Caffeine has not only been labelled the most popular drug, but it is also the most widely used stimulant. It is mainly found in Tea, coffee, soda, chocolates and other numerous foods. Caffeine is a psychoactive drug and a Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant. The prescribed and most common treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is stimulant therapy, and since caffeine is a stimulant, it has been considered for the treatment of ADHD. Once consumed, caffeine is quickly absorbed and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters’. By replacing adenosine, a substance found in a person’s brain that signals the body to wind down, caffeine can disrupt this, therefore, allowing the brains’ natural stimulants dopamine and glutamate to take charge. According to Lu (2015), the final impact involves a person feeling more energetic, alert, less fatigue and improved concentration. Despite the results being the same as those achieved by other ADHD medications, medical experts do not recommend it as a treatment for ADHD. Numerous researches have been conducted to identify how caffeine affects ADHD; the results have highlighted both the positive and negative sides of using caffeine to treat ADHD. Despite caffeine posing numerous benefits for people diagnosed with ADHD, it also has some negative effects including; causing jitteriness, headaches, nervousness as well as lack of sleep. Research has also shown that using caffeine together with ADHD medication could be extremely dangerous as it could lead to extreme impulsivity and acute jitteriness (O’Connor, 2001).
This report aims to understand how caffeine affects ADHD, by understanding how caffeine works and its similarity to other ADHS related medications. By looking into different literature, the research will highlight the reasons why caffeine has not been approved by medical experts as medication for ADHD, how caffeine works in children and in adults, its effectiveness compared to other stimulants as well as the effect of caffeine consumption during pregnancy and ADHD.
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With a high surge in ADHD, especially in children and teenagers, caffeine tends to be the first option when it comes to self-medication. This could be attributed to the fact that it is widely and mostly available to many people. This research is therefore of importance to most people with ADHD or anyone taking care of ADHD patients as it will help highlight the benefits and risk associated with the use of caffeine for ADHD.
Literature Review
O'Connor, E. (2001). A slip into dangerous territory. PsycEXTRA Dataset , 32 (6). Doi: 10.1037/e530112010-015
The article touches on the increase of caffeine intake by children through soda and coffee drinks. A research conducted by Marjorie Roth Leon revealed that compared to ADHD medications, that is methylphenidate and amphetamine the performance of caffeine is low. However, where no ADHD treatments have been administered, Caffeine helps in improving performance, reducing aggression and hyperactivity. The article also relates sleep to Caffeine and ADHD stating that since caffeine is a stimulant that has an adverse effect on sleep, chronic sleep deprivation could lead to ADHD.
Vogler, Shared first authorship, N., Perkinson-Gloor, Shared first author, N., Brand, S., Grob, A., & Lemola, S. (2014). Sleep, Aggression, and Psychosocial Adjustment in Male Prisoners. Swiss Journal of Psychology , 73 (3), 167-176. doi:10.1024/1421-0185/a000137
This research aimed to investigate the quality and quantity of sleep I association to ADHD, depressive symptoms, physical health, anger-related reactions and general life satisfaction in male prisoners. With regards to caffeine, the article examined how limiting caffeine consumption affected the sleep quantity and quality. Through questionnaires filled by forty-nine prisoners, high caffeine intake led to shorter duration of sleep, therefore, affecting the quantity of sleep. This poor quality of sleep was related to high ADHD symptoms.
Lu, S. (2015). Too much coffee? GradPSYCH Magazine , 20. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2015/11/coffee.aspx
This entry touches on one of caffeine’s primary vehicle, coffee. It identifies caffeine as a powerful psychoactive compound that has both cognitive perks as well as some downfalls. The article expounds on the brain boost caused by caffeine explaining how it blocks the effects of adenosine, found in the brain, therefore, allowing dopamine to flow more freely leading to a person experiencing high energy levels and alertness. It also touches on the effects of high caffeine intake which include headaches, rambling speech and anxiety which are all signs of ADHD.
Lara, D. R. (2010). Caffeine, Mental Health, and Psychiatric Disorders. Journal of Alzheimer's disease , 20 (s1), S239-S248. Doi: 10.3233/jad-2010-1378
The journal researches on the effect of caffeine on people with and without psychiatric disorders. It compares the effects of high and low dosage of caffeine and explains that when moderated it can lead to less depressive symptoms and psychotic and manic symptoms when consumed I high doses. It labels caffeine as a pharmacological tool that assists in increasing energy in daily activities.
