Adderall vs Ritalin:
Are you confused because you don’t know which ADHD medication is the right choice or works the best? That makes sense – there are more than 20 different variations on the market right now.
To make your life easier, we have our list of all the ADHD medications explained. And right here, we’ll compare Adderall vs Ritalin.
The Chemical difference
Ritalin goes to brain cells and stops them from taking up dopamine and norepinephrine, which are chemicals associated with focus, motivation and pleasure. That increases the amount of them in the general space between cells.
Adderall does the exact same thing. It also, however, goes inside cells and make them pump out dopamine. It is this mechanism that may explain their slightly higher strength. But this may also damage the cells and cause the build of toxic free radicals.
More about Ritalin
Ritalin is the most commonly prescribed stimulant for ADHD, far outselling Adderall, but this doesn’t mean it’s better. It’s just been out a lot longer. Ritalin and ADHD are pretty much synonyms, and that association makes a big difference in doctors’ prescribing habits.
Chemically, Ritalin is derived from an amphetamine and is distantly related to cocaine. But that doesn’t mean too much. After all, coffee is also related to cocaine.
It works decently. Roughly 55% of those who use Ritalin experience benefit. Combined with therapy, however, that number goes up to 70%.
You can get Ritalin in an instant release (IR) and extended release (XR) form. It’s hard to say which is better. On the one hand, extended release means more consistency and more convenience. On the other hand, instant release might provide more of a “punch” so to speak.
More on Adderall
Adderall is a straight up amphetamine, and it works about as well as Ritalin. It too is available in IR and XR form. It’s become increasingly popular since its introduction in the 90s. And it might just be a little stronger than Ritalin.
Some studies show that kids need to take 2instant release pills of Ritalin to cover a day at school, while 1 IR of Adderall works similarly well. We also know that molecule for molecule Adderall is more potent. But that might just mean you take less of it than Ritalin.
Some other studies show that Adderall produces a slight advantage over Ritalin in treating certain symptoms. One study showed that Adderall had significant advantage in keeping people on task and helping stay focused. But please take that study in context. It wasn’t a rigorous clinical trial, and only examined 37 patients.
Larger, more scientific studies have also shown a slight advantage of Adderall over Ritalin. The difference is so small that in any one given study it might not mean anything. What makes it significant is that the slight advantage of Adderall seems to occur in mulitple studies.
More interesting is that people who start Adderall might be more likely to keep on using it than Ritalin.
And in a summer school study at SUNY Buffalo, Adderall was viewed to be slightly more effective. Staff clinicians especially liked it, favoring it 3 to 1 over Ritalin, but of course they weren’t the ones taking it.
Side Effects:
Adderall may be slightly stronger than Ritalin. It may also have slightly different side effects. One clinician’s study showed that Adderall was less likely to cause anxiety and agitation, while being more likely to cause insomnia.
On the other hand, Adderall may be more neurotoxic than Ritalin. This possibility must be researched further, and is supported by studies in rats and monkeys. You can read more about it in this article, is Stimulant Treatment for ADHD Safe?
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Could you comment more (or suggest an article) about Adderall having an advantage over Ritalin for certain symptoms? What symptoms are those and likewise is Ritalin better than Adderall for other symptoms? I am also interested in knowing more about the comment that people continue taking Adderall more than Ritalin.
Thanks!
ann –
Thanks for reading and commenting.
I edited the article to reference the article which talks about the specific advantages of Adderall over Ritalin. I’m not sure if there are any studies that show Ritalin is more effective than Adderall, however.
I’ll try to find more about people choosing to continue on Adderall Vs Ritalin.
And if there’re any topics you’d like to see covered, please let me know! =)
Best,
David
I have spent considerable time prescribed to both meds, I feel that Ritalin is more “psychotropic” by far and caused alot of mood swings ih me. I also think Ritalin for some may be more dangerous to the heart in that I felt it constricted blood circulation in my extremities making them cold far worse than Adderall did at therapeutic doses. But the remark in the blog about Adderall being more neurotoxic seems very accurate…. Adderall gives me that physio-neuro sensations such as a tiny tingle here and there kind of like wellbutrin, and a very slight stinging in the eyes sometimes… whereas Ritalin makes my skin clammy and moist feeling but not “neuro-active.” That said, with the millions and millions of people prescribed to both and the public freaking out on but only having like 10 or 20 cases total to dwell on when it comes to kids dying, these are NOT dangerous drugs when taken properly as long as the patient is screened well for heart irregularities.
