Adderall is an extremely-common prescription drug prescribed primarily for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but also for other conditions. In 2012, nearly 16 million prescriptions for Adderall were written.
In addition to being used to treat disorders, Adderall is also commonly used for its cognition-enhancing properties. Students, businessmen (and women), politicians, and other professionals are all known to use Adderall for this reason.
Unfortunately, Adderall can come with a variety of side effects. Insomnia, loss of appetite, and over-stimulation are all potential side effects of this powerful drug. There are, however, several nootropics that can help to mitigate these side effects.
In this post, we're going to look at some of the nootropics that stack well with Adderall. But first, let's examine what exactly Adderall is.
What is Adderall?
It's a prescription drug that is actually made up of four different substances. Adderall contains four different amphetamine salts. Amphetamine is a powerful stimulant and Adderall contains four different types of it.
These four amphetamine salts work together to have a variety of physical and psychological effects. The physical effects of Adderall can include increased heart rate and blood pressure, stimulation, nausea, and sexual changes.
The psychological effects of Adderall can include mental stimulation, increased wakefulness, improved mood (euphoria), increased motivation, insomnia, and restlessness. Not all users experience all of these effects but often many of them.
When taken as a cognitive enhancer, Adderall can increase productivity, help you stay up all night, and keep you focused on whatever you're working on. There's no question about whether it works or not – it does.
Unfortunately, it can come with a lot of different side effects. That's where nootropics come in.
Nootropics That Stack Well With Adderall
L-Theanine
You've probably heard about how well l-theanine stacks with caffeine. But did you know that it also stacks well with Adderall?
It's true. The calming effects of l-theanine can help to smooth out some of the over-stimulation that Adderall can cause. Jitters and restlessness are both potential side effects of amphetamine. Taking l-theanine with Adderall can reduce and even eliminate these side effects.
L-theanine is a non-essential amino acid that is commonly found in green tea. When taken in supplement form, l-theanine promotes a sense of calmness without causing sedation.
Some users report great results with as little as 200 mg of l-theanine. Others need as much as 1,000 mg to feel its relaxing effects. Always start low and work your way up as needed. I, personally, find my sweet spot to be right in the middle: 400-600 mg.
You can learn more about l-theanine here: L-Theanine – A Calming Nootropic.
Ashwagandha
This is an adaptogenic plant that has been used all over the world for centuries. Ashwagandha is commonly used for its anxiety-reducing effects, though it comes with a number of other benefits.
When taken acutely, ashwagandha can have a mildly-calming effect. When taken daily, either once or in several doses, it can have a lot of beneficial effects throughout the body. Ashwagandha can improve cholesterol, reduce cortisol, pulse, and blood pressure, and improved libido and sexual functioning.
Like l-theanine, taking ashwagandha with Adderall can help to smooth out some of the over-stimulation it can cause. Users often report that the anxiety they experience from Adderall is greatly diminished when they take ashwagandha with it.
Ashwagandha works for some people with doses as low as 300 mg. Others, however, require much higher doses. As much as 6,000 mg a day in divided doses has been shown to be both safe and effective. As always, start low and work your way up as needed.
You can learn more about ashwagandha here: The Many Benefits of Ashwagandha.
Aniracetam
Some people like to take aniracetam with Adderall. It's a nootropic in the racetam family of drugs and has been used safely for decades.
Aniracetam is known for its ability to decrease anxiety while, at the same time, increasing focus. Some people find that taking it with Adderall can increase its focus-enhancing properties while reducing the anxiety that Adderall can cause.
Typically, aniracetam is taken in dosages ranging from 750 mg to 2,500 mg. Some people report great effects at the low end while others need the higher dosage to experience aniracetam's benefits. Start low and work your way up as needed.
You can learn more about aniracetam here: Aniracetam For Anxiety and Focus.
Kratom
This is a plant that has become very popular in the past few years. Kratom can improve mood, increase focus, reduce pain, and decrease anxiety. Taken with Adderall, it can have a synergistic effect.
When people take kratom and Adderall together, they often report laser-like focus and significant mood improvement. Both substances can increase focus and improve mood on their own but, when taken together, these effects are multiplied.
