* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Offset Is Ready To Finalize Divorce With Cardi B for a Major Reason – Yahoo

    Offset Poised to Finalize Divorce from Cardi B for a Major Reason

    Beyond the Stage: 8 Performing Arts Centers Driving Entertainment and Education – Livability.com

    Beyond the Stage: 8 Performing Arts Centers Transforming Entertainment and Education

    Row K Entertainment Emerges as Major New Hollywood Buyer With Splashy TIFF Shopping Spree – TheWrap

    Row K Entertainment Emerges as Major New Hollywood Buyer With Splashy TIFF Shopping Spree – TheWrap

    Charlie Hunnam Reflects on Playing a Serial Killer in Monster: The Ed Gein Story – Yahoo

    Charlie Hunnam Reveals the Dark Challenges of Playing a Serial Killer in Monster: The Ed Gein Story

    “Reba” cast, then and now: See the stars 24 years later (and who’s reunited for another show) – Yahoo

    “Reba” cast, then and now: See the stars 24 years later (and who’s reunited for another show) – Yahoo

    Why Taylor Swift Name-Dropped Elizabeth Taylor in Her New Album – Yahoo

    Here’s Why Taylor Swift Dropped Elizabeth Taylor’s Name in Her New Album

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    US and investors gambling on unproven nuclear technology, warn experts – Financial Times

    US and investors gambling on unproven nuclear technology, warn experts – Financial Times

    Is Light-Speed Analog Computing the Future of Technology? – BIOENGINEER.ORG

    Could Light-Speed Analog Computing Transform the Future of Technology?

    ARM Institute opens technology project call to speed submarine manufacturing – The Robot Report

    ARM Institute Unveils Cutting-Edge Technology Project to Revolutionize Submarine Manufacturing

    Forget Cowbells. Cows Wear High-Tech Collars Now. – The New York Times

    Ditch the Cowbells: Discover the High-Tech Collars Transforming Cattle Care

    What the Recent Price Surge Means for Figure Technology Solutions After SEC Settlement – Yahoo Finance

    What the Recent Price Surge Reveals About Figure Technology Solutions Following SEC Settlement

    MAC Brings iPad Technology to Football Sidelines Across All 13 Member Schools – Sports Video Group

    MAC Brings iPad Technology to Football Sidelines Across All 13 Member Schools – Sports Video Group

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Offset Is Ready To Finalize Divorce With Cardi B for a Major Reason – Yahoo

    Offset Poised to Finalize Divorce from Cardi B for a Major Reason

    Beyond the Stage: 8 Performing Arts Centers Driving Entertainment and Education – Livability.com

    Beyond the Stage: 8 Performing Arts Centers Transforming Entertainment and Education

    Row K Entertainment Emerges as Major New Hollywood Buyer With Splashy TIFF Shopping Spree – TheWrap

    Row K Entertainment Emerges as Major New Hollywood Buyer With Splashy TIFF Shopping Spree – TheWrap

    Charlie Hunnam Reflects on Playing a Serial Killer in Monster: The Ed Gein Story – Yahoo

    Charlie Hunnam Reveals the Dark Challenges of Playing a Serial Killer in Monster: The Ed Gein Story

    “Reba” cast, then and now: See the stars 24 years later (and who’s reunited for another show) – Yahoo

    “Reba” cast, then and now: See the stars 24 years later (and who’s reunited for another show) – Yahoo

    Why Taylor Swift Name-Dropped Elizabeth Taylor in Her New Album – Yahoo

    Here’s Why Taylor Swift Dropped Elizabeth Taylor’s Name in Her New Album

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    US and investors gambling on unproven nuclear technology, warn experts – Financial Times

    US and investors gambling on unproven nuclear technology, warn experts – Financial Times

    Is Light-Speed Analog Computing the Future of Technology? – BIOENGINEER.ORG

    Could Light-Speed Analog Computing Transform the Future of Technology?

