Hello all, I have heard a great deal of information concerning supplements and ADD meds. I recently gave magnesium a try. I took 20mgs ir at approximately 9:30 in the morning combined with 400mgs of Magnesium Citrare. The magnesium ostensibly seemed to make the drug last way too long, and I became overfocused and agitated. Like I said, I took the Adderall at 9:30, and I felt overfocused/jittery until about 8:00pm. This is way longer than Adderall is supposed to last in my opinion, considering that it is I.R.
Does anyone else have any experiences with supplements such as Magnesium and L-tyroisne? I haven't been able to find adequate research on the effects of Magnesium with ADD meds. What I found said that it may increase the beneficial effects of the meds, but that more research is needed. Does anyone have any scientific data that can be presented in favor of supplements. Next time I will not take magnesium, as it seemed to tweak me out.

I've heard before that it's bad to take magnesium at the same time as Adderall because it supposedly raised the magnesium in your blood stream. Not sure if that's true or not though.

take the magnesium at night before bed...this seems to help for me

Yes! I've had the same effects with Adderall lasting too long when I took it with a Magnesium supplement. I was wondering why that was, but then I read this thread. Totally makes sense now.
My XR lasted over 12 hrs as if I had just taken it.

What effect is magnesium supposed to have on adderall if it is supplemented, but at the end of the day rather than while taking the adderall?

magnisium at night can help with sleep.

I thought magnesium oxide helped get your body more alkaline, thus making the adderall more effective?

I thought magnesium oxide helped get your body more alkaline, thus making the adderall more effective?
No, Magnesium does not make your body more alkaline.
Products such as Tums or sodium bicorbonate (Baking soda) work to make the body more alkaline, thus reducing the amount of unirary elimintation of the Adderall. Magnesium has no effect on this process.

So are you saying what PeterMac said is completely false?

Read this post please:
http://www.addforums.com/forums/sho...91&postcount=25 (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=449191&postcount=25)

And the rest of the thread if you want to:
http://www.addforums.com/forums/sho...?t=41234&page=2 (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41234&page=2)
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All I am saying is that I have never come across any reference to Magnesium contributing to an "alkaline environment" within in the body. Magnesium is said to be helpful to supplement with Adderall because it may increase blood levels of the drug. (not necessarily because of an alkaline environment)

Here is an excerpt from http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1160000.html:

"Another magnesium-amphetamine interaction involves supplements of magnesium hydroxide (http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1431002.html), which are known to cause retention of amphetamines in the body.² This could theoretically result in increased blood levels of these drugs. Finally, animal studies have suggested that magnesium supplements can increase learning and enhance the behavioral response to stimulants.³ For these reasons, the use of magnesium along with amphetamines may enhance the effectiveness of these drugs in the treatment of ADD (http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1004008.html), but controlled studies of this possibility are needed."


I personally believe that Magnesium is a useful aid when taking Adderall, and do indeed use it as a supplement myself. However, Magnesium Oxide (the form PeterMac is advocating) is actually the LEAST absorbed form of Magnesium. Better choices include Magnesium Citrate, Hydroxide (stated above), or glycinate.

what is the deal with Magnesium Citrate?

Citrate makes me think of "citric acid". Is it acidic?

PS don't take too much Magnesium, as it is a LAXATIVE.

All I am saying is that I have never come across any reference to Magnesium contributing to an "alkaline environment" within in the body. Magnesium is said to be helpful to supplement with Adderall because it may increase blood levels of the drug. (not necessarily because of an alkaline environment)

Here is an excerpt from http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1160000.html:

"Another magnesium-amphetamine interaction involves supplements of magnesium hydroxide (http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1431002.html), which are known to cause retention of amphetamines in the body.<SUP>2</SUP> This could theoretically result in increased blood levels of these drugs. Finally, animal studies have suggested that magnesium supplements can increase learning and enhance the behavioral response to stimulants.<SUP>3</SUP> For these reasons, the use of magnesium along with amphetamines may enhance the effectiveness of these drugs in the treatment of ADD (http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1004008.html), but controlled studies of this possibility are needed."


I personally believe that Magnesium is a useful aid when taking Adderall, and do indeed use it as a supplement myself. However, Magnesium Oxide (the form PeterMac is advocating) is actually the LEAST absorbed form of Magnesium. Better choices include Magnesium Citrate, Hydroxide (stated above), or glycinate.
Do you supplement the magnesium by taking it simeltaneously with the adderall or simply just supplement it into your diet?

Do you supplement the magnesium by taking it simeltaneously with the adderall or simply just supplement it into your diet?Well I take magnesium everyday regardless, and on the days that I take Adderall (3x a week), I have the magnesium right along with it.

what is the deal with Magnesium Citrate?

Citrate makes me think of "citric acid". Is it acidic?

PS don't take too much Magnesium, as it is a LAXATIVE.Magnesium Citrate is not acidic. It may sound like it is, but it's not. :)

Thank you Justin--I have found your responses helpful, although I don't completely understand why it is desirable to add magnesium to our diets if we are doing it primarily with the hopes of increasing levels/effects of Adderall.

Wouldn't taking a little more Adderall do the same thing and perhaps be more reliable, consistent (and if we have insurance) less costly? Or am I missing something? I understand that magnesium can benefit us in other ways, I just can't seem to get a handle on why taking more Adderall wouldn't be a preferred solution when it is the activity of the medicine we are concerned about. Afterall, aren't many people using magnesium with the goal of achieving the equivalent of an Adderall dosage increase? So why not just increase the dose?

I am actually quite open to the idea of a magnesium supplement and may try it myself, but at this point I am having trouble understanding its apparent appeal as an Adderall "booster." Like I said before, I feel like I may be missing something.

Thank you Justin--I have found your responses helpful, although I don't completely understand why it is desirable to add magnesium to our diets if we are doing it primarily with the hopes of increasing levels/effects of Adderall.

Wouldn't taking a little more Adderall do the same thing and perhaps be more reliable, consistent (and if we have insurance) less costly? Or am I missing something? I understand that magnesium can benefit us in other ways, I just can't seem to get a handle on why taking more Adderall wouldn't be a preferred solution when it is the activity of the medicine we are concerned about. Afterall, aren't many people using magnesium with the goal of achieving the equivalent of an Adderall dosage increase? So why not just increase the dose?

I am actually quite open to the idea of a magnesium supplement and may try it myself, but at this point I am having trouble understanding its apparent appeal as an Adderall "booster." Like I said before, I feel like I may be missing something.
The reason why I used to supplement magnesium with adderall was to offset the acidity in the foods which I ate. Often times I can feel that right after a meal, the adderall drops in effectiveness almost right away. But maybe now I'll just take tums.

I am actually quite open to the idea of a magnesium supplement and may try it myself, but at this point I am having trouble understanding its apparent appeal as an Adderall "booster." Like I said before, I feel like I may be missing something.
The answer is quite simple in my opinion. People would rather take the absolute minimum effective dosage possible. I take Mg supplements with my Adderall because I don't have to take another 30 mg Adderall IR pill. That is how much it boosts the effect of Adderall. Does that save me money? Not really, since I have really good insurance.

Not one day goes by that I don't wish I could stop taking Adderall - the least I can do is try to take the absolute minimum.:o

This thread is very informative and helpful to me. I've been on Adderall XR twice a day: 30XR in a.m and 30XR in early afternoon for approx. 3 1/2 months and find the effectiiveness diminishing slightly for me. I really like what you stated, Phospho, about not having to take a 2nd IR dose because of the magnesium you take with your Adderall IR.

My Question to anyone willing to answer is: Will taking magneseum oxide with my XR (extended release) dosages enhance the effectiveness of and duration of the XR doses? I plan on purchasing a bottle of magneseum oxide and try this myself, but in the mean time, I would appreciate any and all responses to my question. There's got to be someone out there with a positive tale to tell!

Thanks :)

This thread is very informative and helpful to me. I've been on Adderall XR twice a day: 30XR in a.m and 30XR in early afternoon for approx. 3 1/2 months and find the effectiiveness diminishing slightly for me. I really like what you stated, Phospho, about not having to take a 2nd IR dose because of the magnesium you take with your Adderall IR.

My Question to anyone willing to answer is: Will taking magneseum oxide with my XR (extended release) dosages enhance the effectiveness of and duration of the XR doses? I plan on purchasing a bottle of magneseum oxide and try this myself, but in the mean time, I would appreciate any and all responses to my question. There's got to be someone out there with a positive tale to tell!

Thanks :)
Thank you Star Lilly.

By the way, it might also help to say that I took XR for about 6 months or so. I didn't really like the way XR interfered with my sleep habits, which is why I stopped taking it. However, I did use Mg supplements with it, and I did find they were very beneficial in prolonging the effects. Star Lilly, here's the deal: you'll find people who say that the Mg didn't help, and you'll find people like me who swear by it. The way I personally see it is that you should give it a shot and see how it works for you. Although I am positive you'll see a difference, I very well could be wrong. I've read everything I could get my hands on about Mg, and I don't see any potential health risks (unless you have renal problems).

You've got nothing to lose. Thats my personal (and very biased!!!:D ) opinion. I wish you the best of luck. :)

Thanks for your reply, Phospho, and your encouragement too! Much appreciated. Anything that I can use to prolong Adderall's effectiveness and duration will be icing on the cake, as this med in XR form is a true life-changer for me. I waited all my life to get the courage to finally seek help 3.5 months ago, especially since "Adult AD/HD" is finally being recognized as a legitimate diagnosis. It's about time.

Any others adding their experiences will be greatly welcomed :)

Hello All...great thread...
I have been taking Adderall twice daily (10mg) for almost 18 months. I have always noticed that it seems to be somewhat intesense in the morning (7:00AM) and much more so in the afternoon (1:00PM). But the peak only lasts an hour or so and I notice a considerable differnce when the peak wears off. What positive effect can the magnesium provide? For instance, does the peak last longer? Will it increase my attention span? Will it give me more energy?

Adderall is the first ADD medication that has really made a difference for me. I have tried many others with no success. However, the adderall seems to only be effective for a short burst then taper off considerably. I will continue to search the board for more info.

Take care...

I guess what I am not getting is that if Magnesium is increasing the absorption rate of the Adderall as most (not all) of you seem to indicate, then you are getting a dose increase. If 20mg Adderall with magnesium is doing what 40mg Adderall alone can, it is because you are absorbing the equivalent amphetamine in 20mg that you would normally get taking 40mg. You have essentially changed the dose to 40mg Adderall. But really, with magnesium, how do you know what the dose increase is, or how stable this increase is day to day?

So in my opinion (and I don't have a big stake in this, I support what you are doing if you think it is helping, I just don't understand it) if you are saying magnesium allows you to stay at a lower medication level, my answer would be "I don't think so." It seems to me you are merely increasing the dosage in a clever, round a bout but less predictable way.

Has anyone talked to their Doctors about this? Would you be comfortable talking to your Doctor about this? And if not, why not?

I "think" that the reason supplementing the magnesium with the adderall, instead of increasing the adderall dosage, might be beneficial is the body doesn't have to filter out the un-absorbed adderall. Meaning if your taking 40mg of adderall and your body is only using about 50% then that excess has to be filtered out somehow. Therefore, the 20mg of adderall plus the magnesium, might be less taxing on your body.

That is just my guess. Don't hesitate to give me the facts. :D

I think you are right that is of some benefit. But at least when I read threads like this one (and some of the others) I can't remember a whole lot of people reporting their goal when taking magnesium and Adderall together was to excrete less amphetamine.

When I researched this practice, at first the only place I could find any detail on this subject was on sites where people shared their experiences taking illegal stimulants. Apparently magnesium is popular in this drug culture as a supplement because many users believe it to counter neurotoxic effects, increase bioavailability and reduce jaw clenching. I found the most information when I combined the words mdma and magnesium together into the search engine.

I think I found what I was missing.

Hey guys, I was doing some more research and found that Zantac would be the optimal thing to take to help increase the potency of an adderall dose/eliminate the foggy feeling you get after eating. I tried taking it today, and I can definitely feel it's helping. 150mg, cut em in half and take one half 30 minutes before an XR dose, and the other half 3 hours later.

