CBD Oil for ADHD: 5 Benefits for Attention & Brain Fog

CBD for ADHD

The benefits of CBD oil for ADHD are increasingly drawing attention.

Many now use this natural extract from cannabis to assist them in paying attention for longer, staying on task, reducing mental fatigue and counteracting brain fog.

But does using CBD oil for ADHD really help?

Anecdotal reports from people with attention deficit disorders suggest that it is effective in assisting in mitigating symptoms of ADHD like inattentiveness, memory problems, fatigue, procrastination and poor concentration.

Yet the clinical research into CBD oil for ADHD and its efficacy in helping with the condition is lacking.

Despite this, the product has many properties that we know can counteract many of ADHD’s symptoms and co-morbidities.

Woman In Confusion with ADHD

For instance, CBD oil can reduce anxiety. This makes it ideal for lowering stress and promoting mental calmness. In turn, it can help those with ADHD who are susceptible to stress and its detrimental effects on concentration.

CBD oil is also neuroprotective, which may explain how it can help to prevent the brain fog and memory problems that ADHD can cause.

This review will cover the benefits of using CBD oil for ADHD.

We’ll give you an in-depth run-through of where its effects are helpful to mitigate some of the detrimental impacts that ADHD can have.

In addition, we’ll share evidence of the efficacy of CBD products for ADHD, usage risks, plus tips on taking CBD oil for ADHD.

Benefits of CBD Oil for ADHD

CBD oil with hemp leaves

When understanding the benefits of CBD oil for ADHD, it’s important to highlight that it doesn’t treat attention deficit disorders directly.

That’s because these conditions result from dopamine imbalances in the brain. CBD cannot alter how dopamine is produced or regulated. As such, it won’t be able to stop ADHD directly.

Instead, CBD oil helps with ADHD indirectly.

It does this by supporting overall mental health and balancing the mind.

Specifically, it can assist with:

  • Lowering stress to facilitate concentration
  • Mitigating ADHD-related anxiety and other mental co-morbidities
  • Protecting brain neurons and promoting neuroinflammation
  • Aiding with sleep and preventing ADHD-related insomnia
  • Alleviating mental fatigue and brain fog

Let’s explore each of these factors to more deeply understand how CBD oil can assist with ADHD.

Supporting Attention Span

Woman focussing

A key benefit of CBD oil for ADHD is its ability to lower stress, which helps with focus.

CBD isn’t nootropic. It can’t boost attention span directly or increase concentration like stimulant medications.

However, it’s common for those with ADHD to see their inattentiveness worsened by everyday stress.

Even amongst those without attention deficit disorders, stress can impair the mind’s ability to stay on task and keep motivated.

That’s because stress diverts mental energy from the task as the brain perceives itself as under threat.

CBD oil can help prevent this because it’s anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing).

It helps block stress from impacting attention, which is helpful for those with ADHD.

It does this through several pathways.

First, the cannabinoid helps downregulate the stress response in the hypothalamus. This makes those with ADHD more resilient to stress sources so they can stay focussed.

CBD’s activity in the endocannabinoid system helps the mind resist the everyday stressors that can worsen ADHD symptoms. It helps bring about a more stable, smooth level of attention.

These properties similarly help CBD products mitigate the hyperactive distractibility that can often afflict those with attention deficit disorder. Procrastination from ADHD can be avoided with greater mental control. Being calm and composed is foundational to resisting the disruptive thought patterns that ADHD can lead to.

The primary (and often best) use of CBD oil for ADHD appears to be to relax those with the condition. In turn, they can achieve better mental stability, focus and attention to study or work.

As opposed to increasing attention span directly, it helps with minimising distractibility. This bolsters the ability of those with ADHD to get more done.

Mitigating ADHD Anxiety

Alleviating ADHD Anxiety

A significant co-morbidity of ADHD is anxiety.

Because CBD oil can suppress anxiety, it has substantial benefits for those with ADHD.

ADHD has a range of related mental disorders known as ‘co-morbidities’.

If you have ADHD, you’re more likely to suffer from mental conditions like depression, anxiety, or mood disorders.

Many of these co-morbidities can interplay and exacerbate one another.

For example, someone with ADHD may suffer from depression, which worsens their anxiety symptoms and vice versa.

