please provide the website or place you got your info from..thank you.

-2 10oz. cups of coffee first thing in the a.m.
-1 10oz. cup of coffee every 4 hrs. after

I drink my last cup of coffee at least 4 hrs. before bedtime so that it won’t affect my sleep. I always take my dose of caffeine with food to prevent digestive problems.
Nevertheless, I sometimes get heartburn from coffee, so I substitute with “Stay Awake”, a generic form of “No-Doze” pills. These pills usually have 200mg of caffeine, which is approximately the same amount of caffeine as a 10oz cup of coffee. The pills seem to be gentler on my stomach. The pills usually begin to take effect in about 30 to 45 minutes, while coffee kicks in almost immediately.
For somebody starting out considering using caffeine medicinally for ADD or ADHD, I recommend using the smallest dose possible, then increasing gradually until the symptoms are controlled. Tea with honey is a healthy option to begin with, as the caffeine amount is lower and honey is a healthy sweetener in moderate amounts. Black tea has more caffeine than white, green, or red teas, while herbal teas have no caffeine at all.
I strongly recommend minimizing all caffeinated beverages that have refined sugar in them (sucrose/powdered sugar, high fructose corn syrup) because these substances are unhealthy and horrible for a person with ADD. I personally avoid artificial sweeteners as well, because I have heard too many bad testimonies about chronic usage and the long-term effects of such substances. I think it is common sense that “artificial” foods and medicines have a greater tendency to harm the human body than substances closer to their created form (”organic”, “natural”).
It is critical to remember that caffeine is a diuretic, that is, it causes your body to expel fluids. You need to drink extra water to compensate for the diuretic effect. A general rule is, for every ounce of regular coffee you drink, you need to drink an extra ounce of water. So when I drink a 10oz. cup of coffee, I drink 10oz. of water, along with whatever water I would normally drink with a meal. I drink a LOT of water throughout the day, with meals, to avoid dehydration. Yes, I visit the bathroom a lot, but it is well worth it in order to treat the hellish symptoms of ADD. I recommend drinking the water with meals so that your electrolytes (sodium & potassium) are not depleted. A little gatorade helps with this, too. Gatorade is not the healthiest drink in the world, but the refined sugar content is about 1/3rd that of sodas and it helps to replenish electrolytes during heavy labor and exercise.
An important afterthought to the issue of medicating for ADD: developing healthy lifestyle habits is also imperative for the ADD sufferer. A regular, complete sleep cycle is a must. Everybody is different, and while some people need only 5 hrs. a night, others need 12! Go to bed about the same time every night, and try to sleep until your body says its time to get up. I have to go to bed at 9pm and get up at 6am for optimal functioning.
Healthy dietary habits also help with ADD. Use common-sense eating habits such as whole grains (whole wheat, brown rice) and avoid processed grains. “Stone-ground/milled” bread is even better than whole wheat bread. Saturated & hydrogenated fats are unhealthy. Lots of whole fruits and vegetables, healthy oils like extra-virgin olive oil, beans & nuts, and other lean protein sources are all good habits to develop. A few suspicious substances for people with ADD are food colorings (especially red #40), monosodium glutamate (MSG), and artificial preservatives like BHT. These substances may aggravate ADD symptoms.
At a bare minimum, 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 days a week will help immensely with ADD. I take at least three 30 minute walks around my neighborhood each week, which not only exercises my body but also helps to clear my mind, breathe some fresh air, and enjoy the beauty of nature.
If you or somebody you love suffers from ADD, my heart goes out to you. My life has been severely impaired by this disorder, but I am determined to rise above it and live my life to the fullest. I hope you were able to wade through this post and find something helpful to you. I pray that God will strengthen you and give you hope in your battle against mental illness and use the struggle for your benefit.

Growing up, I had a severe case of hyperthyroidism. A symptom of that was hyperactivity—I never stopped! I was into everything, according to my parents.(today i would have been labeled ADHD) Because of the hyperactivity, the DR. suggested I be put on a stimulant(like ritalin). My parents absolutley refused, and the Dr. told them to give me coffee instead. They gave me a cup of coffee every morning and it worked. My mother said it worked miracles. This was back in the 70s.I must say though that the side effects of caffeine cannot be as bad as the side effects of some of these drugs. Ijust don’t feel that they are a good thing.

Re: Blood flow & the brain

I suggest you read up on caffeine’s effect on adenosine and adenosine role in dilating or constricting blood vessels. Your understanding of how the brain, caffeine and stimulants work is incomplete.

Chris