Pronunciation: ADD-ur-all
Generic name: amphetamine and dextroamphetamine
Other brand names of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine include: Adderall, Adderall XR, Mydayis
Dosage form: oral tablets, extended-release tablets
Drug class: CNS stimulants

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, Senior Medical Editor, B. Pharm. Last updated on Aug 27, 2026.

What is Adderall?

Adderall (mixed amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts) is a central nervous system stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a sleep disorder called narcolepsy. Adderall contains a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which affect chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

• For ADHD, Adderall is used in children 3 to 17 years of age and in adults. It may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity.
• For narcolepsy, Adderall is used in people 6 years and older.

It is not known if Adderall is safe and effective for ADHD in children under 3 years of age or for narcolepsy in children under 6 years of age.

Adderall is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it contains amphetamine, which can be a target for people who abuse prescription medicines or street drugs. Keep Adderall in a safe place to protect it from theft. Never give your Adderall to anyone else, because it may cause death or harm them. Selling or giving away Adderall is against the law.

Adderall may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Adderall (mixed amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts) was FDA-approved on January 19, 1960. Extended-release formulations of Adderall (Adderall XR) are only used to treat ADHD.

Warnings

Adderall has a Boxed Warning for abuse, misuse, and addiction.

Abuse, misuse, and addiction

Adderall has a high chance of abuse and misuse and may lead to substance use problems, including addiction. Misuse and abuse of Adderall, other amphetamine-containing medicines, and methylphenidate-containing medicines can lead to overdose and death. The risk of overdose and death is increased with higher doses or when the medicine is used in ways that are not approved, such as snorting or injection.

Adderall may lead to physical dependence after prolonged use, even if taken as directed. Your healthcare provider should check you or your child for the risk of abuse, misuse, and addiction before starting treatment and will monitor you or your child during treatment. Tell your healthcare provider if you or your child has ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.

Heart-related risks

Stimulants have caused stroke, heart attack, and sudden death in people with high blood pressure, heart disease, or a heart defect. Your healthcare provider should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting Adderall and should check blood pressure and heart rate regularly during treatment.

Call your healthcare provider right away or go to the nearest hospital emergency room if you or your child have any signs of heart problems, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting during treatment.

Mental (psychiatric) problems

Adderall may cause new or worse behavior and thought problems, new or worse bipolar illness, or new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices, or seeing or believing things that are not real) or new manic symptoms. This is more likely if you have a history of depression, mental illness, or bipolar disorder. Tell your healthcare provider about any mental problems you or your child have, or about a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you or your child have any new or worsening mental symptoms during treatment, especially hearing voices, seeing or believing things that are not real, or new manic symptoms.

Circulation problems

You may have blood circulation problems that can cause numbness, pain, or discoloration in your fingers or toes. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained wounds appearing on your fingers or toes during treatment.

Other warnings

Do not use Adderall if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine, or if you have received a methylene blue injection. A dangerous drug interaction could occur.

You may not be able to use Adderall if you have glaucoma, an overactive thyroid, severe anxiety or agitation, moderate to severe high blood pressure, heart disease or coronary artery disease, vascular disease, or a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

Adderall side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Adderall: hives, difficult breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Serious side effects

Adderall may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

• signs of heart problems, such as chest pain, trouble breathing, or feeling like you might pass out
• signs of psychosis, such as hallucinations, new behavior problems, aggression, hostility, or paranoia
• signs of circulation problems, such as numbness, pain, a cold feeling, unexplained wounds, or skin color changes (pale, red, or blue appearance) in your fingers or toes
• a seizure
• muscle twitches (tics)
• changes in your vision.

See warnings above.

Slowing of growth (height and weight) in children

Children should have their height and weight checked often during treatment, and your healthcare provider may stop treatment if your child is not growing or gaining weight as expected.

Serotonin syndrome

This problem may happen when Adderall is taken with certain other medicines and may be life-threatening. Stop taking Adderall and get medical help right away if you develop agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Common side effects

Common side effects of Adderall may include stomach pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, mood changes, feeling nervous, fast heart rate, headache, dizziness, sleep problems (insomnia), and dry mouth.

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking this medicine

Do not take Adderall if you or your child:

• are allergic to amphetamine products or any of the ingredients in Adderall (see ingredients below)
• are taking, or have taken within the past 14 days, an MAO inhibitor, including the antibiotic linezolid or the intravenous medicine methylene blue.
• have a rare adrenal gland tumor called pheochromocytoma.

Before taking Adderall, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions including if you or anyone in your family has ever had:

• heart problems, heart disease, heart defects, or high blood pressure, or a family history of sudden death or heart problems
• mental problems including psychosis, mania, bipolar illness, or depression, or a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression
• kidney or liver problems
• seizures or an abnormal brain wave test (EEG)
• circulation problems in the fingers or toes
• repeated movements or sounds (tics) or Tourette's syndrome, or a family history of tics or Tourette's syndrome.

Also tell your doctor if you are pregnant, intending to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Taking Adderall during pregnancy can cause premature birth, low birth weight, or withdrawal symptoms in the newborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. There is a pregnancy registry that collects information about the health of females exposed to Adderall and their babies.

Adderall passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. You should not breastfeed during treatment with Adderall. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed the baby during treatment.

How should I take Adderall?

Take Adderall exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

• The first dose of the day is usually taken when you first wake up. Taking this medicine in the afternoon may cause trouble sleeping.
• Adderall can be taken with or without food.
• Do not crush or chew an extended-release capsule. Swallow it whole. To make swallowing easier, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of applesauce, then swallow all of the mixture right away without chewing. Do not divide the medicine in the capsule, and do not save the mixture for later use.

