The usage of Adderall in combination with running and why it’s bad
|For those that don’t know what Adderall, it’s essentially a form of medication for those that suffer from ADHD. However, while this is its core functionality, to calm you down and to help you concentrate if you suffer from ADHD, people have been using it for years, for different reasons. This kind of behavior has been frowned upon in the past but that hasn’t stopped a large number of people from using Adderall in order to cope with different stress factors or workloads in their lives.
The usage of Adderall outside its purpose
There are multiple situations in which people consume Adderall when they don’t have ADHD, but the most popular or frequently seen cases are those in which the person consuming Adderall has a lot to study and needs to stay awake and concentrated. There are other similar scenarios where the drug is basically used as an endurance enhancer. Another rather frequently seen use of Adderall is right before going for a run, or running competitively. People take it in order to be able to run for a longer period of time, but they don’t know the risks that they expose themselves to.
Why do people take Adderall for running?
It might seem a little bizarre for someone to take ADHD medication before running, but the simple logic behind it is that Adderall has the property of softening or numbing the amount of fatigue you feel. This allows you to run for longer because you don’t feel so tired, so fast.
The danger of doing this
It might seem like a neat little life hack, but in reality it’s a very dangerous thing to do. It’s very dangerous because even though you might not feel tired after putting in physical effort, thanks to the drug, your body is still exposed to that level of pressure and stress. In other words, Adderall doesn’t prevent you from getting tired, it just makes your body overlook this fact. As a result, it is very possible to be in huge danger due to exhaustion. It should really be something you put thought into when the worst case scenario is death. There have been cases of people abusing this drug and exhausting themselves to death.
Are there benefits to using Adderall when running?
Now that we’ve talked about the bad side, are there any good sides worth attempting this dangerous combination? If you were expecting some major benefits to follow, you will be disappointed. The truth is that yes, Adderall will help you perform better when running, but only by a small margin. No physical boost is worth the risk of dying, but if there were a ladder, this would probably be somewhere at the bottom because of how insignificant the physical boost in relation to the risks.
In conclusion, using Adderall outside its original purpose, let alone to increase running performance is a very bad idea and the consequences are severe. This also raises a red flag for those that just jog or run naturally but take Adderall for its intended purpose.
With this in mind, it is very important to consume Adderall responsibly. The best course of action is to get yourself documented on the drug and all its characteristics before consumption in order to know exactly what to expect or to avoid.
GUEST POST by Martin William
Dr. Campitelli, Adderall is a good medication for treating Tramatic Brain Injuries as is my reason for being prescribed the medication. I appreciate your insight on the subject of running and adderall. I found running while on adderall helped me more with motivation and focus than anything else. During ultra marathons (Which my first finished in Akron, OH), I found if I didn’t take the medication at my normal prescribed times, I would lose motivation and want to quit, so I would have my crew give me the medication at the prescribed time and my focus improved. Before Adderall, I masked the symptoms of a TBI with extreme amounts of Caffeine, and am thankful to be rid of the harmful chemicals that I possibly ingested all in the name of focus. Thanks again for your insight!
Thanks for the comments!
What if you are taking adderall (or focalin or ritalin) for the intended use (ADHD) and you also happen to be a long-distance runner or endurance athlete in high school? DO you recommend stopping the meds because they can elevate the heart rate? Will ADHD meds hurt my athletic performance if I am an endurance athlete and it is increasing my heart rate? i don’t want to suffer in school, but I also don’t want to hurt myself or my athletic performance. Thanks.
I’d am curious about this as well. I have been diagnosed ADHD at age 42 and prescribed Adderall. Running is all that keeps me sane, and I’d really like to get back into training for future marathons. I don’t want to put myself at undue risk, but I’m not ready to have to choose between running and the meds.
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