I used to use Ritalin and other ADD meds. Now I don’t use them anymore since I have found an alternative. I now take 10-15 capsules of krill oil a day. It works even stronger then dexedrine and you can buy it OTC from vitamin stores (don’t need doctor’s prescription).
I would say that I spent an amount of time on rialin when recently my doctor started prescribing me adderall because he thinks that it would help a little more with my anxiety.Well I think that its doing its job. I mean I like it more than ritalin because it makes me more focused. More normal and thats all I wanted growing up. No matter how much it would take.and this, oh this is really helping. I would say adderall is more effective. makes me more like ready for things. I can now start going to class on a daily basis thanks to it. SO I hope my doctor doesn NOT put me back on ritalin. I mean that did ookkay to but just not as good(: Thanks.
LOVE-ASHLEYY COKE HEAD!
I just started taking ridalin one week ago. Its 56 mg xr.I take it in the morning and i am told its good for eight hours.My question is since it last eight hours does it still have to build up in my body before i can notice the effect,or should i notice the effect right away? The artical was very nice to read Thanks Charlie
From what I know, you should feel the effects within an hour after taking the medication. Of course, be sure to take it with the appropriate diet/cup of water combination, which your doctor should know more about. (For extended release medications like Ritalin, it’s important to eat the right food when taking it so that it lasts the maximum amount of time.)
That said, it can be a matter of days/weeks before you start to really react to the medication and perhaps change the way you do things.
And, as always, I am still not a doctor =)
Thanks alot, im hoping this works, im going out of my mind( no punn) Thanks again Charlie
=) Just give it time, and hopefully it’ll work well for you. You may find that the medication helps immediately to let you pay better attention/work harder on stuff you find boring, but you still have to decide to do it.
That’s why it’s so important to also be getting counseling on the side.
my son is 5. he was recently on ritalin la for one day…he started having “tics” that very same day…with that he is off of the ritalin and is going to be starting adderall 5mg soon….my question is how likely is it that he will develop a tic from the adderall?
April, I really wouldn’t recommend having a child as young as FIVE on any sort of behavioural medication. It could seriously tamper with his development, and I strongly advise you to see a range of doctors, and I’m certain they will tell you the same thing. A five year old child shouldn’t display ADHD symptoms for many more years, and even then it would be unwise to put him on medication until he enters his later adolescent years. He’s at a crucial developmental stage which should be allowed to take its natural course.
[...] said, Adderall may be slightly more effective than Ritalin at treating some of the ADHD symptoms. This advantage is not established, but probably has to do [...]
I just started Concetta 18 mg today and really felt no difference so I decided to look up online to see if it takes a while to kick in. I then saw an article that said you shouldn’t take it if you have anxiety…well anxiety is one of the reasons along with ADHD that my doctor prescribed it to me. I am seventeen years old and was wondering if I should ask her about adderall or not. Please help and thank you=)
Haha I meant to say concerta in my last post!! Sorry
all amphetamines are horable drugs. I’ve been taking adderall for 9yrs. it’s the greatest med for ADD untill you grow up and have to live like people without ADD. I metabolize it so quick now and have such a tolorance from long term treatment that I have to continue treatment at the highest dose(as directed by my MD) possible just to get out of bed and take care of my baby or go to work. many great times of concentration and produc
Allie – thanks for writing. As hard as it may sound, patience! From what I recall, 18mg is the lowest dose, and it’s entirely possible that you’ll get a full theraputic benefit from something just a little higher. Additionally, you may not notice the drug working – consider asking a close friend or someone you know – and this is important – who doesn’t have add what they think. (Sometimes family members can also have it, so not notice the difference).
Actually, from what I’ve read, you may consider thinking asking your doctor about Vyvanse if you want an amphetamine type stimulant. Many people say that it is a quite smooth drug and fairly long lasting. This blog is somewhat concerned about the mixture of amphetamines inside Adderall, as they may contribute to certain side effects.