    ARM Institute opens technology project call to speed submarine manufacturing – The Robot Report

    ARM Institute Unveils Cutting-Edge Technology Project to Revolutionize Submarine Manufacturing

    Forget Cowbells. Cows Wear High-Tech Collars Now. – The New York Times

    Ditch the Cowbells: Discover the High-Tech Collars Transforming Cattle Care

    What the Recent Price Surge Means for Figure Technology Solutions After SEC Settlement – Yahoo Finance

    What the Recent Price Surge Reveals About Figure Technology Solutions Following SEC Settlement

    MAC Brings iPad Technology to Football Sidelines Across All 13 Member Schools – Sports Video Group

    MAC Brings iPad Technology to Football Sidelines Across All 13 Member Schools – Sports Video Group

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

If you don’t have ADHD, Adderall and Ritalin won’t work for you

June 20, 2023
in Science
If you don’t have ADHD, Adderall and Ritalin won’t work for you
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

ByRachel Fairbank

Published June 19, 2023

• 6 min read

Adderall and Ritalin, medications used to manage symptoms of attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, have long been considered study aids for people without ADHD. Whether it’s taking Ritalin to cram for a test, or Adderall to manage working a night shift, these medications have acquired a reputation as ”smart drugs,” capable of helping people perform better at complicated tasks, even when they don’t have ADHD, a perception that has persisted in spite of a lack of evidence.

Do they help? In a word: nope.

“People have the false idea that these are cognitive enhancers, that it doesn’t matter whether you have a diagnosis or not, that this is going to improve your performance,” says Cesar Soutullo, a professor of psychiatry at UTHealth Houston, who specializes in treating ADHD.

In a recent study, published in the journal Science Advances, participants without an ADHD diagnosis were given the medications Ritalin, Adderall, Provigil or a placebo, after which they were asked to solve a complex problem, one that involved calculating the weights and values of items to put in a knapsack with limited space.

As the researchers showed, although participants worked much harder to solve the problem after taking a dose of ADHD medication, compared to taking a placebo, the accuracy of their attempts decreased. “They were spending more effort, but their performance was not going up,” says Peter Bossaerts, a professor of economics at the University of Cambridge, and a co-author of the paper.

For people without ADHD, “taking these medicines may motivate you to perform better, but the end result is not better,” says Asim Shah, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. “Your cognition is not better, your performance is not better.”

For people with ADHD, these drugs yield a different outcome

Although ADHD medications such as Ritalin and Adderall won’t make a person smarter, there is a significant amount of evidence showing that, when used appropriately for the management of ADHD, they can have a profound impact on a person’s quality of life. The symptoms of ADHD, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder, first show up during childhood, but is a lifelong disorder, for which many adults will continue to need medication throughout the course of their life.

ADHD impacts a person’s executive functioning, which is the ability to plan, prioritize, and execute complex tasks, whether it’s completing a large project, juggling multiple priorities, or working toward a long-term goal. Executive function requires a combination of working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control—all of which can be impaired in people with ADHD.

“If you are falling behind because of lack of focus or procrastination, get a proper evaluation,” which can then be followed by treatment, says Jon Stevens, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating ADHD. For people with ADHD, a proper diagnosis, followed by treatment, has been shown to improve their overall quality of life in several ways.

People with untreated ADHD have poorer academic performance compared to their peers without ADHD, while treatment—a mix of cognitive behavioral therapy and medication—can yield academic improvements. For adults whose diagnosis was missed during childhood, a diagnosis and treatment, which included medication, was shown to result in an improved quality of life, including increased functionality, productivity, and self-esteem.

Untreated or undertreated ADHD is also known to have dangerous consequences: increased risks for developing substance use disorders, being in an accident, dropping out of school, being unemployed, or dying prematurely. ADHD is also associated with a higher risk for many chronic health conditions, such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders.

The right levels of dopamine are key

Medications such as Ritalin and Adderall act to increase dopamine levels in the brain, which is thought to help correct some of the underlying deficits caused by ADHD. Dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that acts to regulate feelings of pleasure and motivation, is involved in several mental processes, such as memory, mood, motivation, and focus, all of which are impacted in people with ADHD. However, as with many aspects of physiology, having too much can be just as bad as having too little. “There’s a lot of evidence that the medicine is activating parts of the brain that are under-activated, but the thing is, they need to be under-activated to go to normal,” Soutullo says. “If they are normal, and then you push it, then you are going in the wrong direction.”

