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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