Adderall is an amphetamine that is mainly prescribed to treat the symptoms of ADHD, but it can also be used to treat depression and narcolepsy. It has two primary forms: extended release and instant release.(7)
It has many side effects, positive and negative; some side effects can be life-threatening, especially when it comes to prolonged use.
This guide goes over the many side effects of Adderall, including:
Adderall is a stimulant that works by changing the amounts of certain chemicals in the brain, specifically norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. These chemicals are responsible for boosting attentiveness and energy.(7)
The most positive side effect of Adderall is said, by users, to be mood elevation. Due to the increase of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain, those who use Adderall may experience a restructuring of their brain chemistry, which can make them feel more attentive or focused.
Some evidence even suggests that the stimulation provided by the increase of these chemicals in the brain could lead to an increase in the size of certain areas of the brain that control attention, motivation, and focus.(10)
Taking Adderall might help someone increase his or her:
It may also help to control behavior problems and reduce hyperactivity.(1, 13)
Despite all of these positive side effects, Adderall also has adverse side effects, some of which could be severe or potentially fatal.
Adderall may cause several issues within the digestive tract, including, but not limited to:
One reason someone who is taking Adderall might have these issues mentioned above is that Adderall increases the amount of sugar released into the body. This increase in sugar could cause abdominal pain and constipation or could cause one to have bouts of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.(11)
Another reason one might have gastrointestinal issues is that Adderall use causes the muscles in the digestive tract to slow down, resulting in backups.(12)
The bladder pain, difficulty urinating, and bloody urine can all also be signs of a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), which, in some cases, can be an Adderall side effect.
The kidneys and liver can also be affected by Adderall. Heavy use of the drug over an extended period may cause urination to be painful, or may even lead to acute renal failure. Long term side effects on the liver include:
Adderall suppresses the appetite, which may lead to weight loss. If not monitored, the weight loss could become severe and unhealthy, which could cause one to develop an eating disorder such as anorexia, or to become malnourished. Malnutrition can have many effects on one’s body and vital organs. (12)
Loss of appetite does not only cause weight loss. It can also cause the stunting or slowing of growth in children. Amphetamines have long since been connected to slow weight gain, and the reduced calorie intake as a result of the loss of appetite may be the reason. (5)
The weight loss and slow growth are supposed to be temporary side-effects that should subside with time as the body adjusts to the medication and appetite returns. (11) The appetite suppression that Adderall causes makes it an attractive weight-loss drug to some people, but it is not used as a treatment for weight loss anymore due to its high abuse potential. (5)
Adderall can have many different effects on the cardiovascular system. While most of these are relatively harmless for those who use Adderall as prescribed, long term use or abuse can heighten these effects and lead to damaging or weakening of the cardiovascular system in those who abuse it. Organs or other parts of the cardiovascular system that could be affected include:
As a result of how the drug interacts with the body, the previously mentioned parts of the cardiovascular system are forced to work harder. Working harder may cause them to become strained from long-term use. (12)
Adderall increases heart rate and raises blood pressure in those who use it. This increase in heart rate and blood pressure, in some cases, could cause other serious heart-related conditions to arise, especially in those who are abusing Adderall. Some of these circumstances are listed below:
Some of the symptoms listed above could also be signifiers of a heart attack or stroke. Those who are taking Adderall and think they might be having a heart attack or stroke are encouraged to contact their doctor immediately. (11) The most common cardiovascular problems reported by Adderall users are hypertension and tachycardia.
Adderall consumption can also lead to a serious condition known as an aortic dissection, also known as an aortic tear, although it is seen most commonly in those who abuse Adderall. Studies have shown that of the approximately 31 million patients taking Adderall across the nation, the risk of having an aortic dissection is three times more likely in those who are abusing it than in those who aren’t. (3)
Those who have underlying heart conditions or heart defects or have a family history of underlying heart conditions should talk to their doctor to figure out if Adderall is right for them, as it could raise their chances of having more serious side effects such as heart attack, stroke, seizures, or even sudden cardiac death. (12)
Adderall can also cause lung problems. Signs of lung damage due to prolonged, unprescribed use of Adderall include:
Stimulants cause arteries and veins to constrict, which may interfere with circulation. Some symptoms that someone might have restricted blood flow include:
Extended use of Adderall could also cause collapsed blood vessels, coronary artery disease, or septicemia (blood poisoning). (4)
Because amphetamines deal with chemicals in the brain that are responsible for energy levels, certain neurological symptoms can result from using Adderall. But these neurological symptoms can be better or worse depending on if the user is taking the drug as prescribed or is abusing it.