AB, B., & P, B. (2004). Caffeine and psychiatric symptoms: a review. The Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association , 97 (12), 538-542. Retrieved from https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/15732884
This review article looks at different research studies as well as case reports relating to the use of caffeine to psychiatric symptoms. It identifies the role played by caffeine in boosting anxiety levels especially in patients with ADHD. Self-medication using caffeine is sown to increase depression and cause changes in moods. Symptoms of ADHD, as well as sleep, can be altered by the use of caffeine.
Discussion
Caffeine takes effect approximately 10-15 minutes once ingested, and half of it remains in a person’s body for six or more hours. It being a stimulant means that it can impair healthy sleep. Since it boosts the production of adrenaline caffeine, therefore, raises a person’s heartrates and increases breathing bringing them to a state of alertness. Also, by blocking adenosine a substance that assists in creating drowsiness ad regulating sleep-wake cycles, it, therefore, can alter a person’s sleep architecture (Vogler, et al. 1998). Increased intake of caffeine affects deep sleep which is critical for mental rejuvenation. In relation to ADHD, most of the patients have a low tolerance for sleep deprivation. Since sleep helps reboot brain cells not getting enough sleep can, therefore, increase the symptoms of ADHD.
Caffeine alone is not sufficient to treat ADHD; this is because most ADHD medications contain higher but controlled dosage of the stimulants made for treating the disorder. Self-medicating with caffeine products may lead to a high intake since different foods and drinks contain varying amounts of caffeine. One may therefore not be able to know how much caffeine they are ingesting. Also, usage of caffeine alongside ADHD medications may increase stimulant intake hence increasing the risk of adverse effects. There have been case reports that suggest that caffeine induces mania (Lara, 2010). Therefore, excessive consumption can hamper the recovery of ADHD patients.
For pregnant women, despite them advised to lower their intake of caffeine, there has been no proof that it causes any hyperactivity or inattention problems to their children in the future. Differing research, however, claims that the metabolism of caffeine is delayed during pregnancy, therefore, allowing longer absorption opportunities. Since caffeine reduces the rate of dopamine reabsorption through increasing dopamine levels, this dysfunction in the system is used to explain the association between the consumption of caffeine and offspring behavioural disorders such as ADHD.
Conclusion
Since caffeine is a stimulant drug, its intake can create a lot of difference for a person diagnosed with ADHD. This is because when used appropriately it has the potential of increasing energy levels, reduces levels of aggression as well as impulsiveness and improves concentration. However major research has shown that caffeine may boost ADHD especially when it is consumed in high dosage (AB & P, 2004) or alongside ADHD medication. It may lead to anxiety, irritability, rapid heartbeat stomach upsets and muscle shakes. It is therefore recommended in low dosage or totally avoided for people under medication.
The Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5) has made new provisions for disorders related to the use of caffeine. One officially recognised diagnosis is caffeine withdrawal. Caffeine-use withdrawal has been characterised by behavioural, cognitive and psychological symptoms similar to substance-use disorders. With regards to Lu (2015), coffee intoxication is the line people may cross in their intake of caffeine as they build tolerance. This will help people identify caffeine-related disorders earlier and create preventive measures. Since the use of caffeine has been normalised, it may be hard for many people to accept that the use of caffeine can lead to the same pathological behaviours caused by hard drugs such as cocaine opiates etc.
References
AB, B., & P, B. (2004). Caffeine and psychiatric symptoms: a review. The Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association , 97 (12), 538-542. Retrieved from https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/15732884
Lara, D. R. (2010). Caffeine, Mental Health, and Psychiatric Disorders. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease , 20 (s1), S239-S248. doi:10.3233/jad-2010-1378
Lu, S. (2015). Too much coffee? gradPSYCH Magazine , 20. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2015/11/coffee.aspx
O'Connor, E. (2001). A slip into dangerous territory. PsycEXTRA Dataset , 32 (6). doi:10.1037/e530112010-015
Vogler, Shared first authorship, N., Perkinson-Gloor, Shared first autho, N., Brand, S., Grob, A., & Lemola, S. (2014). Sleep, Aggression, and Psychosocial Adjustment in Male Prisoners. Swiss Journal of Psychology , 73 (3), 167-176. doi:10.1024/1421-0185/a000137
