Best Energy Drink For ADHD (And Are They Safe?)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often affects children and also adults. It is a brain disorder that usually affects how you pay attention, sits still, and control your behavior.
If you have ADHD, you must find it difficult to focus and pay attention to your surroundings properly. Along with medication, caffeine can also help you stay focused and concentrate for some time. You can take your daily dose of caffeine from tea, soda, coffee, chocolate, and energy drinks, to name a few.
Energy drinks are also known for their caffeine content. It is one of the fastest ways to get energy and alertness, But are they safe for you?
Some of the best energy drinks for ADHD are G Fuel Energy Tubes, Nuun Sport, Aspire, XS Energy, and, Advocare Spark.
Let’s dive in to find out more about the best energy drinks for ADHD that you can enjoy without compromising your health.
Disclaimer: This isn’t to say that any of the mentioned energy drinks will guarantee focus and concentration. Consult your doctor first regarding your dietary requirements if you are on ADHD medication before consuming any energy drinks.
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ADHD and Caffeine
Unlike popular belief, caffeine doesn’t trigger ADHD, instead, it helps you stay focused.
Caffeine is an active stimulant that helps us stay focused and improve our mental and physical performance. It is used in many medicines, including one that treats ADHD. It increases dopamine levels, changes your mood, and makes you energetic.
Some studies show that caffeine can boost concentration in people with ADHD because it’s a stimulant drug that mimics some of the more potent stimulants (amphetamine medication) used to treat the disease.
If you have ADHD, you can use caffeine to stay awake and improve your mood. It is a more safe ingredient recommended by doctors that can reduce your hyperactivity.
However, it is also essential to know that not everyone reacts the same to caffeine. For some, this stimulant can be more triggering than helpful.
If you have experienced a bad reaction after consuming caffeine, do reduce your caffeine intake or contact a doctor before consuming it again. Remember, caffeine is not as effective as the prescribed medicine by your doctor.
For a clearer understanding of what ADHD is, have a look at this video:
How much energy drinks can you have if you have ADHD?
You should only have one energy drink per day if you have ADHD.
Caffeine in energy drinks is usually under the recommended limit by FDA, but still, it contains many other stimulants and ingredients that are not good for your health.
Caffeine in energy drinks might improve your focus but an excessive amount of it can cause severe health problems such as:
- Lack of sleep
- Anxiety
- Jitters
- Hyperactivity
- Headaches
Do energy drinks make ADHD worse?
Energy drinks with high sugar content might make ADHD worse.
Caffeine and sugar are the more common ingredients found in many energy drinks.
Caffeine might be helpful for you if you have ADHD, but sugar can pose severe harm. Sugar provides an energy boost similar to caffeine, but a high intake of it can cause hyperactivity.
Plus, too much sugar can increase your blood pressure, which may result in fidgeting and moving too much.
But not everyone has the same reaction to sugar. If you use sugar regularly and don’t find any issues with fidgeting and moving, then you can continue consuming it. As long as you stay within AHA’s safety guidelines.
Best energy drinks for ADHD
These are some energy drinks best for people with ADHD in no particular order.
| Energy Drink | Caffeine | Sugar | Calories |
| G Fuel Energy Tub | 140mg | 0g | 25 |
| NUUN Sport | 40mg | 1g | 15 |
| Aspire | 80mg | 0g | 0 |
| XS Energy | 80mg | 0g | 10 |
| Advocare Spark | 120mg | 0g | 15 |
G Fuel Energy Tub
G FUEL is a natural energy formula created by Gamma Labs. It contains 100% clean and natural ingredients, making it a healthy alternative to sugar-loaded canned energy drinks.
It is known as the ‘E-sport Gaming Fuel’ that boosts cognitive health and physical endurance.
One serving of Gfuel contains 25 calories and 140mg of caffeine. It also has many beneficial antioxidants and nutrients like Choline, L-Tyrosine, and taurine.
If you wanna know more about this energy drink, take a look at my other article where I talk about it in detail.
NUUN Sport + Caffeine
As the name suggests, the NUUN sport + caffeine is made significantly to boost sports performance.
It’s a tablet energy drink that contains essential minerals, electrolytes, low sugar, and an average amount of caffeine.
One serving of NUUN Sport contains 15 calories, 40mg of caffeine, and only 1 g of sugar.
It is a pretty good energy drink for you if you have ADHD as it is low in sugar and caffeine.
Moreover, it’s easy to make. You only need 16 fl oz. filtered water and mix one table of NUUN sport in it. You can conveniently carry it with you on the go.
Aspire
Packed with mild caffeine and natural supplements, Aspire is another great energy drink for people with ADHD.
It fuels metabolism through thermogenic, which also helps your body burn calories.
With zero calories, Aspire energy drink gives you healthy energy without the unpleasant side effects.
One serving of Aspire has zero calories and 80mg of caffeine, along with various essential nutrients like Vitamin C, L-Carnitine, and green tea extract.
Vitamin C and Green tea are necessary and beneficial if you’re dealing with ADHD as it improves the immune system, and green tea calm your nerves and enhances brain functions.
XS Energy
XS™ Energy Drinks contain only natural ingredients and flavors to obtain bright and vibrant colors.
It comes in a small can of 8.4 fl oz containing ten calories, 80mg of caffeine, and essential amino acids and vitamins.
The decent amount of caffeine in XS energy makes it the perfect drink for people with ADHD who are sensitive to caffeine.
Plus, it comes in a variety of flavors to choose from so you can find something that will suit your taste.
Advocare Spark
Advocare Spark is a potent energy drink that contains a high amount of caffeine.
One serving of Advocare Spark contains 15 calories, 120mg of caffeine, and many other amino acids and vitamins.
A high level of caffeine in Advocare Spark gives you an immense amount of energy and boosts your cognitive performance.
It contains essential minerals that are good for your body, such as copper, chromium, and zinc.
These vitamins and minerals improve your metabolism and strengthen your immune system, keeping you safe from infections.
How do energy drinks affect people with ADHD?
Caffeine increase dopamine level in ADHD people.
ADHD people have low dopamine levels, and they use stimulant drugs and medication to increase dopamine.
But the key to consuming energy drinks is moderation. Over intake of caffeinated beverages, especially if said caffeinated beverage is high in sugar, can cause agitation and anxiety in ADHD people.
Can energy drinks make you more focused?
Consuming energy drinks with ADHD medications can help you stay focused for longer hours.
Caffeine in energy drinks will not do any benefit alone. Caffeine works combined with amphetamine medications like Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine). Both cause an effect on your brain called synergy.
Synergy happens when two stimulant drugs have additive mechanisms of action, making a more powerful effect due to combined effort.
You can then take your daily dose of caffeine and your prescribed medication because the former will make your medicine more effective. Someone taking caffeine and Adderall might feel a more substantial impact than someone who takes only Adderall.
Wrapping Up: Everyone is different
Energy drinks contain caffeine that can help people with ADHD to stay focused.
Unlike popular belief, energy drinks don’t cause ADHD. However, although energy drinks don’t trigger ADHD, you might sometimes feel a little hyperactive after drinking them.
Some of the best energy drinks for ADHD people are Gfuel Energy Tubes, Nuun Sport, Aspire, XS Energy, and, Advocare Spark.
It’s important to know that ADHD is not just a genetic component. People who have a mutation at many points in their genetics can be diagnosed with ADHD. It is caused by different reasons and treatments can affect people differently.
That’s why caffeine might not help everyone who has ADHD. Instead, it might cause more harm. That’s why it is essential to consult your doctor first before adding any amount of caffeine to your diet or consuming any energy drinks.
