Vitamin C Stimulant
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Adulting With ADHD Staff
The relationship between vitamins and ADHD medication is very real. Does Vitamin C make Adderall less effective? The answer may surprise you.
So, does Vitamin C make Adderall less effective? Vitamin C – either in food or as a vitamin supplement – can inhibit the effectiveness of Adderall . This is true of all forms of the drug, including name brand, generic, extended-release, and instant release. Foods that you wouldn't suspect, such as sodas, also matter, as they contain citric acid.
Many types of vitamins actually play quite a vital role when it comes to the effectiveness of Adderall. So, let's review in detail how Adderall interacts with other vitamins and even some minerals in your system.
Related: Adderall Doesn't Work When I Have My Period
Adderall Vitamin Deficiency
What you might not know is that Adderall can also affect the levels of different nutrients within your body. And, when your body has fewer nutrients accessible, this can impact nearly every aspect of your health.
For medications like Adderall, the issue is mostly related to your appetite. Just like most stimulants, Adderall will reduce your appetite and overall food intake unless you're intentionally scheduling your meals throughout the day. That means you'll be limiting your food intake while also taking in fewer nutrients.
But, that doesn't mean that you need to stop taking Adderall entirely if it's helping you.
You'll just have to put a little more emphasis on eating a balanced diet and eating meals consistently during the day. It might also help to take nutritional supplements like multivitamins to boost your nutritional intake.
Also, some vitamins, like Vitamin C, seem to interact poorly with Adderall. This can make the effects of Adderall much less noticeable, and the symptoms of ADHD much more severe.
Vitamin C and Adderall
The rule of thumb is to avoid anything with Vitamin C one hour before and one hour after taking medication. That's because Adderall is strongly alkaline, while Vitamin C is acidic. So, Vitamin C can actually act as an "off switch" for the Adderall and impact the absorption rate within your body.
That means you'll want to pay close attention to your diet.
Around the time you take your Adderall, make an effort to avoid foods and beverages that are relatively rich in Vitamin C. This includes oranges, bell peppers, guavas, and all citrus fruits. Schedule these foods for later or earlier in the day, at least an hour before or after you take your Adderall.
But, don't skip out on Vitamin C altogether in fear that it'll interact with your Adderall. That's because your body desperately requires Vitamin C to keep your immune system functioning properly and maintain connective tissue health.
Vitamin D and Adderall
Even though there aren't any noticeable interactions between Vitamin D levels and Adderall, there does appear to be a studied link between ADHD and Vitamin D levels. In fact, a study released in 2015 shows that Vitamin D levels might actually be naturally low in children who are diagnosed with ADHD.
That means you might want to place an extra emphasis on boosting your Vitamin D intake throughout the day. This can be achieved by consuming foods like salmon, eggs, and almond milk. Spending some time in direct sunlight or taking Vitamin D supplements are also great ways to boost your Vitamin D levels.
You need to know that Vitamin D plays a very important role in your health.
Most importantly, Vitamin D is one of the key nutrients when it comes to maintaining bone health. Proper Vitamin D levels can help you to avoid degenerative bone conditions like osteoporosis . But, improving your Vitamin D levels might also improve your overall mood, which might be impacted by your ADHD.
While Vitamin D and Adderall typically don't interact within the body, boosting your Vitamin D levels might just help to reduce the symptoms of your ADHD like Adderall.
Zinc and Adderall
Just like Vitamin D, Zinc and Adderall don't seem to interact when they're both at appropriate levels within your body. Also, like Vitamin D, you can actually supplement with Zinc to improve your symptoms of ADHD.
That's because Zinc can play a vital role in reducing the impulsivity that comes along with conditions like ADHD. And, there seems to be a little bit of evidence that points to lower Zinc levels in those diagnosed with ADHD.
In fact, you might be able to eventually reduce your Adderall dosage by improving the Zinc levels within your body. Obviously, you'll want to talk to your doctor before lowering your dosage on your own.
But, that also means you might want to add Zinc-rich foods like shellfish, legumes, or whole grains to your diet. After all, your body does need Zinc to keep your immune system healthy and help to keep your cells functioning at an optimal level.
Zinc won't negatively impact the effectiveness of your Adderall, but it can surely improve your symptoms and quality of life when combined.
Vitamins to Take With Adderall XR
Since Adderall XR might impact your appetite or interact with certain vitamins and minerals within your body, you want to take the extra effort to supplement with vitamins on your own. But, this is an idea that you need to approach quite delicately.
We do want to point out that you might actually be able to enhance the effects of Adderall XR by taking certain vitamins shortly before or after your Adderall XR. So, here's a look at some vitamins you can take with Adderall XR to boost the effects of this medication.
- Multivitamins: With a lower appetite, it's very likely that you'll be eating a lot less during the day. To make sure you're staying current on your nutrient levels, be sure to take high-quality multivitamins on a daily basis. But, since most multivitamins contain Vitamin C, be sure to take your multivitamin at least an hour before or after your Adderall.
- Tyrosine: Taking tyrosine can help to boost the effects of Adderall XR, especially when it comes to your mood. That's because tyrosine can improve your dopamine levels that might already be quite low due to your ADHD. This can help to control your emotions.
- CoQ10: This nutrient is very important when it comes to maintaining a healthy immune system and heart health. When it comes to stimulants like Adderall XR, CoQ10 can be extremely effective at keeping your blood pressure and heart rate controlled.
- Magnesium: If you're really looking to boost the effects of your Adderall XR, magnesium is very effective. It can actually help to lower your tolerance level to Adderall, meaning you won't need to increase your dosage as often, and the effects of this medication will still be noticeable.
Make sure you check with your doctor before adding any vitamins or supplements to your routine if you're currently taking Adderall XR.
Vitamin C Adderall Comedown
When you stop taking Adderall, you'll begin to slowly feel the effects of Adderall comedown. In a way, you're going through withdrawal. You might begin to feel tired, intense emotions, or a sudden desire to take Adderall again.
The effects can be intense.
But, bumping up your Vitamin C intake can actually help to reduce the withdrawal symptoms. As we mentioned earlier, Vitamin C can help to reverse the effects of Adderall. So, you might actually be helping the lingering Adderall to leave your system quicker, ending the withdrawal even sooner.
Conclusion
The connection between Adderall and other vitamins and minerals is quite interesting. Some vitamins, like Vitamin C, will make the Adderall less effective. Other vitamins and minerals like Zinc and Vitamin D can work with the Adderall to reduce your symptoms of ADHD. The best thing you can do is avoid consuming foods rich in Vitamin C too close to when you take your Adderall and bump up your intake of other vitamins to replenish the nutrients you're low on.
Source: https://adultingwithadhd.com/does-vitamin-c-make-adderall-less-effective/