Kratom's effects depend on the dosage being used. When used in the lower range (1-3 grams), most users find it to be stimulating. When taken in higher doses (5-10 grams), kratom can be sedating and is a powerful analgesic (pain reducer).
Most people find that a dose somewhere between 2-5 grams to be optimal. Once again, start low and work your way up as needed. You may find the results you want with as little as 1 or 2 grams.
You can learn more about kratom here: The Nootropic Benefits of Kratom.
Lemon Balm & Valerian
One of the most common side effects of Adderall is insomnia (inability to fall and stay asleep). This shouldn't be surprising since it's a powerful stimulant. Fortunately, there are things you can take to help.
Lemon balm and valerian root make up a simple yet powerful sleep stack. They are both mildly sedating and work much better when taken together. I've talked to several people who didn't notice any effect from either by themselves but, when taken together, they found the combo to help them fall asleep and stay asleep.
A typical lemon balm dose for sleep would be around 1,200 mg. For valerian, a dose of 500 mg is pretty standard. A lot of people report good results at these dosages but some require higher dosages.
You can learn more about using nootropics for sleep here: 9 OTC Supplements For Better Sleep.
Kava
This is a plant that has been used for centuries. Kava can be very relaxing and is used socially in some countries like alcohol is used in many parts of the world.
Most people wouldn't want to take kava at the same time they take Adderall because it can be too sedating. However, a lot of people like to use kava hours after taking Adderall to help mitigate the potential crash.
A lot of Adderall users find that they feel burnt out yet still stimulated later in the day. Kava can help to reduce that leftover stimulation and promotes a sense of pleasant calmness. Users often report a nice mood boost in addition to reduced anxiety when taking kava.
Kava is often used in doses ranging from 200 to 500 mg. It can be used several times a day, but kava's effects should be noticeable after one dose. If you don't notice anything at 200 mg, try increasing the dose by 100 mg until you experience the desired effects.
Conclusion
Adderall is a powerful cognitive enhancer – no question about it. However, many users experience a variety of side effects. Fortunately, there are several nootropics that can help to reduce and even eliminate those side effects.
The nootropics listed above can all help to mitigate Adderall's side effects. Those aren't the only nootropics being stacked with Adderall, though. There are reports of people stacking just about everything with Adderall – some successfully and some to no effect.
What have you stacked with Adderall to boost its effects and/or reduce its side effects?
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Marijuana (I live in California) Adderal gave me a feeling of restlessness, anxiety, and I interrupted sleeping patterns, marijuana was the only thing that would help me knock out and relax. You did however mention aniracetam’s? Some have mentioned a stimulate like a effect with that as well. Wouldn’t that increase the intensity of restlessness?
It really depends on the person. Some people find that taking something like aniracetam with Adderall makes them less anxious while others find that it makes them more anxious. The only way to know what will work for you is to experiment on yourself.
Interesting standpoint, most nootropics here target the anxiousness that amphetamines can cause, and I think it is a good list. I myself usually add L-theanine and Ashwaghanda when using ampetamines for work.
However I’d like to add to this list Rhodiola, as this potentiates the effect, and techinically would allow you to go around with a lower dose of amphetamines, or extend it’s duration.
What are your thoughts?
I think that rhodiola would make a great addition to this list. It can improve mood and decrease anxiety, two things that Adderall can negatively affect. At some point, I may go back and edit this post. If I do, I’ll add rhodiola. Thank you for the comment!
Feedback from my doctors suggest I’m a true ADD patient since adderall boosts my mood and focus without the jitters. If I’m tired and take my usual dose of 10 mg it’s easy for me to go back to sleep. Adderall has never effected my appetite and as long as I don’t take it after 5 pm it won’t effect my sleep pattern. For me it’s a great mood elevator without side effects. In the 1970’s there were some great drugs prescribed as mood elevators that helped me with teenage angst and depression over my parents divorcing. From what I’ve experienced lately the selection of drugs for depression have been reduced and the side effects of what’s available can be bad. I have enjoyed stacking learning they are effective used moderately and days off to keep them effective.