What is Adderal?

Adderall and Adderall XR (extended release) are prescribed for treatment of symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and for narcolepsy. The “method of action” (what it does) in ADHD is not known.¹

Adderall is an amphetamine. Amphetamines are stimulants and include both illegal street drugs and prescription drugs, such as Adderall.²

What Does Adderall Do? Does it work?

Amphetamines are thought to have effects on the brain through blocking some chemicals in some parts of the brain and stimulating the release of other chemicals.³

It was thought that stimulants had different effects on people diagnosed with ADHD than on other people and that stimulants helped them to “calm down.” It is now known that this is untrue, that stimulants have the same effect on everybody.⁴

Some researchers have reported that Adderall improved inattention, hyperactivity and aggression and was well rated by parents, teachers and clinicians.⁵

Doctors don’t agree on how to treat ADHD, what ADHD is or whether ADHD even exists. Some doctors argue that the symptoms of ADHD represent normal childhood behavior and that the medications prescribed to treat these symptoms are dangerous drugs that may be causing patients harm or have permanent effects on the brain.⁶

A ten-year study concluded in 2009 compared groups of 600 patients separated into four treatment methods, which included medication alone, therapy alone, medication plus therapy and a community-care control group that received no systematic treatment. At first this study suggested that medication, or medication plus therapy, produced the best results but after three years the results had faded and after ten years were completely gone. The study concluded that benefits of medication in managing ADHD extended only about ten months beyond the intensive treatment phase.⁷

Some patients taking Adderall commented that it improved their focus and performance on work, but that it made them jittery. ⁸

What should I go over with my doctor before I decide to take Adderall?

Adderall, like other amphetamines and stimulants, has many adverse side effects.

Lower doses of stimulants can increase blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature, and decrease sleep and appetite, which can lead to malnutrition. Higher doses can lead to serious cardiovascular complications, including stroke. Regular or continued use of stimulants can lead to personality changes, to increased feelings of hostility and paranoia. Stimulants are highly addictive.⁹

In children and adolescents, stimulants cause “cardiac effects” with increased heart rate and blood pressure, and a slowing of growth in height and weight, which lasts at least 3-4 years during treatment.¹⁰ There are serious cardiovascular risks with taking Adderall, and children and adults have died suddenly from heart attack and stroke while taking the drug.¹¹

Children and teenagers taking Adderall may develop psychotic or bipolar symptoms including hearing voices, hallucinations, mania, paranoia, and aggressive or hostile behavior. Abuse or increased dosage may result in the development of “amphetamine psychosis” in patients.¹²

Patients may develop glaucoma while taking Adderall, which can be caused by increased pressure in the eye.¹³

Adderall is a controlled substance and, like other amphetamines, it is addictive. Cessation of Adderall can result in withdrawal symptoms, including depression, insomnia, irritability, hyperactivity and personality changes.¹⁴

What if I’m already taking Adderall?

Never stop taking any prescription medication without discussing it with your doctor first. As discussed above, Adderall can become addictive and cause withdrawal symptoms in patients who stop taking it. If you are concerned about taking Adderall or experience any adverse effects, talk to your doctor.

Learn everything you can about Adderall before you start taking it, and before giving it to your child.

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¹ Food and Drug Administration, (Revised March 2007, retrieved 21 October 2012), http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2007/011522s040lbl.pdf
² PubMed, “Dextroamphetamine and Amphetamine” (revised 1 August 2010, retrieved 21 October 2012) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000166/; US Department of Justice, “Drug Fact Sheet Stimulants” (retrieved 21 October 2012), http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/drug_data_sheets/Stimulants.pdf
³ J Neruosci., Kornblum JL and Kauer JA, “Amphetamine blocks long-term synaptic depression in the ventral tegmental area” (1 August 2000), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10908593; Center for Substance Abuse Research, University of Maryland,”Amphetamines,” http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/drugs/amphetamines.pdf
⁴ Forbes, (10 June 2012) http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/06/10/the-questions-about-adhd-drugs-the-new-york-times-didnt-ask/; Neuropsychopharmacology, Arnsten A., “Stimulants: Therapeutic Actions in ADHD” (2006), http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v31/n11/full/1301164a.html
⁵ Journal of Attention Disorders, Faraone SV and Biederman J., “Efficacy of Adderall® for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A meta-analysis” (September 2002), http://jad.sagepub.com/content/6/2/69.short
⁶ Natural News, Adams M. “Neurologist Dr. Fred Baughman talks about the fraud of ADHD and the poisoning of U.S. children” (30 August 2006), http://www.naturalnews.com/020227_ADHD_psychiatry.html; The Natural Child, Breeding J., “Does ADHD Even Exist? The Ritalin Sham” (retrieved 19 October 2012), http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/john_breeding.html; Frontline, “Interview Peter Breggin” (3 May 2000), http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/medicating/interviews/breggin.html; British Journal of Psychiatry, Cannon M. et al, “ADHD is best understood as a cultural construct” (), http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/184/1/8.full; Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, Zwi M. and York A., “Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: validity unknown” (retrieved 19 October 2012), http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/10/4/248.full
⁷ Pediatrics, “National Institute of Mental health Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD Follow-up: 24-Month Outcomes of Treatment Strategies for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” (1 April 2004), http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/4/754.full
⁸ Straight Dope, Patient forum boards (retrieved 21 October 2012), http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=631829
⁹ National Institute on Drug Abuse, “DrugFacts: Stimulant ADHD Medications – Methylphenidate and Amphetamines” (Revised June 2009, retrieved 17 October 2012), http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/stimulant-adhd-medications-methylphenidate-amphetamines
¹⁰ Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am., Vitiello B., “Understanding the Risk of Using Medications for ADHD with Respect to Physical Growth and Cardiovascular Function” (17 April 2008); http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2408826/
¹¹ shirecontent.com, “Highlights of Prescribing Information” (revised August 2011, retrieved 21 October 2012), http://pi.shirecontent.com/PI/PDFs/AdderallXR_USA_ENG.PDF
¹² Ibid.
¹³ Ibid.
¹⁴ Ibid.