Why more teens with ADHD are turning to supplements: 6 things to know

As more teens and young adults seek alternatives or complements to prescription attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications, many are turning to supplements promoted on social media. The trend is fueling sales of products marketed for focus, sleep and mental wellness, even as physicians warn that supplements can interact with prescription medications and vary in quality and purity, according to a July 22 report from Bloomberg.

The growing use of supplements reflects broader shifts in how consumers seek healthcare information, with platforms such as TikTok and Reddit influencing treatment decisions while manufacturers expand products aimed at both adults and children. Healthcare providers say the trend underscores the need for patients to discuss supplement use with clinicians because of potential safety, quality and drug interaction concerns.

This trend surfaces as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined an action plan May 4 to “curb psychiatric overprescribing” when clinically indicated, especially for children. He detailed the initiative at a MAHA Institute summit, focusing on evaluating prescription patterns, assessing benefits and harms, and increasing use of nonmedication treatments, according to HHS. 

Here are six things to know:

1. Teens and young adults are building personalized supplement regimens. Some individuals with ADHD are combining prescription medications with supplements such as magnesium, lion’s mane and bacopa monnieri based largely on their own online research.
2. Social media is shaping treatment decisions. TikTok and Reddit have become major sources of information about “nootropics” and supplement stacks, with some users developing routines without guidance from healthcare providers. A 2025 Edelman survey found that 38% of adults ages 18 to 34 had disregarded their provider’s medical guidance in favor of advice from social media, up 12 percentage points from the previous year. A 2024 EdWeek survey found more than half of the 1,000 high schoolers have used social media to diagnose mental health conditions at least once. 
3. The market is growing rapidly. TikTok has grown into a popular e-commerce platform for supplements, generating about $1 billion in U.S. sales in 2025, according to a Nutrition Business Journal estimate. On TikTok Shop specifically, supplements linked to ADHD-related hashtags produced nearly $7 million in revenue during the 12 months through May, per Charm.io data analyzed for Bloomberg. The U.S. supplement market overall reached about $74 billion in sales in 2025 and is projected to approach $100 billion by 2029, according to Nutrition Business Journal data cited by Bloomberg.
4. Regulatory oversight differs from prescription drugs. Dietary supplements do not require FDA approval before reaching the market, and the main restriction on influencers promoting them is a prohibition on false marketing claims. A TikTok representative told Bloomberg that its community guidelines prohibit health-related misinformation, including inaccurate medical advice, and that the platform directs users to support and public health services when certain terms are searched.
5. Manufacturers are expanding products. Supplement makers are expanding product lines, shifting the focus from addressing nutritional gaps to supporting mental health and sleep, while avoiding claims that products treat ADHD or other medical conditions. Many of the benefits advertised in supplements overlap with some common side effects of psychiatric drugs. For example, Adderall’s potential secondary effects include trouble sleeping and nervousness.
6. Physicians report more questions from families. Clinicians interviewed by Bloomberg said more parents are asking about supplements for children with ADHD or anxiety, mentioning news and social media discussions around overmedication in children. They emphasize discussing products with healthcare providers because of possible interactions and quality concerns.

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