Adderall may be habit-forming. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medicine where others cannot get to it.

While using this medicine, your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits. Adderall can cause unusual results with certain medical tests, so tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medicine. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking this medicine for a short time before you get certain imaging tests.

Dosing information

Usual adult dose for ADHD

Immediate-release (IR):

• Initial dose: 5 mg orally 1 or 2 times a day.
• Maintenance dose: the daily dose may be raised in 5 mg increments at weekly intervals until an optimal response is obtained.
• Maximum dose: only in rare cases will it be necessary to exceed 40 mg per day.
• The first dose should be given upon awakening, with 1 to 2 additional doses at intervals of 4 to 6 hours.

Extended-release (XR), for patients starting treatment for the first time or switching from another medication:

• Initial dose: 20 mg orally once a day.

Usual adult dose for narcolepsy

Immediate-release (IR):

• Initial dose: 10 mg orally per day in divided doses.
• Maintenance dose: the daily dose may be raised in 10 mg increments at weekly intervals until an optimal response is obtained.
• The usual dose is 5 to 60 mg per day in divided doses, depending on the individual patient response.
• The first dose should be given on awakening, with 1 to 2 additional doses at intervals of 4 to 6 hours.

Usual pediatric dose for ADHD

Immediate-release (IR), ages 3 to 5 years:

• Initial dose: 2.5 mg orally per day.
• Maintenance dose: the daily dose may be raised in 2.5 mg increments at weekly intervals until an optimal response is obtained.

Immediate-release (IR), ages 6 to 17 years:

• Initial dose: 5 mg orally 1 or 2 times a day.
• Maintenance dose: the daily dose may be raised in 5 mg increments at weekly intervals until an optimal response is obtained.
• Maximum dose: only in rare cases will it be necessary to exceed 40 mg per day.

Extended-release (XR), ages 6 to 12 years:

• Initial dose: 5 or 10 mg orally once a day in the morning.
• Maintenance dose: the daily dose may be raised in 5 to 10 mg increments at weekly intervals.
• Maximum dose: 30 mg per day.

Extended-release (XR), ages 13 to 17 years:

• Initial dose: 10 mg orally once a day.
• Maintenance dose: may be increased to 20 mg per day after one week if symptoms are not adequately controlled.
• Maximum dose: 30 mg per day.

Usual pediatric dose for narcolepsy

Immediate-release (IR), ages 6 to 11 years:

• Initial dose: 5 mg orally per day in divided doses.
• Maintenance dose: the daily dose may be raised in 5 mg increments at weekly intervals until an optimal response is obtained.

Immediate-release (IR), ages 12 years and older:

• Initial dose: 10 mg orally per day in divided doses.
• Maintenance dose: the daily dose may be raised in 10 mg increments at weekly intervals until an optimal response is obtained.
• Narcolepsy rarely occurs in children under 12 years of age.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, but not late in the day. Skip the missed dose if it is almost evening. Do not take extra medicine to make up for the missed dose.

Related/similar drugs

What happens if I overdose?

If you or your child takes too much Adderall, call your healthcare provider or the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. An overdose of Adderall could be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include restlessness, tremor, muscle twitches, rapid breathing, confusion, hallucinations, panic, aggressiveness, muscle pain or weakness, and dark colored urine. These symptoms may be followed by depression and tiredness. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, uneven heartbeats, feeling light-headed, fainting, seizure, or coma.

What to avoid

This medicine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Avoid drinking fruit juices or taking vitamin C at the same time you take Adderall. These can make your body absorb less of the medicine.

What other drugs will affect Adderall?

Ask your doctor before using a stomach acid medicine (including Alka-Seltzer or sodium bicarbonate). Some of these medicines can change the way your body absorbs Adderall and may increase side effects.

Some medicines can interact with amphetamine and dextroamphetamine and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
• tricyclic antidepressants
• medicines used to treat migraine headaches, called triptans
• lithium, buspirone, tramadol, fentanyl, or tryptophan
• St. John's Wort
• blood pressure medicine
• heartburn medicine
• a blood thinner such as warfarin
• cold or allergy medicine that contains a decongestant
• opioid (narcotic) medicine
• seizure medicine.

This list is not complete, and many other drugs can interact with Adderall, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you. Do not start any new medicine during treatment with Adderall without talking to your healthcare provider first.

How should I store and dispose of Adderall?

• Store Adderall at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C).
• Protect Adderall from light.
• Store Adderall in a safe place, such as a locked cabinet, and keep it out of the reach of children.

Dispose of remaining, unused, or expired Adderall through a medicine take-back program at a US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorized collection site. If no take-back program or DEA-authorized collector is available, mix Adderall with an undesirable, nontoxic substance such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds to make it less appealing to children and pets. Place the mixture in a sealed container such as a plastic bag and throw it away in the household trash. Visit www.fda.gov/drugdisposal for more information on disposing of unused medicines.

Adderall ingredients

Active ingredients: dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, and amphetamine sulfate.

Inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, compressible sugar (sucrose and maltodextrin), corn starch, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and saccharin sodium. The 5 mg tablet is white to off-white and contains no color additives. The 7.5 mg and 10 mg tablets also contain FD&C Blue #1 Aluminum Lake. The 12.5 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg tablets also contain FD&C Yellow #6 Aluminum Lake.

Manufacturer

Adderall is manufactured for Teva Pharmaceuticals, Parsippany, NJ 07054. For more information about Adderall, contact Teva at 1-888-838-2872.

Common questions about Adderall

View more FAQ

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer