ADHD & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus | Huberman Lab Essentials

Andrew Huberman

Jul 31, 2025

Episode description

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explore the biology and psychology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and discuss both prescription and non-prescription treatment options.

I discuss the neural circuits involved in attention and concentration, emphasizing dopamine's role in regulating and coordinating focus. I explain how common prescription stimulants like Ritalin, Adderall, and Modafinil act on the brain to treat ADHD, and discuss non-drug approaches, including supplements and behavioral training to support focus. The episode offers tools and insights beneficial not only for those with ADHD but for anyone seeking to improve attention and focus.

Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/WMbQOmQ

Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/hFL6qRIJZ_Y

Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S

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*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
00:01:10 ADHD Challenges, Attention, Impulsivity, Hyperfocus, Time Perception, Working Memory
00:05:22 Dopamine & Focus; Default Mode Network & Task Network
00:10:15 ADHD & Low-Dopamine Hypothesis, Stimulants, Sugar
00:14:33 ADHD Prescriptions, Ritalin, Adderall, Stimulants
00:16:23 Children, Learning to Focus & ADHD Prescriptions
00:19:31 Attentional Blinks, Tool: Improve Focus, Open-Monitoring, Panoramic Vision
00:23:31 Blinking, Dopamine & Time Perception, Tool: Visual Focus Training
00:27:43 Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil, Side Effects, Tapering
00:29:32 Omega-3 Fatty Acids, EPA, DHA & Attention Effects; Phosphatidylserine
00:31:28 Modafinil, Armodafinil
00:32:18 Acetylcholine, Alpha-GPC
00:34:21 L-Tyrosine, Dopamine, Preexisting Conditions & Caution
00:35:18 Smartphones & Focus, Tool: Limiting Smartphone Use
00:37:23 Recap & Key Takeaways

Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Episode description

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Achieve better attention with 300 milligrams of DHA daily

For improving attention with omega-3s, studies suggest a threshold of at least 300 milligrams of DHA per day is the important inflection point.

#attention

#DHA

Recognize self-medication patterns in ADHD for better focus

People with ADHD might pursue stimulants like sugary foods, caffeine, or drugs in an attempt to self-medicate and raise their naturally low dopamine levels to improve focus.

#ADHD

#dopamine

Utilize dopamine to enhance focus and attention

Dopamine release contracts your visual and auditory world, creating a narrow cone of attention that helps you focus on specific things.

#dopamine

#focus

Limit smartphone use to enhance focus and reduce ADHD-like symptoms

Constant, rapid context switching on your phone is thought to train your brain for distraction, effectively inducing a state similar to ADHD and eroding your ability to focus in the real world.

#ADHD

#focus

Combine phosphatidylserine and omega-3s to reduce ADHD symptoms

Taking 200 milligrams of Phosphatidylserine daily was shown to reduce ADHD symptoms in children, an effect that was greatly enhanced by combining it with omega-3 fatty acids.

#ADHD

#supplement

Utilize early medication to enhance focus in children with ADHD

Giving stimulant medication to young children with ADHD can leverage their high brain plasticity to help their frontal circuits learn what focus feels like, potentially leading to long-term benefits.

#ADHD

#stimulant

Regulate blinking to enhance time perception and management

The rate at which you blink, which is controlled by dopamine, resets your perception of time, explaining why low dopamine in ADHD is linked to poor time management.

#ADHD

#dopamine

Train focus through panoramic vision practice

Consciously practicing dilating your gaze into panoramic vision can reduce 'attentional blinks' and improve your ability to focus, with one 17-minute session showing significant effects.