Dear Melly,
thanks for sharing. Your experience certainly sounds extremely difficult, frustrating and unfortunate. That said, all clinicians I’ve spoken to and read their research say that most of the time, once a theraputic dose of medication is reached – it stays there.
But stories like yours absolutely need to be looked into and understood if that is a common occurence. This is a topic I will address much further in my upcoming book, which I would be honored if you obtain when it becomes available here.
best wishes,
David
I have a son who is 6 and has been taking adderall for almost a year. I am sorry to say for the mother whose son developed a tic on ritalin but my son also develped a tic on adderall. I think that your chances are about the same on either medication.
sorry zan but i disagree with you. Unless you live with a child with severe ADHD you cannot say that medication is not necessary. Yes there are concerns about developement but like with all medications, I would hope that the doctor is monitoring and very involved with communicating with the school or pre-school to be able to actually make the diagnosis. We have to remember that the teachers see our children almost as much as we do during the day and should have a lime of communication withthe physician.
“Ritalin is derived from an amphetamine and is distantly related to cocaine. But that doesn’t mean too much. After all, coffee is also related to cocaine.”
Lol. Careful, you might scare away your readers. If you’re going to mention illicit drugs, why not mention speed? If anything it’s the closest relationship.
“Adderall is a straight up amphetamine”
Straight up? Gangsta.
I’m starting to believe whoever wrote this article gets this stuff off the streets rather than by the means of a law abiding citizen :p
Maybe you have ever previously taken into consideration using additional video clips to any writings posts which can maintain the readers more entertained? As i mean I recently scan along the whole blog of yours and even it was initially very good except due to the fact that I
I’m researching the differences between Adderall and Ritalin. I’m currently taking 10 1/4mg of Adderall IR a day. My doses very on how I feel in the mornings “I have Bruxism so taking Adderall in the morning makes the symptoms worsen throughout the day”. I’ve used Adderall XR in the past but, I prefer Adderall IR. I have been on Adderall for about a year. Adderall helps me obtain the focus I need at work and in training classes. Lately I have been crashing and feeling a little dazzed at the end of the day. The Adderall lasts up to 7 hours before I start feeling warn down. I asked my Dr. about switching to a different ADD/ADHD medication. She had mentioned Ritalin as an option. I have heard of the medication before but, there was always a horrible story about a child that was taking Ritalin. From what I understand Ritalin does not effect adults the same as children. A concern of mine is the side effect from Ritalin, Anorexia. I have lost a lot of weight from Adderall but, not so much that would be a concern. The other side effects of Ritalin do not concern me. So from experienced users of Ritalin and Adderall was there a big difference in weight loss between the two.
I just don’t want that run down dazzed feeling at the end of the day. I’m very OCD when it comes to taking my Adderall. I wont even take 1/4 of a pill after 1pm, even if it will help me that one hour I need it for. Your feedback will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Someone mentioned krill oil. What about that? Or what are the best OTC supplements that you know of?
Having taken both I can say that adderall is much more mood altering in a positive way, Ritalin seemed to just give me a lot of negative side effects and I needed a higher dosage to focus at all. I could also feel the change in heartbeat when I took ritalin; usually I’m fine when I have coffee while I’m taking adderall, however, with the ritalin I would feel like I was going to have a heart attack.
This is just my experience.
My son is 8 years old and I couldn’t imagine dealing with him without his meds. Lots of kids start at age 5 depending what his dignosis is. Without meds my son would never get through 1 hour of school and he is very smart. I didn’t put my son on meds until he was over 6. He has ADHD/OCD/ODD/Axiety/ADHD Tics/ADHD Insomia he is on Metadate CD which is Ritalin. We just increased him but the stress level in my house has escaluated very high. He is taking temper tantrums galore. He is screaming and pushing all my buttons. could this be from the Ritalin? Everything is an arguement here. he is on the 8 hour one which i don’t think lasts 8 hours. Although the meds do help and i couldn’t imagine not using them. Do you think Adderall will work better for him?
