The Big Picture

For those with mild ADHD or general difficulty focusing, low-dose caffeine (less than 100mg) may help with starting and sustaining low-stimulation tasks.

What It Does For Those With ADHD

Caffeine blocks the chemical signal for tiredness (adenosine), which directly increases wakefulness and indirectly increases dopamine bioavailability.

ADHD is increasingly being linked with circadian rhythm disorders; therefore, some people may benefit from utilizing caffeine as a wakefulness tool.

Caffeine stays in the system for an extended period of time and should be taken before 11am to avoid degrading sleep quality.

How It Works

There are a few key pieces of research to understand the relationship between ADHD and caffeine.

Studies by Dr. Sandra Kooij show that melatonin onset is delayed by approximately 90 minutes in adults with ADHD, leading to extreme brain fog and lethargy in the morning.

A 2023 meta-analysis found that while low-dose caffeine generally had negligible effects on clinical ADHD symptoms across the board, it did show significant improvements in specific cases. However, it remains much less effective than primary treatments such as Ritalin or Adderall. Because of this, low-dose caffeine may be more suitable for subclinical ADHD or as a targeted nootropic.