Studies have also linked epilepsy and ADHD, showing that the conditions occur together at a high frequency.

Most of these co-morbidities will further harm an individual’s ability to pay attention and concentrate. Anxiety, for instance, can cause mental fatigue, inability to focus and mood dysregulation.

Helping to mitigate and prevent these co-morbidities is where using CBD oil for ADHD offers immense benefits.

Its anxiety-reducing effects and antidepressant properties make it effective in assisting with the comorbid mental disorders that accompany ADHD. 

Early clinical studies are providing evidence for these benefits.

In particular, the cannabinoid’s capacity to modulate serotonin or 5-HT1A receptors suggests it has potency in stabilising attention and enhancing working memory. Serotonin is a vital neurotransmitter for those with ADHD because of its role in regulating memory, learning and cognition.

Normalising its levels and promoting homeostasis in serotonin balance can assist people with executive dysfunction in regaining their mental capacity. It’s also crucial to counteracting ADHD’s anxiety co-morbidities. Due to controlling mood, serotonin plays a big part in the regulation of anxiety.

Bolstering mood and mitigating anxiousness is an excellent way CBD oil supports those with ADHD. It helps these individuals to stay calmer, less anxious and more in control.

Clearing Brain Fog

Brain Fog from ADHD

Another way CBD oil assists with ADHD is by alleviating brain fog, a mental state characterised by feelings of ‘fogginess’, forgetfulness and an inability to think clearly.

It commonly occurs among those with ADHD because of the condition’s disruptive effects on the mind.

Many of its symptoms are similar to those of burnout.

What causes it specifically isn’t fully understood, but ADHD appears to be a clear co-morbidity.

Brain fog is similarly known to occur from:

  • Anxiety, depression or chronic stress
  • Burnout and Chronic Fatigue
  • Long COVID
  • Insomnia and sleep disorders
  • Side effects of some medications (e.g. SSRIs).

The severity of brain fog can vary. Some people experience it to a debilitating degree, struggling with thinking straight at all or having consistent memory problems. For others, it can be mild or passing symptoms of a foggy mind.

People with ADHD have a greater susceptibility to this mental problem, which is why more are looking to try CBD oil for Brain Fog. It has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties that make it helpful in supporting brain health.

In particular, CBD helps to normalise neurotransmitter levels and protects the brain’s neurons from inflammation.

CBD Oil for Brain Fog
Clouded Thoughts

To understand why CBD oil helps with brain fog (relating to ADHD), it is helpful first to understand why brain fog occurs.

Most commonly, it is the result of neuroinflammation.

The brain cells themselves can become inflamed and impaired.

Inflammation of the neurons is associated with poor concentration, weak attention span, lower cognitive performance and memory problems.

It effectively worsens all symptoms of ADHD.

2018 study linked ADHD and several other neurological conditions to neuroinflammation. The link here is due to neuroinflammation’s detrimental effects on dopamine regulation. As ADHD already causes similar dysregulation of dopamine in the brain, neuroinflammation can further exacerbate the condition.

This means those with ADHD are more likely to experience more severe forms of brain fog and mental fuzziness as a result of neuroinflammation.

CBD oil helps with brain fog due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

It’s valuable both in preventing neuroinflammation and working to counteract it actively.

In particular, it helps to minimise the effects of inflammatory cytokines in the brain, which cause neuroinflammation.

Cytokines are regulatory immune proteins that work to direct the immune system into triggering the inflammatory process but can be harmful if their activity is excessive.

Lowering cytokine activity in the brain to reduce chronic neuroinflammation can have powerful benefits for reversing brain fog and ADHD symptoms.

Many with ADHD who take CBD oil regularly cite that their mental clarity and focus significantly increase. 

Mitigating Insomnia from ADHD

Man Sleeping Calmly

Maintaining good sleep health is vital in preventing ADHD from worsening.

Sleep is fundamental to overall brain health and dopamine production.

During sleep, the brain refreshes dopamine levels and clears the inflammation that builds during the day.

Good sleep means a more stable mood, attention and ability to focus throughout the day.

However, healthy sleeping patterns are often a challenge to obtain for people with ADHD.

Insomnia and sleep disorders are a significant co-morbidity of the condition.

