The biggest challenge in modern times seems to be: how to stay focused. With so many events occurring around us, deficit of attention is increasingly gaining ground. Drugs such as Adderall are prescribed to treat such medical conditions. But, how long does Adderall stay back in our body and what are its implications?
Amphetamines are prescribed for making your central nervous system more active. This function makes the drugs under this category used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Adderall is an amphetamine, prescribed for the case management and treatment of ADHD. Apart from ADHD, Adderall may also be used for treating depression, disorders associated with sleep, enhancing people’s performances in sports, etc. This drug gets absorbed in your gastrointestinal system, and then is used up in your liver. While the drug is inside your body, it works on your central nervous system and helps make more dopamine.
Once your brain is supplied with needful dopamine, you tend to seek less of it. In the process, you are calmed down and can focus better. You may have to note that administration of this drug is only a small part of your treatment. Your doctor may advise you to opt for behavioral education, associated therapy, support through like-minded groups, etc.
This drug is then released through urine. Though its release does occur, traces of it are found to stay back in your body. The reason being, the drug has its influence all through your body. Hence, remnants are found in several parts of your system.
Dosage levels of Adderall
The prescribed dosage for adults with ADHD is 5mg once every day, in the initial phase. As a maintenance dosage, this may be increased in 5 mg. The highest dosage level – of 40 mg – is very rarely administered. All the above dosage levels pertain to immediate release variant of Adderall. In case of extended release, first few days’ dosage is limited to 20 mg once every day.
For children between 3 to 5 years of age, the daily dose is 2.5 mg once every day. For children aged 6 to 17 years, the dose is restricted to 5 mg every day.
The aforesaid levels are for ADHD only. The doses prescribed for treating sleep disorders, narcolepsy, etc may vary. Needful medical attention and support is advised prior to starting the dosage plan of Adderall.
Adderall’s half life is 10 hours. This means, half of Adderall you consume is cleared from your body in about 10 hours. Every 10 hours, half of Adderall remaining in your body is removed.
Clinical studies show that it may take 5.5 elimination cycles of half lives to clear a medicine from your system. In case of Adderall, it may take a minimum of 55 hours for your body to remove it.
Studies have also analysed the reasons behind why traces of Adderall may stay back and for how long. Many factors contribute to this. Key reasons include your age, strength of your dosage, your metabolic rate, health of your gastrointestinal system, etc.
Your age: It is your liver that breaks down Adderall and makes it available to your body. As you age, your liver may shrink in size, and a smaller liver takes a longer time to work on the Adderall you consume. Also, the ability to secrete urine decreases as you age, which is directly linked to the functioning of your kidneys. All these factors come together and keep Adderall longer in your system.
Strength of the dosage of Adderall: This factor has a direct connection to how long Adderall stays back. The stronger the dose of Adderall, the longer it takes for your body to release it. The typical doses your doctor may prescribe range from 5 mg to 30 mg, and it is made in the form of capsules or tablets. A strong dose only means your body retains the traces of the drug for long. Also, the drug is available in extended and immediate release forms. Based on which version is administered, the drug can stay back in your system.
Your rate of metabolism: The rate at which your body breaks down Adderall depends on multiple factors such as your gender, other medications that you are consuming – i.e., for treating any other medical conditions, etc. The faster the metabolism, the quicker it takes to secrete it out of your body.
Health of your gastrointestinal system: The drug is absorbed into your body through the gastrointestinal system. So, if this tract is not functioning well, it has a direct impact on how soon Adderall leaves your body. The converse of this is: if this system is in good shape, the drug can find its way out of your body sooner.
Traces of Adderall in your body
Adderall is found to stay back in many ways in your body. These include urine, saliva, blood, hair, etc.
Tests done on your urine can show significant traces of Adderall. It is so because this drug exits your body through urine. Clinical studies also reveal, Adderall can stay back in your urine for 2 to 3 days i.e., from the time of your last dosage.
Saliva may show traces of Adderall for upto 50 hours from the time of last dose. This can be checked by testing specimen of your saliva.
From its last use, traces of Adderall in your blood may be found to last upto 48 hours.
Your hair may also retain a few traces of Adderall. It has been noted that the drug’s presence can last up to 90 days from the time you consumed it last. However, testing for drugs in hair is not a usual approach to detect the traces.
Adderall is prone to misuse. It is strongly recommended not to consume this drug without the supervision of your treating doctor. Such cautions are important as it has been increasingly observed that a sizable share of students (almost 20% by an unconfirmed estimate) use such drugs or other stimulating substances to enhance their ability to concentrate and focus on their studies.
Side effects of using Adderall include problems associated with respiration, convulsions, sleeping disorders, nausea, vomiting, etc. You may have to seek medical attention as soon as possible if you experience side effects such as severe pain in your chest, gasping, excessive dizziness, etc. Stay aware of other serious and acute side effects like behavioral changes, aggression, blurring of eyesight, etc.
Talk to your treating doctor about your pre-existing medical conditions, allergies, diseases, etc. You are advised not to consume Adderall if you have hyperactive thyroid gland, hypertension, eye problems including glaucoma, etc. Also, share other relevant information such as alcohol dependence or substance abuse.
A continued usage of Adderall may make you dependent on it. So, while discontinuing its intake you may observe a few symptoms. These signs include excessive tiredness, mood swings, sleep related disorders including inability to sleep or excessive sleep, etc. Such signs are often experienced for upto 3 weeks from the time of discontinuing the dosage of Adderall.
To sum it all, traces of Adderall may be found to stay back in your body for as long as 3 days. Its retention depends on multiple factors. These include your age, rate of metabolism, health of your gastrointestinal system and intake of other drugs which can influence the absorption of Adderall. It is essential to talk to your dietician about which are the foods that can help in your recovery. It is equally important to know about foods that can trigger undesired or harmful side effects while consuming Adderall.
You are advised to talk to your treating doctor and pharmacist about the side effects before consuming it. Make sure that all your queries stand answered prior to starting the consumption of Adderall.
Education: Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Michigan. Experience: Over 8 years of experience writing for health and wellness websites, including WebMD and Healthline, specializing in women’s health and nutrition.
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