ADHD Wiki
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Caffeine

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Summary

  • Feeling more alert does not mean ADHD symptoms improved. Child trials found no overall symptom benefit.
  • Child trials cannot establish adult effects. Assess attention, impulsivity, and that night's sleep together.

Ways to apply

  1. On your own

    Free, no special equipment to buy

    1. If you already drink caffeine, log drinking times and that day's attention and impulsivity.
    2. That night, log time to fall asleep, waking during the night, and total sleep time.
    3. Review all records. Feeling alert or one better test result does not show caffeine treats ADHD.

Trials in children found no overall ADHD symptom benefit

Research-backed

A 2023 systematic review brought together caffeine trials in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The pooled analysis found no significant advantage over placebo in improving overall symptoms. Because all participants were children, these findings cannot establish whether caffeine is effective for adults(Perrotte et al., 2023).

Better attention test performance may accompany worse impulsivity

Research-backed

One trial in children included in that review found that sustained attention improved while impulsivity worsened(Perrotte et al., 2023).

Assessing benefit requires looking at both attention and impulsivity, beyond the test that improved.

Assessing daytime benefit also requires considering that night’s sleep

Research-backed

A meta-analysis of 24 general sleep studies found that caffeine reduced total sleep time, delayed sleep onset, and increased time awake after falling asleep(Gardiner et al., 2023).

Assessing the effects of everyday caffeine use requires considering drinking times alongside that night’s sleep, beyond feeling more energetic after a drink.

Evidence

References (2)
  1. Meta-analysisEffects of Caffeine on Main Symptoms in Children with ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized TrialsPerrotte Giuliana, Moreira Marina Maria Gonzaga, de Vargas Junior Amauri, Teixeira Filho Alvaro, Castaldelli-Maia João Mauricio (2023). Brain Sciences
  2. Meta-analysisThe effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysisGardiner Carissa, Weakley Jonathon, Burke Louise M., Roach Gregory D., Sargent Charli, Maniar Nirav, Townshend Andrew, Halson Shona L. (2023). Sleep Medicine Reviews