美國衛生與公眾服務部部長小羅伯特·F·甘迺迪發布報告，將兒童慢性疾病歸咎於「過度醫療化」，並長期批評處方藥物，包括用於治療注意力不足過動症（ADHD）的興奮劑藥物如Adderall和Vyvanse。在政府進一步限制這些藥物取得管道的同時，大量替代醫學品牌正在社群媒體上投放廣告，將興奮劑描繪為有害藥物，並推銷含有L-茶氨酸、南非醉茄、薑黃和維生素B群等成分的保健品，聲稱能提供專注力、平靜和情緒平衡。

這些保健品品牌——包括Graymatter Labs、Stasis、Magic Mind、Thesis和Nello——透過Instagram、TikTok和YouTube上的網紅付費合作影片大肆宣傳，經常將其產品與興奮劑藥物進行有利比較，同時強調後者的負面副作用。然而，與處方精神科藥物不同，這些膳食補充劑在上市前無需經過美國食品藥物管理局（FDA）的評估與批准。多家公司均未回應關於其科學宣稱的置評請求。

ADHD專家對此現象深表憂慮。精神科護理師萊農指出，興奮劑藥物已有近百年歷史，療效經過充分研究，但這類廣告加深了對藥物的污名化，可能導致患者擅自停藥，而未經治療的ADHD會降低預期壽命並使早逝風險翻倍。自2022年以來美國藥房持續面臨興奮劑短缺，心理健康輔導師戈德里奇認為這些廣告具有「剝削性」，因為它們針對的是因系統性藥物短缺而陷入危機、別無選擇的患者。專家們強調，保健品缺乏嚴格監管，無需向FDA證明其安全性或有效性，患者在考慮停用處方藥前應與醫療提供者充分討論。

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released a report attributing childhood chronic disease in part to the "overmedicalization" of children, while maintaining longstanding criticisms of prescription medications including ADHD stimulants like Adderall and Vyvanse. As the government moves to further restrict access to these drugs, a wave of alternative medicine brands is flooding social media with ads that disparage stimulants and promote supplement products containing ingredients such as L-theanine, ashwagandha, turmeric, and B vitamins, claiming benefits like mental clarity and emotional balance.

Brands including Graymatter Labs, Stasis, Magic Mind, Thesis, and Nello leverage influencer partnerships across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to market nootropic pills and drinks, frequently comparing them favorably to stimulants while highlighting the latter's negative side effects. Unlike prescription psychiatric medications, these dietary supplements are not required to undergo FDA evaluation and approval before being sold to consumers. None of the companies responded to requests for comment regarding their scientific claims, and while TikTok removed some brand accounts for health misinformation, YouTube found no guideline violations.

ADHD specialists warn that this advertising trend poses real dangers. Mental health nurse practitioner Kristen Leinung notes that stimulant medications have been studied for nearly a century and approved for pediatric use since the 1960s, but such ads further stigmatize these treatments and may lead people to abandon effective medication—when untreated ADHD is associated with reduced life expectancy and double the risk of premature death. Compounding the problem, U.S. pharmacies have experienced stimulant shortages since 2022, making patients more vulnerable to supplement marketing that mental health counselor Cindy Goldrich calls "exploitative," as it targets people in crisis due to systemic supply failures rather than medication inefficacy. Experts emphasize that supplements lack robust regulation, need not prove safety or efficacy to the FDA, and urge patients to consult their healthcare providers before discontinuing prescribed stimulants.