Can you Treat ADHD Over the Counter- Are There OTC Meds like Adderall but Legal?

Are there over the counter medications or medicines that someone can buy similar to Adderall but legal to treat ADHD over the counter?

The answer is no because even the best natural OTC stimulants and nootropic brain boosters cannot be prescribed by a doctor for issues such as Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder. People who are looking to buy a product or supplement as a natural Adderall alternative don’t necessarily have a medical condition and are just looking for a natural boost of herbs like speed to help complete tasks more quickly, burn body fat, and achieve a higher level of mental focus. Although over the counter stimulants for ADD may indeed be effective according to some studies, at this time it is too early to say that we can effectively treat ADHD OTC without a prescription so a doctor’s advice is best. Here is a list of a few supplements that are available over the counter which have been studied for their effects to help ADD symptoms and issues.

What OTC Meds Are Like Adderall? Could Play a Role in ADHD
Choline is a vitamin like nutrient which is necessary for the formulation of the powerful neurotransmitter named acetylcholine in our brains. Acetylcholine is directly involved in our ability to sense new stimuli that we come in contact with. In a sense without proper levels of acetylcholine we cannot pay attention as well as we possibly could or even keep ourselves away from danger like from falling objects or a car driving right towards us. If we are sensing something through our senses such as our site, hearing, and touch how well we perceive them are effected by the amounts of this neurotransmitter we have in our brain. Because tests taken in school or the workplace rely on our senses to help us deliver the best grades possible, it is possible that choline supplementation could enhance how well we score on tests and how efficiently we can get projects done such as writing term papers. Choline also has potential to be considered an over the counter ADHD product because of some studies that have publicly taken place. Again these are very preliminary studies that prove nothing right now, but according to studies such as this one, choline levels in different areas of the brain could effect Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. If someone is looking for a natural Adderall alternatives supplement as a boost of focus to help studying it is therefore a possibility of being a good option, although it should really be stacked with the other brain boosters mentioned in this article for the best results possible.

Some ADHD Studies Done With the OTC Supplement Carnitine Have Been Impressive

Carnitine is a supplement which is best known for it’s ability to shuttle fatty acids into mitochondria for fuel, for this reason some people take it to help them lose weight. Carnitine also helps mental processes because it is a powerful antioxidant in the brain as oxidative stress can hurt our ability to think and perform properly. Carnitine has been shown to help in the regeneration of nerve cells related to cognitive diseases such as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) meaning that it could also possibly have an effect on nerve cells to point where it could help the symptoms of focus problems and maybe even ADHD. This is again just preliminary research meaning that it is not proven in terms of it’s effectiveness but shows some good signs. Another good sign from research was a double blind study done on children who showed improvements in their ability to focus better who were diagnosed with ADHD symptoms. The symptoms that the boys were most helped with was both hyperactivity and impulsivity. Although similar sounding symptoms, they are a bit different as hyperactivity means someone who is fidgety and impulsivity refers to people who speaks or acts quickly without being able to properly think through their actions. Whether or not people without ADD can also gain these benefits to help increase their abilities to pay attention, communicate, and learn is unknown at this time but may be a possibility.

L-Tyrosine is not a Medication, but instead an OTC Pill Similar to Adderall Because it Effects Dopamine

Tyrosine is unlike Adderall in that it is legal and not a stimulant while also not being a prescription drug, instead it is a legal supplement easily bought over the counter. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be effective for helping people improve focus, enhance energy, and help facilitate weight loss though. Tyrosine although not a powerful hormone itself does eventually break down into a group of neurotransmitter hormones named catecholamines. These are the same neurotransmitters that are increased in people’s brains when they take the prescription ADHD medication Adderall. By supplementing with tyrosine we may get a small boost of these powerful brain chemicals without any harmful and addictive side effects making it a safe OTC alternative. Because tyrosine can possibly help boost adrenaline and noradrenaline it may help energize us while also helping reduce body fat. College students are of course interested in being able to study longer which the increased adrenaline can help with, but many college students are also interested in ways to boost their levels of dopamine as well. Dopamine is the brain chemical most associated with helping ADHD symptoms and enhancing someone’s ability to learn their studies more easily. Dopamine is the reward hormone that acts sort of like a “save button” in our brain so that we can remember things and thus boosts our longterm memory capabilities. Our body creates this hormone especially in emotional times which is why we can remember these instances better than others. By using drugs like Adderall we know that we can get tremendous results, whether or not tyrosine can definitely help we don’t know. What we do know is that by taking tyrosine we may be able to enhance our memory and thus let us learn more though without any bad side effects.