Many with ADHD will have a reduced ability to get to sleep because of an overactive mind at night. Often, ADHD anxiety is at play and can cause alertness at bedtime.

Both delayed sleep and intermittent waking are common. These can worsen inattentiveness during the day, making it even harder to regulate concentration.

Often, those with the condition wake intermittently and suffer from excessive fatigue during the day.

These poor sleep patterns can worsen many of ADHD’s other co-morbidities like depression. Cycles of mental distress often result.

How CBD Oil Helps

Most of the sleep impairment that occurs with ADHD is due to anxiousness and racing thoughts. Mitigating these problems by relaxing the mind is a significant benefit of CBD oil for ADHD.

It helps to put people at ease before bed so they can ease into sleep and avoid the hyperactivity that can trigger insomnia.

Taking CBD gummies or tinctures at night helps to lower cortisol levels and aids in relaxation.

Many with ADHD use CBD oil an hour or two before sleeping to counteract insomnia symptoms. For others, it aids with sleep quality and REM-stage sleep length. These benefits are due to the ability of CBD to interact with the endocannabinoid system, which has sleep-modulating abilities.

Bolstering REM sleep is highly beneficial for dopamine regulation. This sleep stage is where the neurotransmitter is replenished.

Promoting longer and deeper sleep is a fantastic way that CBD oil assists with ADHD. More excellent sleep health refreshes the mind, improves dopamine levels and balances mood daily.

Reducing Mental Fatigue

Woman Exhausted

Another detrimental effect that ADHD has is draining mental energy.

People with the condition often suffer from fatigue during the day and struggle to concentrate.

Taking products like CBD gummies for ADHD is a method to help bring back mental energy, cognitive acuity and focus during the day.

CBD’s benefits in lowering cognitive fatigue usually result from its sleep-enhancing effects. But it also supports more consistent and sustained cognitive performance through neurotransmitter interactions.

Its effects on serotonin are beneficial here. Serotonin is the primary neurotransmitter for mood, memory and learning. Keeping it balanced and normalising regulation is vital to sustain mental capacity. While CBD oil won’t improve dopamine dysregulation, its sleep and stress benefits have positive effects for it indirectly.

Stimulants and nootropics like caffeine or modafinil function in similar ways. These compounds help to stimulate dopamine and norepinephrine to boost mental energy. In many cases, CBD oil can be synergistic with these compounds. Because it’s calming and anxiolytic, it helps lower the anxiousness that stimulants or nootropics trigger. It helps to create a smoother, extended, and consistent degree of mental energy.

Try CBD oil in your coffee or alongside a nootropic formula to amplify and synergise the effects of each.

Now we’ve run through the top benefits of CBD oil for ADHD, let’s take a step back and review how it works.

What is ADHD?

Woman Questioning ADHD

ADHD is a mental disorder that disrupts executive function.

It’s characterised by:

  • Difficulties with focus and attention
  • Compulsive behaviour
  • Impulsivity and hyperactivity
  • Impaired working memory and forgetfulness
  • Disorganisation
  • Lack of self-control and discipline
  • Excessive movement or fidgeting

These issues have detrimental consequences for those with the condition.

It can make normal functioning a challenge. Simple tasks become difficult to complete.

ADHD can impair academic or professional performance because of this.

Procrastination and disorganisation block the completion of work.

Its symptoms can even damage relationships and cause social isolation. Poor executive function can impact social abilities.

Increasingly, those with ADHD use CBD products as natural supportive aids.

What is CBD?

CBD Oil in Cannabis Leaves

The cannabis plant naturally produces a range of bioactive, therapeutic compounds known as ‘cannabinoids’. There are over a hundred unique cannabinoids. Some have beneficial health effects.

One of the most useful for people with ADHD is cannabidiol or CBD. Its effects include the following:

  • Anxiolytic (or anxiety-reducing) and stress-alleviating
  • Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective
  • Analgesic (pain suppressing) 

Despite being an extract of cannabis, CBD on its own does not get you ‘high’.

Euphoria is an effect associated with a separate cannabinoid called THC, which is different to CBD.

THC is psychoactive. It more powerfully acts on the brain’s cannabinoid receptors. Due to this, it can cause or worsen mental illnesses like anxiety or depression, which often occur alongside ADHD.

Unlike CBD, THC isn’t helpful for those with the condition.

