ADHD Stimulant Medications
Common brand names: Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, Concerta
Two nutrients listed against this medication. The most severe is marked mild.
At a glance
Neither of the two is marked well documented. Each row carries its own evidence level.
At a glance
- ZincMild · Mechanism only, no human trial
- MagnesiumMild · Mechanism only, no human trial
Color shows how serious each listed effect is. The label beside it shows how strong the evidence is. The cards below explain each one and show its evidence.
Nutrients it can lower
Mechanism, Proposed mechanism, not measured: stimulants raise dopamine and norepinephrine turnover, and zinc is a cofactor in catecholamine metabolism, so a higher demand for zinc has been suggested. Low zinc is associated with ADHD itself, and zinc has been trialed as an add-on to treatment, which is a different question from depletion. Stimulants have not been shown to deplete zinc.
Common signs, Reduced stimulant efficacy, mood instability, immune effects
Low zinc is associated with ADHD and zinc has been trialed as an adjunct A treatment tested on top of standard prescribed therapy rather than in place of it. (Arnold, 1990, augmentation); stimulants themselves have not been shown to deplete zinc.
Zinc 15–30 mg daily is a range in common use, not from a trial cited on this row.
Mechanism, Proposed mechanism, not measured: stimulants raise sympathetic nervous system activity, which has been suggested to increase magnesium use and urinary loss. Magnesium with B6 has been trialed to improve ADHD symptoms, which is a different question from depletion. Stimulant-caused magnesium depletion is not established.
Common signs, Anxiety, sleep disruption, muscle tension, irritability
Magnesium+B6 has been trialed to improve ADHD symptoms (Mousain-Bosc, 2006, augmentation); stimulant-caused magnesium depletion is not established.
Magnesium 200–300 mg in the evening is a range in common use, not from a trial cited on this row.
For your next appointment
It prints or saves as a single page. Whether to add a supplement for a nutrient this medication may lower is a decision for your prescriber.
Disclosure
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any grade on this page describes the strength of published human trial evidence in the populations studied. It is not a recommendation for any individual and is not medical advice. Starting, stopping or changing any supplement or medication is a decision for your physician.
Grades move when new trials publish. A free monthly email lists every grade EBL moved, with the reason and the trial behind it: the sign-up is on the Evidence Log →