Adderall
Learn more about Adderall, the ADHD medication often used as a productivity drug.
Overview
Common Nicknames
Addies, speed, uppers, study buddies
Drug Class
Stimulant
Drug Form
Pills
Route of Administration
Oral
What is the science of Adderall?
Adderall is an amphetamine-based drug that is primarily used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s used to increase concentration, working memory and to promote alertness. Adderall is also commonly misused as a study drug by students and young professionals seeking increased cognitive abilities with the ultimate aim of better productivity.
The typical dose can be anywhere between 2.5 – 60 mg daily and is given 1-3 times a day.
Adderall is a chemical compound that is made up of powerful blends of the amphetamine salts dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine, which are isomers of the original amphetamine molecule and come in a 3:1 ratio. The blend consists of the following: One-quarter racemic (d,l-)amphetamine aspartate monohydrate, one-quarter dextroamphetamine saccharin, one-quarter dextroamphetamine sulfate, and one-quarter racemic (d,l-)amphetamine sulfate
Adderall is an amphetamine-based drug. Amphetamines exert their pharmacologic action by blocking the reuptake of noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine into presynaptic neurons, increasing the release of these into the extraneuronal space. Dextroamphetamine, acts peripherally by release and reuptake inhibition of the neurotransmitter’s acetylcholine and histamine but not glutamate via the VMAT2 transporter. Amphetamines release stores of NA and dopamine from nerve endings by opening the respective channels.
Amphetamines also release stores of serotonin from synaptic vesicles. Like methylphenidate (Ritalin), amphetamines prevent the transporters for dopamine and NA from recycling them. These combined effects rapidly increase concentrations of dopamine and NA in the synaptic cleft, promoting nerve impulse transmission in neurons that have those receptors.
Physiologically, Adderall increases bothheart rate and blood pressure. For most people however, these effects are modest.
Adderall is detectable in the body following a number of different types of drug tests. The length of time that they are detectable for does, however, vary from test to test.
In the blood, Adderall is detectable up to 46 hours after use.
In urine, it is detectable for 72 hours after use.
In saliva, it is detectable for 20 to 50 hours after use.
In hair, it is detectable up to 3 months after use.
What are the risks?
Short-term physiological effects include:
Decreased appetite
Involutory body movements
Hyperactivity
Jitteriness
Nausea
Itchy skin
Irregular heart rate
Hypertension
Headaches
Possible long-term physiological effects:
Weight loss
Decreased appetite
Cardiomyopathy
Heart palpitation
Tachycardia
Elevated blood pressure
Fatigue
Possible adverse psychological reactions:
Anxiety
Depression
Mood swings
Psychosis
Aggression
Sleep difficulties
Paranoia
Hallucinations
To mitigate these risks, users should firstly speak to a medical professional before using Adderall. It will also be important to begin on a low dose to avoid unnecessary over-consumption of the drug. Lastly, users try to minimise the time which they are taking the drug, in order to avoid the potential of addiction and developing long-term adverse effects.
How might the drug make you feel?
Adderall primarily works to increase concentration and general cognition. These effects are much greater in those with ADHD. There is evidence that Adderall can lead to improvement in attention performance, working memory and inhibitory control in healthy adults. A number of studies have demonstrated Adderall’s ability to enhance the cognition of adults with tests of problem solving and executive function. However, these effects are generally found to be quite modest.
The effects of Adderall reach can be observed anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion, and the peak concentration in the blood occurs at around 3 hours post-ingestion. The effects will last for between 4 and 6 hours for instant release, and around 8 hours for extended-release tablets.
Is Adderall addictive, and what are the long-term effects?
Like other amphetamines, users of Adderall can develop an addiction to the drug. This can also result in withdrawal symptoms such as paranoia, depression, difficulty breathing, dysphoria, gastric fluctuations and tiredness. These symptoms lead chronic users to re-dose frequently and as such increase the possibility of addiction. Someone who has a dependency on Adderall should never stop taking the drug abruptly, and instead needs to do so gradually and under medical supervision.
Harm Reduction and Drug-Drug Interactions
Being careful what, and how much, you are taking
Amphetamine varies in strength and there have been spates of overdoses associated with strong batches, including so-called ‘base’ amphetamine (which is rarely ‘base’ in the chemical sense). Most ‘amphetamine’ available on the unregulated, illicit market contains more adulterants, fillers and other drugs than actual amphetamine. It may contain no amphetamine sulphate at all, as some other drugs mimic amphetamine’s effects. These mimics might be more harmful. If you take it despite the risks, it is a good idea to try a small amount of the drug to see what it does and wait for the effects to peak before considering if you want more. Even if the amphetamine is pure, higher doses have greater risks.
Injecting drugs tends to be much more harmful
It is much easier to take too much amphetamine when injecting. Also, injecting carries a whole range of extra risks including infection and damage to veins.
Tolerance is a warning sign
If a person is taking amphetamine regularly they may develop tolerance. Requiring more of the drug to achieve the same effects suggests that the use of amphetamine is causing lingering changes in brain chemistry. Increasing tolerance is often a signpost on the transition between recreational and dependent drug use.
Medical Uses
Adderall is primarily used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a common neurobehavioral disorder affecting between 3 and 7 per cent of school-aged children. In the majority of cases, ADHD persists into adulthood.
The disorder results in delayed learning ability, impaired academic achievement and delayed maturation. Symptoms commonly include having trouble concentrating or completing simple of complex tasks, forgetfulness, hyperactivity, being easily distracted, impulsive behaviour and the inability to get along with others.
Although it is rarely prescribed in the UK, its use for the treatment of ADHD in the US is widespread.
Myths and Misconceptions
It isn't harmful because it is produced by pharmaceutical companies
Research has shown that users of Adderall and similar substances do not consider it to be physically or psychologically harmful due to them being associated with instrumental pursuits of academic and productivity-related goals. This belief also stems from the fact that Adderall is produced, regulated and prescribed by the medical establishment.
This is, however, a myth. Adderall can produce serious adverse effects such as various cardiovascular events, worsening mental illness, and even increase the risk of sudden death.
It is only a stiff cup of coffee
Many users believe that Adderall is nothing more than a stiff cup of caffeinated-coffee. However, the drugs’ composites are much more serious than caffeine. Adderall is composed of different amphetamine salts that increase extracellular levels of dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline. This myth is problematic because it minimises the seriousness of potential adverse reactions to Adderall.
It makes you smarter
It is commonly believed that, by taking Adderall, the user can become instantly smarter. There is evidence that healthy adults may receive small to moderate cognitive benefits in the areas of working memory, response inhibition and processing speed. However, these effects do not automatically make the user smarter, but instead simply complement existing cognitive abilities. Furthermore, a lot of studies have found that these beneficial cognitive effects are only very modest. In fact, there is evidence that argues to the contrary, demonstrating that stimulant misuse is negatively correlated with academic functioning.
If the user finds Adderall to be helpful, then they must have ADHD
As Adderall is primarily used to treat ADHD, users commonly believe that if they take Adderall and benefit from it in some way, then they must have ADHD. However, this occurs due to a misunderstanding as to what ADHD actually is. The disorder is often trivialised to being nothing more than the periodic inability to concentrate. ADHD is a lot more complicated than this however, and is additionality characterised by impulses and continual restlessness.
More on Forms
Adderall is taken in the form of a pill, usually either blue or orange. The extended-release version comes in a capsule.
Adderall is consumed by oral ingestion. Its duration is between 4 -6 hours and peaks at around 90 minutes.
It is typically available in tablets of 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg, 15mg, 20mg and 30mg strengths. It may also come in the form of an extended-release tablet of identical doses.