It worsens executive dysfunction and working memory impairment. Avoiding it is vital.

Most CBD products in Australia are derived from industrial hemp, a breed of plant that is purposely grown to contain very little THC. These plants are regulated to contain 0.3% THC or less, meaning only very minor trace levels of the cannabinoid are contained in their extracts.

Sourcing CBD oil from quality sources that derive their products from industrial hemp and remove all THC is an important consideration.

How CBD Oil Works for ADHD

How CBD Works for ADHD

CBD oil acts on the brain and body through the endocannabinoid system (or ‘ECS’). The ECS is an intricate system of receptors and lipid-based signalling chemicals. It influences bodily functions like sleep, immunity, stress response, mood and appetite. The system is activated in the presence of cannabinoids like CBD. In response to being activated, it releases potent endocannabinoids, which are influential in assisting with ADHD symptoms.

For example, endocannabinoids like 2-AG (‘2-Arachidonoylglycerol’) are neuroprotective. ‘Neuroprotection’ means the ability to protect brain cells and support their function. Endocannabinoids achieve this through modulating CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Through this pathway, they help regulate neurotransmitters and their reuptake. This helps to prevent excitatory or excessive neuron activity while also defending the neurons from damage. That’s why CBD oil is used for conditions like epilepsy. These neuroprotective powers extend to preventing and mitigating seizures. 

For example, CBD has been used in an anti-seizure drug called Epidiolex. This targets seizure prevention in children and adults.

While it’s more effective for epilepsy because of its ability to prevent the condition’s symptoms directly, many of CBD’s neuroprotective powers will also crossover to helping with ADHD. Protecting neurons and keeping neurotransmitters in balance will likely have supplementary benefits in preventing frustrating symptoms.

What evidence is there for CBD oil’s effectiveness in combatting ADHD?

Research on CBD Oil for ADHD

Research Studies

The research into CBD oil’s benefits for ADHD is relatively limited but has primarily concluded the cannabinoid doesn’t directly counteract the condition. Most suggest it offers assistance primarily with co-morbidities like ADHD, anxiety, or insomnia.

One clinical trial from 2017 examined the efficacy of the cannabinoid in treating symptoms among 30 adults with the condition.

The trial used randomised placebo-controlled doses of medication containing both THC and CBD on the subjects. Cognitive performance was subsequently measured after dosing using a ‘QbTest’. The use of both CBD and THC displayed some effectiveness in reducing hyperactivity and mitigating ADHD symptoms. Subjects also reported their inattention was reduced, which made focus easier. 

This study wasn’t conclusive. The researchers recommended follow-up trials to corroborate the findings. But while not final, it represents a firm step in a positive direction towards linking cannabinoids like CBD to better mental control and attention. Interestingly, it was also found that many subjects with ADHD already self-medicated with CBD oil. Some found it valuable as an alternative to stimulant-based medication.

Clinical Studies

separate meta-analysis explored over 80 research papers on the neurological effects of CBD, including three experiments that specifically studied the treatment of ADHD using cannabinoids.

This review did not support CBD or other cannabinoids as viable treatment options. It was critical of the quality of various studies on cannabinoids for mental disorders. There is a need for more robust, large-scale clinical trials for valid empirical evidence.

Another randomised, placebo-controlled experiment looked at the efficacy of CBD oil for ADHD in young adults who had been diagnosed with the condition.

The subjects all had moderate to severe symptoms of the disorder. Each suffered from poor working memory, issues with executive function, impulsivity and inability to focus. Formulations of CBD and THC were provided to them several times daily over several weeks. Cognitive testing was performed on the subjects before and after the treatment. The testing generated control and test measurements of ADHD symptoms. As opposed to improving symptoms, the medication in this experiment worsened the group’s test scores. Additionally, the researchers found the psychoactivity of THC used in the trial worsened ADHD symptoms. THC exacerbated problems with attention and working memory because of its impact on dopamine. 

The clinical evidence to date is mixed but lacking. While CBD has been clinically proven to treat issues like epilepsy, its direct efficacy for ADHD is less clear.

Problematically, most studies so far have used medications that combine CBD with THC, making it difficult to ascertain the isolated effects of each.

What is clear from the research is that THC is detrimental to people with ADHD.

