Energy drinks seem to help with ADHD. Why?

Question

This is strange. Every morning I take Concerta for ADHD. When it wears off, I usually experience an awful rebound while "coming down" where I experience symptoms worse than before.

Last night I happened to drink an energy drink with a ridiculous amount of caffeine when it wore off. To my surprise, the rebound period was a lot less dramatic. It was smoother and was almost like I never came off Concerta. it was like it was taking its place.

This is interesting, but why did it happen? Caffeine = concerta? Sorry, I dont drink pop or coffee

Answer 1

Caffeine is a stimulant, just like many ADHD meds. I don't know about Concerta specifically, but Ritalin is actually a chemical derivative of caffeine.

The reason that stimulants help ADHD is that they increase the levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in the brain. Epinephrine you might have heard of - it's also known as adrenaline. Anyway, these two neurotransmitters are invovled in alertness and focus. Higher levels help you focus better (ADHD or not). Caffeine helps everyone focus, regardless of whether they have ADHD. For that matter, so do the prescription stimulants used to treat ADHD.

There's nothing "metabolically different" about kids with ADHD, and caffiene is not having the "opposite effect" as it does on most people. Caffiene improves focus and concentration for EVERYONE. It's not acting as a sedative in people with ADHD, it's acting as a stimulant. Stimulants increase the production of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which allow you to focus, and also improve impulse control. It's the improved impulse control that lets you seem less "hyper." For people who don't have any problem with impulse control to begin with, having more energy makes them more active, or "hyper," but it's not the same "hyper" as what's associated with ADHD. The hyperactivity part of ADHD is more to do with a lack of impulse control than an excess of energy. Stimulants fix that lack of impulse activity by increasing frontal lobe activity. They do the same for people who don't have ADHD, but it doesn't produce a noticable change in behavior because they weren't deficient in it to begin with.

Answer 2

I believe I can help you some. There are 3 things the body needs: air, water, and nutrients. Think of it this way... you can go minutes without air, days without water, and weeks without food. So this is the order in which you need to focus on things to start getting more focus, energy, and health. Start out by breathing correctly. If your stomach does not "push" out when you breathe but sucks in, then you are breathing incorrectly. Most of the alveoli that are in the lower part of the lungs (they transfer oxygen to the blood). Light breathing does not fill this space. You need to breath deep, and imagine filling your lungs from the bottom up (just like you were filling a pitcher with water). After doing a couple of deep breaths like this you may actually feel a little light headed. This is normal as the body adjusts to now having oxygen. 75% of Americans and 90% of the world are chronically dehydrated. Drink approx 3 liters of water a day. If you are thirsty then you are already dehydrated. Drink PLENTY of water. It is vital to the health of your body. Dehydration is one of the major causes of fatigue. Drink drink drink. Eat right. Do not mix carbs and meats, it can take up to 8+ hours to digest if you eat them together. If you eat meat with veggies it takes about 3-4 hours to digest, if you have carbs with veggies roughly 3 hours to digest, meat and carbs 8 hours. That is why you have the lasting "full" feeling when you eat meat and carbs... the problem is that digestion takes more energy to do than anything else your body does (besides sex). So you are over working your body when you do not eat right. Stay away from milk products to as they coat your stomach and intestines and halt the nutrients from being absorbed. I think if you breathe right, and drink plenty of water, it will help you concentrate and focus on any task you wish. Hope this helps you some.

Answer 3

Many kids with ADHD will get this effect from caffeine...it calms them down. Ritalin, an older ADHD medication, is actually a stimulant for normal healthy adults. It is theorized that kids with ADHD are metabolically different, so it has the opposite effect than on other people with normal metabolisms.

When you get older, you will probably grow out of this effect, so don't expect this to last forever for your rebounds. I would talk to your doctor about the rebounding to get you on a better dosing schedule.

Answer 4

It could be that the stimulants in the energy drink calm you down. It could also be that your ADHD symptoms are caused by a nutritional deficiency (mine were) and the vitamin overload of an energy drink gives you the nutrition that you need which eases the ADHD symptoms.

Answer 5

Caffeine has an affect on insulin production or reactivity. If ADHD is a symptom of hypoglycemia (which I suspect but medical science has not yet proven), which is also an insulin related condition, then drinking caffeine may slow down the "lows" of low blood sugar and thus slow down the lows of ADHD.

www.hufa.org has basic information about low blood sugar. If you get curious, check the symptoms link to see how many symptoms it has in common with your ADHD.

Answer 6

If caffeine helps you, buy it in tablet form. Wal-Mart pharmacy has this in a generic, 200mg Caffeine and it is non-prescription--right there in yellow near the pain meds.