The use of behavioral medicines is steadily increasing. It has been found that there has been an increase of 183% in the use of prescriptions of behavioral medicines in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is estimated that about 3-5 million school aged children are on psychostimulant medications to improve behavioral functioning. Stimulant medications have been found to be the most effective intervention in reducing the core behavioral symptoms of hyperactivity. Of the various psychostimulant medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, caffeine is the most readily available one.
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and a diuretic. The active component in it is called methylxanthine. A dose of 150 -250 mg produces the following effects -
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disordes
A sense of well being Alertness Beats boredom Allays fatigue Thinking becomes clear even when dullness tend to prevail after a sustained intellectual effort Improves performance Increases motor activity
But higher doses can be toxic. Higher doses cause nervousness, restlessness, panic, sleeplessness and excitement. Still higher doses may cause convulsions. Caffeine is found naturally in drinks like coffee and tea. It is artificially introduced in the soft drinks like coke. It is also found in little quantity in chocolates.
Though caffeine is primarily used as a respiratory stimulant and for the treatment of headache including migraine, being a psychostimulant it has been found to be effective in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Of the three commonly used behavioral medicines - methylphenidate, caffeine and atomoxetine - caffeine is the readily available one. It is a psychostimulant drug and its effect can be seen in 15 minutes after consumption. 99% of the effects are seen within 45 minutes. The effects of a single dose last for about 4-6 hours.
Though it is a stimulant drug and has been tried for the treatment of ADHD, the effects have been inconsistent. Studies have shown that its effect on the core symptoms of ADHD has been inconsistent and that it produces only limited improvement of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Its effect on secondary symptoms is also not consistent. Studies have shown that it produces only limited and inconsistent improvement of social and academic functioning.
The advantages of caffeine in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are -
It is a nonprescription drug It is readily available It is an alternative to the prescription medications Enough data are available on the safety profile on both short term and long term intake of caffeine.
The disadvantages of caffeine in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are -
The amounts are not regulated There is only limited support for its efficacy. There are no randomized controlled trials that have been done to evaluate the short term effects of caffeine in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Only case reports are available on the short term effects of caffeine on ADHD There are no data available on the long term effects of caffeine in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Does Caffeine Causes Interactions With ADHD?
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