Safety and Side Effects

CBD Side Effects for ADHD

Adverse side effects from CBD oil are rare and generally mild, including for people with ADHD.

Some of these include:

  • Dry mouth
  • Appetite changes
  • Lethargy (at high doses)
  • Minor nausea
  • Upset stomach and diarrhoea

Thankfully, as it doesn’t affect dopamine or executive function, there isn’t any chance it will worsen ADHD like THC.

Most people also won’t experience these side effects, even at high doses.

They predominantly occur due to incorrect dosing or consuming low-quality products contaminated with THC or solvents.

Avoid any product containing THC as it can worsen ADHD, reduce the ability to focus and is addictive. THC also stimulates and worsens many of ADHD’s co-morbidities, like anxiety and depression. 

In contrast, CBD oil is safe and won’t cause any issues with concentration. A review in 2018 from the World Health Organisation concluded it was well-tolerated, non-addictive and effective for its therapeutic purposes.

This was one of the most significant clinical reviews into the clinical safety of the cannabinoid to date.

When taking CBD oil for ADHD, ensure you read the label of your product and adhere to its dosage guidelines. Taking the wrong amounts could mean you feel drowsy and have difficulties with attention. But when used appropriately, you should experience a much greater ability to lock into deep periods of focus and concentration.

Does CBD Oil Help Children with ADHD?

Child with ADHD

It’s not known whether CBD oil can help children with ADHD.

But giving it to a child isn’t appropriate and should be avoided.

Even in healthy children, the long-term risks of using it are unknown.

There are some potential dangers in doing so.

For instance, accidental THC consumption from contaminated products can harm children. THC is often found in low-quality CBD oil. Because of its psychoactivity, it can impair cognitive function and brain development in kids.

Additionally, there isn’t any clear evidence that CBD oil actually assists with ADHD in children.

All studies on this topic have been on adults with the disorder. Note that there aren’t any clinical CBD medications for ADHD in children that psychiatrists can prescribe. It’s only prescribed for unrelated neurological conditions like epilepsy through drugs such as Epidiolex.

To stay safe and avoid any health risks, don’t use CBD products with children, particularly those with ADHD.

Speaking with a doctor or psychiatrist about a suitable ADHD treatment approach for a specific child’s needs is a better approach.

For example, stimulant medications, cognitive therapy or counselling could each be viable.

Does CBD Oil Interact with ADHD Medication?

Pills for ADHD

Not much is known about how CBD oil interacts with stimulant-based ADHD medications like Adderall or Dextroamphetamine.

Due to this, combining it with these types of medications is potentially unsafe.

The short and long-term health risks aren’t fully clear.

Before you combine CBD oil with any medication for ADHD, ensure you speak with your psychiatrist or doctor first. It’s best to remain safe and not combine them until your medical practitioner has cleared this.

Using CBD Oil for ADHD

Dosing from a CBD Dropper Bottle

Taking CBD oil for ADHD is straightforward, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

How Much CBD is Good for ADHD?

Determining a good amount of CBD for ADHD will be different for each person. No two minds or brains are the same, so each person has to find out what works for them. Discovering the correct dosages involves a trial-and-error approach. Factors like body weight, tolerance, responsiveness to CBD products and the severity of ADHD symptoms can all influence what this dosage should be. 

Everyone with ADHD responds uniquely.

Some people see immediate benefits and improved attention from a single dose. Others find little effect even after taking CBD oil for weeks.

If you’re a beginner, initially try around 10-15mg of CBD oil per day. After a few weeks, you can gradually increase this dose until you start seeing it become helpful for your ADHD symptoms. Side effects can be encountered early on because of low tolerance initially. While they typically pass quickly, if any lingering adverse reactions occur, reduce your dose or try a different product.

Remember that many feel very mild or even imperceptible effects from the cannabinoid. But this doesn’t mean it is working to enhance your focus and aid with attentiveness.

Full-Spectrum vs Isolate CBD Oil for ADHD

Full Spectrum CBD vs Isolate

Both CBD oil isolate and full-spectrum formulated products can be helpful for ADHD. Neither is necessarily better.