In his clinical experience, Soutullo has seen both the effects of too little dopamine, and too much. For his patients with ADHD, a dosage that is too high will cause patients to start getting jittery, anxious, and restless, Soutullo says. “That is what happens with people who don’t have ADHD, who have a good level of dopamine, and they push it,” Soutullo says.

“When you have too little dopamine, you have fatigue, low interest, and low attention,” Soutullo says. “It has to be somewhere in-between, so it’s enough.”

As Stevens notes, finding the right dosage and medication for a person with ADHD can be tricky, as the rate at which a person metabolizes the drug can vary widely. “You can’t look at someone, and say this is what their dose should be,” Stevens says. In his own clinical experience, he’s had patients experience significant side effects on the lowest possible dosage, and he’s also had patients who barely experienced effects on the highest possible dosages. “The metabolism of these medicines varies widely,” Stevens says.

For people without ADHD, who may be tempted to take Ritalin or Adderall as a study drug, this can end up making them feel jittery and anxious, causing them to focus too much on smaller, less-important details, while losing the bigger picture. Depending on how fast or slow their body metabolizes the drug, they can also experience some significant side effects.

“If you don’t have a focus problem, a stimulant is just going to make you feel overstimulated and prone to errors,” Stevens says. “People should think twice before borrowing their friend’s Adderall or Ritalin to cram for a test.”

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : National Geographic – https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/adhd-adderall-ritalin-focus-work

Tags: AdderallDon’tscience
Previous Post

Some graft charges against Bongani Bongo dropped

Next Post

Notes from an author: Freya Bromley on swimming Britain’s tidal pools

Welcome Home: World Aquatics Breaks Ground on Future Headquarters in Budapest – World Aquatics

Welcome Home: World Aquatics Launches Exciting New Headquarters in Budapest

October 8, 2025
New Zealand Surprises With Larger Rate Cut as Economic Concerns Mount – Bloomberg.com

New Zealand Surprises Markets with Larger-Than-Expected Rate Cut Amid Rising Economic Concerns

October 8, 2025
Offset Is Ready To Finalize Divorce With Cardi B for a Major Reason – Yahoo

Offset Poised to Finalize Divorce from Cardi B for a Major Reason

October 8, 2025
Health Rounds: Genetics play a role in higher depression risk for women – Reuters

How Genetics Shape Depression Risk in Women: What Everyone Should Understand

October 8, 2025
October 7, 2025 – Federal government shutdown – CNN

October 7, 2025 – Federal government shutdown – CNN

October 8, 2025
Blackwater photos suggest new symbiosis between fish and anemones – EurekAlert!

Breathtaking Blackwater Photos Unveil an Unexpected Alliance Between Fish and Anemones

October 8, 2025
WATCH LIVE: The winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry is… – PBS

Breaking News: Unveiling the Latest Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry!

October 8, 2025
Soar through a 1,000-mile-long maze on Mars in this mesmerizing new satellite video – Live Science

Discover a Breathtaking 1,000-Mile-Long Maze on Mars in This Mesmerizing New Satellite Video

October 8, 2025
Video: Dog Sighs in Different Situations Like ‘He Works 9-5′ – Yahoo

Watch This Dog’s Hilarious Sighs That Perfectly Capture Everyday Life Moments

October 8, 2025
US and investors gambling on unproven nuclear technology, warn experts – Financial Times

US and investors gambling on unproven nuclear technology, warn experts – Financial Times

October 8, 2025

Categories

Archives

October 2025
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Sep    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (857)
  • Economy (878)
  • Entertainment (21,751)
  • General (17,479)
  • Health (9,920)
  • Lifestyle (890)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (879)
  • Politics (889)
  • Science (16,088)
  • Sports (21,378)
  • Technology (15,858)
  • World (861)

Recent News

Welcome Home: World Aquatics Breaks Ground on Future Headquarters in Budapest – World Aquatics

Welcome Home: World Aquatics Launches Exciting New Headquarters in Budapest

October 8, 2025
New Zealand Surprises With Larger Rate Cut as Economic Concerns Mount – Bloomberg.com

New Zealand Surprises Markets with Larger-Than-Expected Rate Cut Amid Rising Economic Concerns

October 8, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version