Want To Learn How To Focus Without Adderall? We Review The Best Alternatives To Adderall For Studying

Best Alternatives To Adderall For Studying At A Glance

30% of U.S. students admit to having used Adderall to study at some time to improve their grades. We are talking about a compound of the amphetamine family, an excellent stimulant, and an immediate-acting nootropic.

However, addiction to this and other concentration-enhancing medications is a real problem. The main cause is irresponsible Adderall use, which oftentimes stems from misinformation. 

In the following article, we will review the most important aspects of Adderall and compare other alternatives to increase focus.

What Does Adderall Do To Your Brain?

Adderall is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts. The enantiomers in this compound have a high affinity for dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine receptors. Thus, crudely, Adderall is responsible for delivering these hormones to the corresponding receptors.

Although it is not entirely clear, robust theories suggest that the origin of ADHD and other attention disorders lies in the dysregulation of these neurotransmitters. By binding to these neurotransmitters, amphetamine salts will work in dopamine centers, increasing concentration, focus, and mental clarity.

The first few times, Adderall can cause euphoric effects and make you feel in “god-mode.” However, it is not a good idea to chase this feeling, as it will commonly fade out after the first few uses.

What Does Adderall Feel Like?

Adderall is undoubtedly beneficial for those who need it.

People with ADHD suffer daily consequences, and it’s easy for the condition to overtake many aspects of their lives. For example, ADHD can cause a shortened attention span, easy distractibility, social anxiety, and many other serious consequences.

For people with ADHD, Adderall will bring benefits such as:

• Heightened alertness
• Improved focus
• Decreased restlessness
• Longer attention span 
• Higher energy levels

What Happens When You Take Adderall And You Don’t Need It?

Unfortunately, many Adderall users do not suffer from any psychological condition and simply use it for recreational purposes. This is not a good idea—amphetamines have a high dependence potential for recreational users and build tolerance quickly.

That said, we are not demonizing Adderall or amphetamines. You probably won’t suffer any consequences if you use Adderall recreationally just once.

The issue is that many amphetamine addicts started off thinking they’d just take it once.

On the other hand, if you are a student and do not suffer from ADHD, your best bet is to start practicing for your exam a few days before and not count on this pill. This is because studies show that Adderall may actually impair the performance of students without ADHD.

Can You Overdose On Adderall?

It is possible to overdose on Adderall, but the lethal dose is very high: 20-25mg per kilogram of body weight. This means that an 80 kg person would have to take 1.6 grams of Adderall to reach this point.

However, there are reported cases of overdose with much lower amounts. Therefore, it is not recommended to exceed the prescribed dosage under any circumstances.

On the other hand, combining Adderall with certain drugs or substances may increase the risk of overdose and side effects. For example, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and CYP2D6 inhibitors increase the risk considerably.

If you take any other medication or substance regularly, you should be honest about it to your doctor.

Is Buying Adderall Online Illegal?

Yes, buying Adderall online is illegal unless you have a prescription. Almost everywhere globally, you need a prescription to access this and other medications, such as methylphenidate, to treat ADHD.

How To Focus Without Adderall

Adderall can have negative consequences even on people living with ADHD, so more and more of them are turning to other options.

There are several ways to increase concentration without Adderall. Some include other less invasive treatments and you can even boost your focus without taking anything. Preliminary studies indicate that mindfulness meditation can be an excellent tool for combating ADHD symptoms. 

Caffeine, kratom, and other supplements appear as more forgiving options in terms of dependency potential and side effects within the natural options available. 

In the next section, we will look at these and more alternatives to Adderall for increasing concentration.

Caffeine Vs. Adderall

Caffeine makes us feel more productive, sharper, and even more creative. This has a very easy-to-understand neurochemical explanation.

In our brain, a hormone called adenosine reduces our nervous activity by binding to P1 receptors. These receptors, also known as adenosine receptors, act like caffeine and process it as if it were adenosine.

The difference is that caffeine will not make you sleepy, as it will not reduce your neural activity. However, while caffeine is attached to these receptors, adenosine (which does make you sleepy) cannot. 

Due to this phenomenon, caffeine is an excellent alternative for people with ADHD, bringing benefits such as:

• Ease of entering flow states increased
• Ability to concentrate for longer periods
• Less frequent distractions

Finally, 100 grams of coffee has about 40 mg of caffeine, but this is difficult to measure accurately. Therefore, if you consider including caffeine in your ADHD treatment, an anhydrous caffeine supplement will be the best option.

Phenylpiracetam Vs. Adderall

Phenylpiracetam, the stronger cousin of piracetam, is a nootropic, vasodilator, and stimulant. This compound is a neuronal membrane stabilizer involved in cognitive processes, such as learning, memory, and attention. It also decreases platelet aggregation and cerebral capillary vasospasm.

This compound improves the fluidity of neuronal membranes, which allows a better output and input of signals sent by the cells. This makes us think sharper, process information more efficiently, and increase our concentration.

Phenylpiracetam may be a safer and potentially less addictive alternative to Adderall. That said, overdosing may involve side effects. For increasing concentration, it is recommended to take 300-500 mg per day, spread over 2-3 servings.

Kratom Vs. Adderall

Mytragina speciosa, also known as kratom, is a therapeutic herb native to Southeast Asia. This option is quite different from the rest of our list as it is not a chemical and is not synthetic.

Kratom contains two active alkaloids: mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Although their names are similar, both have different characteristics.

The alkaloid of interest here is 7-hydroxymitragynine, a serotonergic alkaloid that interacts with H5T2A receptors. This alkaloid is mainly concentrated in white-veined kratom strains.

This is important, as red- or green-veined kratom will probably not do the job we are looking for.

Finally, interestingly, kratom is more stimulating at lower doses. So to get the desired effects, start with doses between 2-3g.

5-HTP Vs. Adderall

5-HTP, also known as 5-hydroxytryptophan, is a type of amino acid that the body produces naturally. It is involved in serotonin production, an important neurotransmitter that facilitates electrical signals between nerve cells, contributing to mood, focus, and alertness.

Thus, 5-HTP supplements have been increasingly used as a way to try to increase serotonin production and facilitate the treatment of some common psychological disorders, including ADHD.

L-Tyrosine Vs. Adderall

L-tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid. This means that the body can synthesize it, and it does not need to be ingested directly through the diet. Even so, our tyrosine levels may not be high enough, and we may need to resort to food or supplements to stabilize them.

This amino acid is a precursor of dopamine and noradrenaline, two neurotransmitters involved in concentration. For this reason, l-tyrosine is increasingly used as a natural and much healthier alternative to Adderall.

Some of the benefits of l-tyrosine for people with ADHD are:

• Enhanced mental performance
• Increased memory
• Increased alertness

The Best Alternatives To Adderall For ADHD

---

---

---

---

---

---

Looking for another option? Check out our article on Flmodafinil.

---

Editor’s note: we are regularly updating this review. If you see any problems, weird interpretations of the data, or just want to say hi, please reach out to hello@the-unwinder.com.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels