Buzz
The Starbucks barista remarked, 'Ah, the ADHD special,' as I turned to see who she was addressing. I had overheard the order as well: chai latte with two scoops of matcha powder. It caught my attention because this was the second time I had heard about using matcha green tea for ADHD. The first mention came from my therapist, which surprised me given her usual preference for traditional medicine. Despite my initial doubts, hearing the barista describe the 'White Girl ADHD Special' to her colleague made me curious. Is there some truth behind this?
Why are people seeking alternatives to Adderall?
Approximately 10% of U.S. children and 8% of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with ADHD. If it feels like you’re hearing more and more people being diagnosed, it’s not just a coincidence. From 2007 to 2016, the rate of diagnoses increased by 123%, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down.
While various medications like Ritalin and Vyvanse are available for ADHD, Adderall remains the most widely used option. However, starting in October 2022, production delays led to a shortage of Adderall that persisted into the winter and spring. Coupled with rising demand, this situation caused significant challenges. Adjusting psychiatric dosages can be a long and complicated process for patients, and for many, these medications are crucial for performing their jobs or managing daily tasks. They also impact personal and professional relationships. When your medication is unavailable, seeking alternatives becomes a matter of necessity.
How does Adderall compare to matcha?
Adderall, the most commonly prescribed medication for ADHD, is a central nervous system stimulant designed to enhance focus and reduce impulsivity, two common challenges for individuals with ADHD. It's a powerful drug, as it contains amphetamines, which partly explains its widespread misuse. It has become especially popular on college campuses, where students use it to boost their study sessions.
Adderall does come with a range of side effects, which affect people in different ways. These include sensations of a racing heart or even heart palpitations, anxiety, excessive sweating, headaches, dry mouth, and more. With the ongoing nationwide shortage, ADHD forums have been flooded with people seeking advice on how to manage work, school, or relationships without their prescribed medications.
Matcha is simply finely ground green tea. Green tea itself is not much different from other teas—it's just the unoxidized leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. While brewed green tea has a mild flavor similar to other teas, matcha, being a concentrated form, has a more pronounced herbaceous taste and often gives drinks a vibrant chartreuse hue.
The buzz around green tea often highlights two key compounds: caffeine and L-theanine, a non-essential amino acid. While caffeine can be found in many beverages, coffee doesn’t contain L-theanine. This amino acid is being marketed as a nootropic, or cognitive booster, and you can purchase supplements of it independently, bypassing the matcha altogether. In fact, many people add L-theanine directly to their coffee.
Does green tea truly alleviate ADHD symptoms?
Although there have been studies exploring the effects of caffeine and L-theanine on ADHD, it’s difficult to draw conclusions that definitively support matcha as an effective treatment. The challenge lies in the fact that matcha is consumed in varying amounts, and every person metabolizes its components differently. Furthermore, the levels of caffeine and L-theanine in matcha are quite small compared to the therapeutic doses found in medications like Adderall. Essentially, comparing matcha to ADHD medications is like comparing apples to oranges.
That said, there are potential benefits: A 2021 study found that matcha, when combined with caffeine in large amounts (nine pills a day), had a minor positive impact on work performance and focus during high-pressure situations. In comparison, drinking a single cup of matcha would be considered microdosing. To reach a therapeutic dose of the compounds in matcha, you'd likely need to consume several cups (one study suggested eight).
Rather than drinking matcha, you might find promise in the individual ingredients themselves: caffeine and L-theanine, both of which can be taken as standalone supplements.
Could taking caffeine and L-theanine supplements be beneficial?
In 2021, researchers reviewed studies from the past two decades that examined the effects of these compounds on ADHD. The analysis focused on various criteria, including cognition, reaction times, concentration, headaches, fatigue, and alertness.
Although caffeine’s side effects overlap with some of those of Adderall, such as migraines and heart problems, it was found to have a net positive impact on short-term attention and overall cognitive function in adults. As one review noted, 'after analyzing the studies, we found that the combination shows significant clinical benefits in attention, memory, cognition, and hyperactivity. Overall, we conclude that combining L-theanine and caffeine is likely a safe and effective cognitive booster.'
However, don’t get too hopeful just yet, as the researchers pointed out that further studies are necessary. This is mainly because the existing research has been limited and inconsistent in terms of dosages. Additionally, the conclusion didn’t specify how much improvement caffeine and L-theanine provided, nor did it compare these results to Adderall or other traditional treatments. It's also worth noting that the studies involved a relatively small number of participants.
It’s important to remember that caffeine and L-theanine come with their own side effects, such as withdrawal headaches and increased blood pressure or tachycardia. High doses of L-theanine can also lead to nausea.
The bottom line: Don’t expect much.
In summary, while caffeine and L-theanine may show some potential, their effects remain under-researched. Most people using matcha for therapeutic purposes are likely consuming much lower doses than required for noticeable results, and if they did experience an effect, it would likely come with the same side effects seen in those using prescribed medications.
On the flip side, at lower doses, like a single cup of matcha, these compounds are unlikely to cause much harm. They probably won’t do any damage and might even produce a placebo effect.
