In order to determine if there are any benefits behind using caffeine tablets for ADHD, a great deal of effort has gone into research, and scientists are still on with their study to determine results without any discrepancies.
So what is ADHD? As you must be aware of, ADHD is the short for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It is a common condition that affects millions of children, and more often, persists from childhood to adulthood. Earlier, it was known as attention deficit disorder (ADD), but since this condition is marked by the affected individual either tending to inattention or hyperactive-impulsive behavior or both, it is now called ADHD. But when we speak of adults, ADD may be a more preferred term for the condition. The condition is basically a cluster of behavioral symptoms which are characterized by short attention span, being easily distracted, finding it difficult to following through on instructions, and being an underperformer in school, chores and other tasks. These are some of the important symptoms of inattention. For hyperactive and impulsive behavior, symptoms that may show up may include restlessness, frequent squirming, unable to play quietly, and may always seem to be on the go. In most cases, a child with ADHD tends to have either of these two kinds of behavior, while some children may exhibit both the kinds.
Treating Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Caffeine Pills
✠ Coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate are some of the major sources of this substance. The reason this substance is linked with ADHD is its ability to reduce blood flow by nearly one-fourth in the gray matter of the brain. And interestingly, this property reconciles with that of a prescribed ADHD medication known as Ritalin. This medication is known to be a stimulant, but produces effects not typical of a stimulant. When used for the treatment of ADHD, it actually produces calming effects. Experts are not sure how does it do it, but they assume that the drug may have some effect on the brain chemicals. Experts purport the fact that caffeine acts as central nervous system stimulant drug.
✠ A certain study was conducted on the effects of the caffeine on kindergarten children not suffering from the condition. There was no noticeable effects that could be determined by the study. However, when the same study involved kids who were at the age immediately before puberty, doctors found that caffeine did improve attention and manual dexterity in them. And when the subjects were children with ADHD, results were more promising. These children were asked to consume a mere two cups of coffee every day, instead of medications prescribed for the treatment. And from the results that occurred, scientists were in a position to claim that caffeine when consumed in low dosage, was equally effective as the psychostimulant drug methylphenidate (10 mg).
✠In addition to this, a study was conducted on rats which showed symptoms of ADHD like hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and poor attention, etc., in the year 2005. These rats were helped with caffeine, and the experiment showed improvement in the results and that too by a significant leap. But there is catch here. Caffeine was given to rats with these symptoms, and normal rates about 30 minutes before the test. The improvements could only be seen in the ADHD rats, but not in the others.
✠ Survey reveal that many are increasingly using caffeine tablets or other sources of the same as a means of self-medication for ADHD for themselves or for their kids. In normal people, caffeine triggers increased alertness and reduced drowsiness. However, such effects are usually reversed when caffeine is used by people with ADHD. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this substance actually helps such people calm down, and improve their sleeping behavior.
To conclude, more researches are being conducted to prove that caffeine is a beneficial choice over other drugs for ADHD. However, there is no denial to the fact that caffeine is easily accessible, and that, it is also a kind of drug. Also, experts have not stated that it lacks side effects. So too much consumption is likely to produce dire results, especially when used as a long-term treatment for managing ADHD symptoms. More important is the fact that the effects of caffeine, even if positive on the condition, are short-lived, and this may make a person use more of it, thus becoming increasingly tolerance. So it is strongly advised to consult a doctor before deciding to use caffeine tablets to manage the symptoms of ADHD, and weigh the risks with the benefits.