DMAE Has Varying Effects on People and May Improve Acetylcholine Levels

DMAE is an acronym for a chemical that is naturally occurring in our bodies named dimethylaminoethanol and has been spoken about because of it’s possible brain boosting effects from well known people such as DR. OZ. Like choline, DMAE is known to work by increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in our brain which can therefore improve our ability to focus for studying as it also helps short-term memory and learning. There have been various studies that show DMAE can help improve ADHD symptoms of children, at one point there was a version of DMAE sold as drug by Riker pharmaceuticals actually. Unlike addictive amphetamine drugs which boost energy and focus levels of children with ADD, DMAE was able to help in a safer way but was discontinued for unknown reasons. Unlike other nootropic supplements found over the counter which people have interest in as an OTC ADHD pill DMAE appears to help energy, mood, and memory. DMAE may have been considered a choice as a non stimulant method of treating Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder because it has shown data through studies which shows it could possibly compete with drugs like Ritalin (Mephlyphenidate) if it weren’t given a chance. Unfortunately it is unlikely that will happen, luckily this supplement is easily found over the counter by itself or in stacks that also contain herbal stimulants like in Addrena. If you read anecdotal reports of this product you tend to find that it is very hit or miss with some people getting a strong effect and others who say they feel nothing at all.

Caffeine has Undergone Tests to Measure It’s Effect on ADHD Over the Counter

Caffeine is easily available as an over the counter measure to help you focus better and may even help ADHD according some studies that have taken place. Rats and mice can be great choices to test substances related to ADHD because like people these animals also display impulsivity, hyperactivity, poorly sustained attention, and deficits in both learning and memory processes. One study concluded that caffeine helped rats with spatial reasoning tests which shows learning and memory improvements were made in these animals that went through maze testing. It makes sense that caffeine can help ADHD as an OTC supplement because although being far weaker than prescription drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, it still works in a similar function in that it increases the neurotransmitters adrenaline and dopamine in the brain. Because caffeine has been shown in studies to increase dopamine levels it makes perfect sense that someone would get the many benefits that we now know about in terms of enhanced learning and memories which obviously help in a tremendous way for people who are college students or work long and demanding jobs. Because caffeine in a similar fashion to the prescription dopamine enhancers can also be addictive, it is also important to understand that ceasing it’s use can possibly bring about ADD symptoms for the user. Even though these setbacks can occur, it is important to note that consistent use of caffeine has shown overall improvements in the rats cognitive abilities over time. Although we may have moments where caffeine can lower our concentration and learning, when taken in a responsible and planned way it can be that extra boost to give us an edge mentally.

Unfortunately We Can’t Treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder  OTC

There also isn’t any over the counter meds which can treat this as it is a medical condition which needs to be evaluated by a doctor. What you can buy are supplements like Adderall but legal in that they stimulate energy and focus for studying, but do not replace the treatment as a medicine like Adderall or Ritalin can do. These non-prescription products and pills like choline, carnitine, DMAE, and caffeine have studies showing that they could possibly help enhance our lives through better cognitive processes to get the best possible memory, learning, and concentration possible so that we can be the best in our field or school. On their own supplements can have a varying effect, for best results adult men and women stack them to together to get the most powerful results possible as supplements like ephedra/ephedrine hcl (Xenadrine) and 1-3 dimethylamylamine (Oxy-Elite Pro) have now been banned and are no longer for sale. Many of these over the counter Adderall alternatives are not available at GNC, Walmart, Rite Aid, and many other stores. Our best bet to find something that actually works would be by ordering online as there is a larger selection of these types of energy and mental focus boosting pills available.

 

• Are There Herbal Pills that Work Like Adderall Substitutes OTC?
• Adderall Alternatives OTC That Really Work For Energy and Focus

Categories: Uncategorized