The effectiveness of both these classes of medications for treating ADHD has been proven to be about the same with the exception of the treatment of inattention where the Adderall class gets a bigger ‘thumb up’.
The documented side effect profile of both these classes of medication lookd about the same but two case control studies that I found indicated that the Dexamphetamine class of medications were slightly more likely to have the side effects of irritability and depression as compared to the Ritalin class of medication.
The Adderall class was also more likely to cause tics though both classes had tics as a potential side effect.
Tess http://primarilyinattentiveadd.com
I am reading this article because I have taken Adderall for almost 5 years for narcolepsy. Just this past month I switched to Ritalin because I was experiencing several health related issues and I wanted to rule out Adderall. Given the fact that I take this medication to stay awake, I always smirk when people discuss the amphetamine / speed issue because I don’t experience any of that “speed” because I am so tired to begin with…however, my reason for adding to this blog is because my insurance co-pay for adderall is $30 for brand and $70 for Ritalin. I am trying not to pay double for something. I have (surprisingly)preferred the Ritalin as I don’t have the heart palpatations I had on Adderall.I am trying to compare the 25mg extended release of Adderall to the 20mg extended release of Ritalin. Any suggestions out there? I am willing to look into the “krill oil” only because I do believe that long term use of either stimulant is not great plus maybe I would save tons of money…
Hi I found your article very informative and helpful however I have a question. My doctor prescribed me Ritalin the other day and I’m scared to take it because I’ve had friends that have broken out from taking Adderall. Since they are so similar I figured the ritalin would do the same. I can not concentrate in class at all and it’s extremely hard for me to study. I just don’t want to take it and breakout. I tend to break out easily with blackheads and whiteheads, if I don’t wash my face or care for my skin properly. Do you know if it does and if so what are the alternatives?
Dear Amber,
I just checked some medical databases and could not find a single result when I searched for “Ritalin acne” or “amphetamine acne” or “methylphenidate acne.” I’m not saying that it’s impossible, just that I couldn’t find any scientific research indicating it is a common problem.
Best wishes,
David
Any thoughts on combining adderall and ritalin. My current therapy is adderall xr in the a.m. And ritalin ir in the p.m. I’m not really sure why this would be beneficial when both drugs are available in extended and instant release formulas.
I am 36 y/o female, and was diagnosed with ADD two years ago. I was on a gradual increase dosage of Vyvanse XR for about 9 months. Then felt like it wasn’t working anymore, so my doctor put me on 20mg of Adderall XR. After 6 months we increased it to 30mg because it wasn’t lasting as long as I needed it to.
Though my focus and concentration was really good on this dosage, I was having a lot of side effects. My blood pressure was through the roof, I started having muscle twitches in my neck and shoulder, and just felt like it was causing me to be anxiety-ridden.
I recently went back to school and moved to a different state. I am on a student health insurance plan that is awful. They don’t cover any ADD treatment or medications. So I end up having to pay $135 for the Adderall XR (generic even!), and the doctor’s visit for every monthly refill, out of my own pocket. Really hard to do on a student budget.
Last week I went to my new doctor here and he switched me to Methylin 10mg, 2x day. Much cheaper cost wise which is a plus. I’ve been on it over a week and I don’t feel like it’s doing anything for my concentration and other ADD symptoms. I definitely don’t feel like I’m as anxiety ridden, and my heart rate and bp are better. But I feel like my ADD symptoms are not benefiting from it at all. Also, it makes me incredibly dizzy! I’ve been taking it as directed – half hour before eating – and within 1-2 hours my head is swooning. Is this normal? I’m a healthy, I exercise regularly, eat right, and meditate. I’m not overweight, and have no other health conditions other than hypothryoidism due to thyroidectomy.
I’m considering going back to the Adderall or Vyvanse IR since it’s cheaper than the XR, and maybe doing 20mg a day (10mg, 2x day) instead of 30mg total. I’m worried about causing heart damage from the high bp and heart rate. I lived with Graves Disease for 7 years, so my heart has been through enough already. I hate taking these meds, but they do what I need them to do – they help me function better. And right now it’s a crucial time since I’m in school.
Any advise appreciated.