  • CBD isolate oils are of high purity and don’t contain any amount of THC. As such, they’re a safer option for people concerned about THC’s risks in exacerbating ADHD. Their downside is they won’t contain terpenes. Terpenes also help with anxiety and in reducing neuroinflammation. They also bolster the absorption of cannabinoids like CBD to improve their strength. As such, they could help to boost the benefits of CBD oil for ADHD when taken with terpenes. However, they’re not found in CBD isolate oil, which is a significant drawback.
  • Full-spectrum CBD oil, in contrast, can have minor traces of THC in it, which is a downside. Usually, these traces are extremely low at less than 0.3% of the product. However, some with ADHD are highly sensitive to THC and its mentally impairing effects. Advantageously, full-spectrum CBD will contain therapeutic terpenes like myrcene, which amplify the potency of CBD. Minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBN in this product also deliver complementary benefits. These compounds are similar to CBD and function in the endocannabinoid system. Each can add to the anxiolytic potential that full-spectrum CBD oil offers for those with ADHD.

Whichever CBD oil type you choose, ensure you get a certificate of analysis for your product.

This document will accurately tell you what cannabinoids are in the formulation so you can identify whether or not it has THC or minor cannabinoids.

Dose Timing

Timing CBD Doses

Taking CBD oil at a particular time of day or night can influence how useful it is for many in counteracting ADHD’s detrimental mental impacts.

You can use it during the day before a work or study session to prevent stress and remain calm. Often, CBD oil is taken as a study aid for those with ADHD. It’s advantageous in promoting learning and memory to boost retention. Similarly, for those who procrastinate or get distracted at work, it can be beneficial to use CBD products to remain productive and prevent stress from derailing concentration. This is particularly the case for those with ADHD who are susceptible to inattentiveness and distractibility.

Some people prefer using CBD oil at night, around an hour before bed, for sleep enhancement. Sleeping better will mean better mental clarity, focus, mood and motivation during the day. Often, this is the most effective way to block ADHD’s downsides. Nighttime dosing can be a great tool to stop insomnia or sleep disruption problems. Maintaining a healthy sleep pattern will result in better focus and lower impulsivity. It assists in reducing the symptoms of ADHD in the long run by improving dopamine levels each day.

What Type of CBD is Good for ADHD?

Best CBD for ADHD

There are a range of ways to take CBD products for ADHD. Each product type has its pros and cons.

Most people opt for CBD oil for its simplicity and ease of use. It’s also flexible, as you can use drops sublingually or orally.

To use CBD oil sublingually, place a few drops under your tongue for faster absorption. Or drop it onto your tongue for oral consumption. Taking it sublingually is better for faster effects if you need on-demand concentration support. It’s absorbed into the bloodstream quickly and has a rapid onset. Try holding CBD drops under your tongue for around a minute before swallowing to enhance the absorption rate.

Many people don’t like the taste of CBD oil. It’s often described as ‘grassy’ or earthy. If this is you, try taking CBD capsules that will bypass the tastebuds while giving you all the stress-relieving benefits of an oil. Capsules also offer slower release and longer effects as they’re more slowly digested. In addition, they are all pre-measured with specific CBD quantities, which makes dosage measurement straightforward. Pop a few when you need them with water, but ensure you follow appropriate dosage guidelines.

CBD gummies can provide equally strong benefits for ADHD. These are candies infused with the cannabinoid, which you can chew on for a sweet snack while you work or study. They’re a great addition to your routine in mitigating ADHD. They offer an easy way to lower stress and prepare the mind to become productive. Try eating them during your work or study break. Remember that gummies must be digested like capsules, so they can take longer to kick in.

Avoid THC

THC Molecule

When you’re buying a CBD product for ADHD, opt for a formulation that doesn’t contain THC. THC will reduce your ability to focus and increase anxiety, which will result in poor outcomes for ADHD.

For this reason, broad-spectrum or isolate products are generally preferable for those with ADHD. Full-spectrum CBD oil can contain some quantities of THC, making it less viable. Isolate CBD products offer the best purity if you need peace of mind.

Always check the product’s label and third-party lab results to confirm that it contains no THC before purchase. THC can also contaminate many products if poorly manufactured, contaminated or mislabelled. Steer clear of these and only shop at reputable CBD stores in Australia you can trust.

Maximising Effectiveness

Girl in Park

Remember that CBD oil isn’t a treatment or cure for ADHD. It can only support mental clarity, stress reduction, sleep and anxiety relief.

