Pure conjectural or anecdotal but it is my intuition that there is something to it

EDIT: My running theory is related to hormesis or tolerance where the body produces an opposite effect to the ligand to maintain homeostasis and there is not a sufficient dose of the exogenous drug taken to override the body’s compensatory reaction

So even tho caffeine is a stimulant (adenosine antagonist) it actually causes the body to produce the opposite reaction, causing the reverse effect of making you sleepy

  • Daemon Silverstein@thelemmy.clubEnglish
    19·
    2 months ago

    Different organisms react differently to the same chemical substances. There’s a study linking ADHD and paradoxical reaction to stimulants:

    Many people with ADHD have next to no reaction or react paradoxically to caffeine (coffee/black tea/cola) and other stimulants (nicotine, “Red Bull,” amphetamines).

    Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3163785/

    As I’m writing this reply, I have not yet been able to find any other studies that delve deeper into the matter, but it seems like it’s indeed a known phenomena.

    • badlotus@lemm.ee
      3·
      1 month ago

      My son is ADHD and autistic and caffeine calms him down. Sometimes when he misses his meds we will give him some coffee or soda to get him through to his next dose.