I know this has been discussed on here but not in awhile. Anyone with ADHD here want to share their experiences and knowledge with medication and running/exercise? I am very confident I have ADHD and am going to be diagnosed soon. I would like to try Adderall but want to be safe too. I'm in my 30s now and only training lightly to moderately these days...
Anyone have advice?
When I started Vyvanse, for the first time in my life, I was able to run 6-7 days/week for more than a week (besides covid but that doesn't really count). I've sometimes thought that maybe it makes me hit my max heartrate faster, but if I run the next day without meds (unlikely) I can't see a big change. Long term stimulant usage can have some impact on heart health, but at least in my case, I think the benefits of being able to exercise consistently outweigh the downsides of the meds.
About to be diagnosed? 30s? Advice? Yeah, skip the pills. You're fine. You've gotten to your 30s without medication, don't start now. Run more
It will improve performance. It is a banned drug for a reason. Hopefully it improves your life.
Went on adderall for ADHD when running at BYU. Got approved and was hoping it would give me a competitive edge as a side effect. I felt more focused and calm which was indirectly helpful perceptually. However, I did not see any meaningful running advantage or change (seems to be the consensus of research I've seen). On the contrary, it was super difficult to sleep at night if I didn't' take it before 5am, I lost my appetite (which I believe contributed to a stress fracture), and got bad anxiety (which I had never experienced before or since). Decided to get off it.
I also was diagnosed in my (early) 30's. The medicine helps my mental health a lot. I feel so much calmer and my anxiety has improved significantly. I sleep much better when I'm taking my meds.
I notice an improvement in RPE if I lift or run while medicated. Not a huge difference in race times, but it helps me focus and not give up as easily. this was more pronounced when I first started taking my meds. I've been on them for over a year now.
However, I do notice a HUGE difference when I take it before work or engage in hobbies that are more mentally stimulating than running (pickleball, videogames).
I take two Adderall xr 10 MG pills daily. Since I started the medicine, I've successfully quit pot and caffeine use. I used to self-medicate myself heavily with those two substances before getting on Adderall.
My Heart Rate doesn't change much when I take my meds.