The best results when using CBD oil for ADHD are observed when lifestyle changes and health improvements are simultaneously incorporated alongside it.

Regular exercise, minimising alcohol intake, having a healthy diet and avoiding stress all help to ensure you reap the best results possible when taking this natural product.

This is particularly true for those who have ADHD, where it can be even harder to get in the right frame of mind to stay productive and concentrate.

Don’t rely on CBD oil as a crutch. If you need more substantial medication, it’s best to speak to a psychiatrist for other medication choices.

Conclusion

Although some people undoubtedly find benefits in using CBD oil for ADHD, there isn’t clinical evidence to support its ability to promote attention span.

Instead, its usefulness for those looking to perform better cognitively lies in its capacity to lower stress, improve sleep, reduce neuroinflammation, and block ADHD anxiety.

These neurorestorative and neuroprotective effects combine into a potent, natural remedy for a calm, clear mental state. As opposed to functioning as a nootropic, CBD oil should be viewed as a holistic aid for mental well-being, which is the foundation of good concentration.

For people with ADHD, it can be beneficial in counteracting co-morbidities like anxiety or insomnia. But it won’t replace medications that treat ADHD, such as Ritalin, which have robust clinical evidence for their ability to treat this debilitating condition.

When you shop for CBD products, ensure you prioritise the avoidance of any THC in them. This cannabinoid can be mentally harmful and substantially worsen ADHD.

FAQs

Can I take CBD on ADHD medication?

If you’re planning to use CBD oil alongside your regular ADHD medication, check with your psychiatrist or doctor first. Some people use it with their medication, but the long-term risks of doing so aren’t currently known. Many stimulant medications used for ADHD, like Adderall or amphetamines, undergo hepatic metabolism. This means they are processed via the liver, similarly to CBD. As such, consuming them together could raise the risk of liver injuries or toxicity. Additionally, these interactions could dampen or impair the effectiveness of existing ADHD medications. Don’t combine these compounds until you have confirmed with your doctor that it’s safe.

Does CBD improve attention?

Although it offers several beneficial mental effects, CBD itself can’t improve attention. It isn’t a nootropic and cannot modulate dopamine to raise attention span. The ability of CBD to help with cognition is mainly due to its capacity to reduce anxiety, lower stress, improve sleep and help clear brain fog. Mitigating these problems may assist with attention for people whose attentiveness is impaired by them. For instance, anxiety is detrimental to attention span and reduces concentration. It diverts mental energy from tasks due to overactive, nervous thoughts. Suppressing these thought patterns is a way CBD oil can help bolster attention. While it offers natural support for cognitive performance and stress alleviation, it won’t directly stimulate elevated attention like stimulants. Its effects on attention are likely to be more subtle and context-dependent.

Does CBD improve alertness?

Some research suggests that CBD has a calming effect that can improve alertness indirectly by reducing anxiety and stress. Stress can impact the ability to stay in a wakeful, alert state. Additionally, CBD oil positively affects sleep, which can help improve alertness during the day. Through the endocannabinoid system, cannabinoids can influence sleep-wake cycles to reinforce sleep quality. In doing so, greater sleep depth and REM stage cycles can be achieved, which helps with daytime alertness. It’s important to note that CBD is not a stimulant, and its effects on alertness may differ from person to person and depend on different factors, such as individual metabolism. Some users don’t see much benefit from it for alertness.

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Author

Steve Jacobs Author Headshot

Originally from Byron Bay (Australia), Steve Jacobs is a writer and expert on the world of hemp. His passion for hemp products developed from working with organic hemp cultivators and sustainable skincare brands in Byron. Inspired by these eco-friendly approaches to crafting superb products, Steve realised the opportunity at the intersection of aromatherapy, natural skincare and the magic of hemp. He founded Bondi Hemp to bring this dream to life, bringing rejuvenating hemp extracts, refreshing botanical hemp topicals and revitalising essential oils to everyday Aussies. True to his Byron roots, Steve infuses every drop of his responsibly produced hemp products with the rich terroir of the Byron Region, resulting in unsurpassed quality without harming the earth. Today, Steve continues to write and speak about hemp, skincare, and aromatherapy from his family’s home in Northern NSW.