For those who are taking it as prescribed, nervousness, restlessness, and headaches are common neurological side effects of Adderall. Those who take it may also have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep at night, which is why doctors often recommend patients to take it in the morning. (11)
Insomnia, coupled with the malnutrition from weight loss, may cause the body and brain to have trouble functioning at normal levels. (12)
Mood and behavior changes are also common Adderall side effects. Such changes include:
Uncontrolled movements, dizziness, slowed speech, damaged nerve cells, and changes in vision are also possible side effects of Adderall. Symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome, such as phonic or motor tics, could become worse through the ingestion of amphetamines. (8) Those who have Tourette’s are encouraged to ask their doctors if amphetamines are right for them.
In rare cases, severe neurological side effects may occur. Anyone experiencing these side effects is asked to contact his or her doctor immediately:
By taking Adderall, any of the neurological symptoms mentioned in this section can become worse if preexisting mental health conditions are present, or the preexisting mental health conditions can be made worse. (11)
While Adderall has some pretty serious side effects for those who use it correctly, it can have even worse side effects for those who don’t use it properly. As already stated, Adderall increases the presence of dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters in the brain. It is made to help people with ADHD, who have lower concentrations of these chemicals.
In a normal brain, however, the increase of these chemicals can lead to several psychological problems, such as:
Long-term side effects of Adderall also include drastic changes in one’s personality. Mood swings can escalate to the point that the user seems to have bipolar disorder or an entirely different personality. Excessive use of the drug can also lead to hostility and depression. (13)
Those who use it as prescribed often report feelings of euphoria, high energy, or invigoration. These feelings are very similar to the high that cocaine users feel. (7) It is no wonder, then, that many people are attracted to this drug for its heightened sense of euphoria, also known as “the feel-good feeling.”
Those who abuse Adderall over an extended period might also experience the following side effects:
In some cases, Adderall, like other stimulants, can cause psychosis and symptoms that resemble those of schizophrenia, such as paranoid delusions and hallucinations, and mood and behavior disturbances have been reported. Anxiety attacks and panic attacks are also effects of long-term Adderall abuse, and can also be symptoms of Adderall withdrawal.
Any or all of these aforementioned neurological symptoms may be worsened by Adderall if someone who has a family history of mental illness or has a mental disorder him or herself. On the reverse side, the mental disorder or its symptoms could also become worse by taking Adderall. (9)
In adults, Adderall can affect sexual drive or performance. One might have a decreased interest in having sex, an inability to have or keep an erection. (6)
To the opposite extreme, the use of Adderall might increase the risk of priapism, which is a persistent, painful erection that lasts more than four hours and usually occurs without any sexual stimulation. If not treated right away, the condition could lead to permanent scarring or even erectile dysfunction. (3)
Women may experience abdominal cramps that are worse than normal during their menstrual cycles. (2)
Adderall can sometimes cause a minor allergic reaction. An allergic reaction can present itself in many different ways. It can affect the skin, which would result in:
In rare cases, Adderall can cause a severe allergic reaction. A serious allergic reaction might be accompanied by intense itching or rash, swelling of the tongue, throat, or face, dizziness, and trouble breathing. (1)
While the study of the side effects of Adderall on pregnant women and their fetuses is still largely unexplored, there has been indications that prenatal exposure to amphetamines can result in long-term neurological and behavioral problems. These issues include:
Babies who are born to mothers who were dependent on amphetamines during pregnancy are more likely to have:
Pregnant women should only be prescribed amphetamines if the potential risks to the fetus are outweighed by the potential benefits. Mothers who are taking Adderall or other types of amphetamines should not nurse because amphetamines can be excreted in human milk. (8)
Amphetamines have a high addiction rate, but when those who are addicted to Adderall abruptly stop taking Adderall, they can experience many unpleasant side effects, both mental and physical.
