffee isn’t for everyone. But it’s pretty good when you’re healthy. And yes, I’ve also heard that it makes some ADHD’ers drowsy, which is really odd, but definitely true.
Hope you enjoy your long-term coffee break. And I wish you and your future family the best of luck.
I very much agree with what you wrote here. I have bad ADHD and I use caffeine every day. But the way I take caffeine is simple, inexpensive and very clean and smooth: I buy caffeine capsules via Amazon. I get 100 high quality capsules for $8.96 (there is also 100 for $6.91 but I am sticking with the brand I use). That comes to less than 10 cents a day!
Incidentally my understanding (learned during a tour of a coffee plantation in Costa Rica) is that the caffeine in pills and capsules come from coffee decaffeination, so it is a natural product.
I usually just need 1 cap per day, usually taken around 7:30 am by phone alarm, but the time doesn’t much matter.
I hope this is helpful to someone
Hi Ralph. That’s awesome to hear that you’ve found a strategy that works well for your ADHD. I agree that caffeine pills are great!
Your comment is definitely helpful. Thank you very much for taking the time to comment.
Best wishes,
Stef
Hi! Interesting article!
I’m curious why you consider xylitol to be the healthiest sweetener for people with ADHD. Is it just because of the same reasons xylitol is healthier than sugar or artificial sweeteners for the general population, or is there something specific about it in relation to ADHD?
Thanks for any information!
Hi JenP.
Yes exactly. Because xylitol is healthier than sugar, and sugar is horrible for health and energy levels etc.
We people with ADHD need every advantage we can get. Avoiding sugar is a MASSIVE advantage!
I have struggled with ADD my whole life (undiagnosed) my childhood was rough (understatement of the year!) But I started drinking caffeine around the age of 16 and although I had given up on school, I got my first job. For the first time in my life I felt I could be productive. I had hope for my future. At 18 I went back and got my GED. I thought of going to college or joining the military but I met my fiance and put it all on the back burner. I jumped from job to job trying to figure out what I liked, what I was good at and what could be beneficial financially. I started to feel somewhat normal. ADD (unknowingly) held me back tremendously for a long time but I persevered and finally at age 30 got lucky. I landed a great job at the post office that kept me stimulated… always work to be done, switching from task to task was a must for me and the post office (clerk duties). Caffeine (and the urgency to get a ton of things done with little time) put a fire under my butt. I would not be where I am today without caffeine and great support system (family and counseling) and my current job. At 35 now, I finally figured out what has been holding me back my whole life, ADD. For the first time in my life I’m considering medication but it is scary. Is caffeine enough? I’m so tired of trying to manage my symptoms. So tired of forgetting. So tired of daydreaming. So tired of not getting things done at home. So tired of procrastinating. So tired of feeling inadequate. I am a mom now and with all the added responsibilities I feel like caffeine isn’t enough. I’m too distracted, too unorganized and too forgetful to function. I am completely overwhelmed by the simplest of things. Some days/times i feel like I have everything under control and others I could lose my mind over leaving my coffee on the counter as I rush out the door late, for the 30th time this month. I don’t know what to do. Caffeine definitely helps but I fear it’s not enough. Thoughts?
Honestly sounds like you’re the perfect candidate for ADHD medication Jessica. I personally used Vyvanse and found it to be highly effective 🙂 Either way, thank you for sharing your story with us.
I should mention it is the inattentive type, not the hyper kind.
Great article! Its a pleasure to read about ADHD from someone who actually suffers from it and not who claims to suffer from ADD. Good stuff. I am one of those guys that for some reason almost always feels sleepy within an hour of drinking coffee and wasnt sure if it was the caffeine but now i am reading that it actually happens to people.
I’ve tried other nootropics on Amazon with no success and I hate the overall feeling i got from Aderall despite the fact that it was extremely helpful. Now, I think I’m gonna give the genius caffeine pills a try.
Let me know how the Genius caffeine works for you bud. I’m curious to know! Thank you for the kind words by the way.
Hi Stefan,
Great post! So hard to find good info from about this from people who actually have ADHD!
I had a couple of quick questions:
1. It’s almost a year since you wrote this article. Do you still use caffeine as your go-to?
2. How do you mitigate against building up tolerance to caffeine? My concern would be caffeine losing effectiveness, and my wanting to have more of it until it creates problems such as insomnia, anxiety etc.
Do you have any tips?
Thanks again!
Cheers
Max
Thank you very much for the comment Max. Really nice to hear from you.
1. Yes
2. I honestly don’t know. I use a lot of caffeine and haven’t had any issues whatsoever. In fact, I recently had some blood work done, and I’m in the best shape of my life (even with using caffeinated products 4-5 times per day).
I wish you the best man!
-Stef
Just a headsup, aspartame has been WIDELY studied and has been shown time and time again to be absolutely safe for human consumption. There’s a lot of misinformation about it, but it’s scientifically been shown to be perfectly safe. Don’t buy into the fearmongering around it – it has no basis in actual fact.
Take 100mg of caffeine anhydrous every 3-4 hours.
The effect is very similar to Methylphenidate (MPH) 10mg
Whatever you do, don’t drink caffeine from liquid sources. You will never get a consistent dose as every cup you brew will have varying amounts of caffeine. They key here is consistency, pills and timers are the key here.
Thanks for this tip Rob.
Another option is Penethylamine 500mg and Hordine HCL 100mg every 4-6 hours.
Both of which are legal. If you dig deeper you’ll see that this “supplement” is very similar to D-Amphetamine. Also PEA is the backbone for all Amphetamine and Phenidate class of drugs.
Hi Stefan,
You mentioned being on Vyvanse for only a year… are you solely treating your ADHD with caffeine? If you are, my question may not apply, but I will ask anyway!
My question is if you know of any correlation between consuming caffeine with medication and building a tolerance to the medication. I ask because I started on 30mg of Vyvanse in 2009 and over the course of 9 years, I had gone all the way up to 70mg, the highest possible dose. Admittedly, I would drink a lot of decaf coffee, black or only unsweetened almond milk, while medicated (I noticed that decaf was sufficient to give me the boost I needed) but one cup in the morning was never enough to get me through my day. I took a break from meds this summer to cleanse and restart. In that time, I thought about my history with the meds and caffeine, and I started to wonder if my consumption of caffeine had something to do with my increasing tolerance to each dose I was put on. I went back on Vyvanse a few months ago (I’m currently on 50mg) and decided to try meds sans-caffeine. It’s been working fine but not as effective as I know it could be with caffeine. It also could be that 50mg isn’t the right dose for me, but I’m nervous to go higher and be back in the same place as before my cleanse. I know that caffeine can give me the extra boost I need, but I worried about falling into the same cycle of increasing my dose every few years…
Overall, I’m just trying to figure out if caffeine consumption speeds up the process of building a tolerance to the meds, or if they’re unrelated and it’s just normal to have to increase the dose every 1-2 years. (Sorry for the long message, I don’t know how to explain anything without going into elaborate detail…. adhd probs)
Awesome question Lizzie, the short answer is that I don’t know if there’s any correlation between caffeine consumption and tolerance to ADHD medication. But I would be curious to know too!
Thank you for sharing this information. I heard from a friend that her friend gives their child a tiny “shot” of Red Bull every after taking him off adhd medication that was not working for them. I’m trying to gather as much info about this as possible for my 9yo with Adhd.