As abusers of Adderall become dependent on the drug, the brain reduces its natural production of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. Abrupt cessation of the drug, consequently, results in excessively low levels of these chemicals in the brain which can lead to depression, fatigue, and thoughts of suicide. Changes in sleep patterns also can occur. (8)
Other side effects of withdrawal include:
Heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature are also affected by withdrawal symptoms. (12) But the emotional side effects of withdrawal, like the drastic mood changes, are possibly the most noticeable, because the longer the user abuses the drug, the more pronounced the mood swings may become when the user or someone else removes the drug from the body. (9)
As the brain develops a dependency on Adderall, it also builds up a tolerance to the drug, which causes the user to seek higher doses to achieve the same results. This increasing of dosage amplifies Adderall’s side effects and can lead to an overdose. (7)
There are many symptoms and signs that someone has overdosed. In acute overdose cases, signs and symptoms might include:
Fatigue and depression often follow the restlessness, panic states, and over-responsive reflexes; in other words: the high is followed by the crash.
Adverse neurological effects of overdose include:
Overdoses have astronomical effects on the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. It can cause someone to have a sudden massive heart attack, even if he or she has no history or had no prior signs of having heart disease. Other side effects of an overdose on these systems include:
Overdoses can lead to fatal poisoning, which is usually preceded by convulsions and coma. (3, 8) If an observer sees signs of an overdose on amphetamines, he or she is encouraged to consult a certified Poisoned Control Center for current advice.
Getting over an addiction or an overdose of Adderall can take time, but it is possible to reverse all the side effects, and neurotransmitter levels can return to normal levels. Medical detox is the safest way to get over an Adderall addiction. (12)
Adderall has some serious side effects just by itself, but when one decides to take it with alcohol, it can create further complications. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it shuts the body down. Adderall, on the other hand, as a stimulant, wires the body up.
Slurred speech and lethargy are signs that someone has ingested too much alcohol, but when that person is also on Adderall, the drug can mask those warning signs. (7) Because Adderall keeps users awake, it can shut off the cues from the body that tell people that they’ve had too much to drink, which can lead to a potentially dangerous situation called alcohol poisoning. (12)
Other possible side effects of consuming alcohol with Adderall are:
Abusing Adderall or taking it with alcohol can increase one’s risk for serious side effects, but drug interactions can increase the chances further. Certain drugs interacting with Adderall could alter how one or both medications work.
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, for example, slow down the rate at which one’s body can metabolize amphetamines, which makes the amphetamines more potent. The change in potency could lead to headaches and signs of hypertensive crisis. Toxic neurological effects can also occur, which could be potentially fatal. (8) It is recommended that one stop taking MAO inhibitors two weeks before starting Adderall. (1)
Other drugs that can alter the effectiveness of Adderall include those that are used to treat:
Those to whom Adderall is prescribed should check the labels on all their current medications, whether they are prescription meds or not, as some could contain ingredients that, like Adderall, raise heart rate and blood pressure. Adderall could also interfere with certain medical tests, such as blood and urine steroid levels and scans for Parkinson’s disease, which could come back as false positives. (1)
Aside from drug interactions that can make taking Adderall dangerous, other medical conditions or a family history of certain medical conditions can also make it dangerous to take Adderall. No one should take Adderall if he or she is allergic to any other kind of stimulant medicine. One should also not take Adderall if he or she currently has or has a family history of any of the following:
Adderall and other stimulants have been known to cause sudden cardiac death. Taking Adderall can be extremely dangerous if one or anybody in one’s family has or has had any of the following:
There are other side effects besides all of the ones listed up to this point that can occur from taking Adderall, but their reported frequency is unknown. These side effects include:
Adderall is not a drug that one should take lightly. It is highly addictive, which can lead to dependence, overdose, and withdrawal. It has an array of side effects, both good and bad. These side effects can be mostly useful one takes the drug exactly as prescribed and under doctor supervision, and most of the side effects are time-limited, meaning they should subside once the body gets used to the drug.
There are a lot of things to consider before taking Adderall, but whether the risks of taking it outweigh the benefits or vice versa is up to the consumers.