The ingredient in Zantac is ranitidine, which works much better than tums/alka selzter as a antacid.

Thanks everyone, for the valuable info. I have Zantac 75mg on hand and I take it as needed for indigestion/upset stomach. I will try the above suggestion dgessler. This combo should help prolong &/or increase the effectiveness of my Adderall XR doses.

I tried the magnesium 250mg in tandem with my XR a few days ago, but the jury's still out.

.... Zantac..... 150mg, cut em in half and take one half 30 minutes before an XR dose, and the other half 3 hours later.

Okay, I tried this as described....worked like a charm.

The interesting part was my first release of meds didn't seem much different, but when the second wave released about three hours later, WHOA!

That's never happened before.

how much magnesium do you take with your dose?

Found this .....


Interactions with Supplements

<!-- Copyright 1995 - 2007 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. -->Magnesium (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-2879002.htm)
Dextroamphetamine can increase blood levels of magnesium, which causes significant lowering of the calcium (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-2818004.htm) to magnesium ratio in the blood. The change in this ratio may in part explain the effectiveness of stimulants like dextroamphetamine in hyperactive boys.<SUP>1 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref1)</SUP> Another magnesium-amphetamine interaction involves supplements of magnesium hydroxide (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1431002.htm), which are known to cause retention of amphetamines in the body.<SUP>2 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref2)</SUP> This could theoretically result in increased blood levels of these drugs. Finally, animal studies have suggested that magnesium supplements can increase learning and enhance the behavioral response to stimulants.<SUP>3 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref3)</SUP> For these reasons, the use of magnesium along with amphetamines may enhance the effectiveness of these drugs in the treatment of ADD (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1004008.htm), but controlled studies of this possibility are needed.
Vitamin C (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-2929001.htm)
Ingestion of some types of vitamin C results in acidification of the intestinal contents and thus a decreased absorption of amphetamines.<SUP>4 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref4)</SUP> Supplements containing vitamin C should be taken an hour before or two hours after taking amphetamines.
Tyrosine (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-2919008.htm)
Tyrosine is an amino acid (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-2800002.htm) used by the body to produce brain chemicals stimulated by amphetamines. Reduced stimulant effects of amphetamines were observed in individuals who had been made tyrosine deficient.<SUP>5 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref5)</SUP> It is possible that a dietary deficiency of tyrosine may reduce the effectiveness of amphetamines. Tyrosine deficiency is not common unless a protein deficiency exists. Adequate tyrosine intake from dietary protein or supplements is necessary in individuals taking amphetamines.
Lithium (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1422002.htm)
Lithium is a mineral that may be present in some supplements and is also used in large amounts to treat mood disorders such as bipolar disorder (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1167002.htm) (manic depression). Taking lithium at the same time as amphetamines may inhibit the appetite suppressant and stimulatory effects of the amphetamines.<SUP>6 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref6)</SUP> Therefore, people taking amphetamines should take lithium only under the supervision of a doctor.
Vitamin B6 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-2928009.htm)
Occasionally, individuals taking amphetamines develop compulsive behavior and anxiety (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1010008.htm), even after the drug is discontinued. When this side effect occurred in an eight-year-old boy,<SUP>7 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref7)</SUP> supplementation with 200 mg vitamin B6 each day for one week followed by 100 mg daily, reduced the compulsive behavior and anxiety within three weeks. The symptoms were eliminated after a few months of treatment. Controlled research is needed to determine conclusively the usefulness of vitamin B6 supplementation for preventing and treating this side effect.
L-tryptophan
In an uncontrolled study of schizophrenic (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1259003.htm) patients, 200 mg per day of L-tryptophan reduced disturbances in thinking, as well as hallucinations caused by dextroamphetamine.<SUP>8 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref8)</SUP> Symptoms of psychosis rarely occur in people who take amphetamines and are not schizophrenic. Controlled research is needed to establish the benefits of L-tryptophan and related supplements for people taking amphetamines.
Interactions with Herbs

<!-- Copyright 1995 - 2007 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. -->Ephedra
Ephedra sinica contains a compound called ephedrine. A seven-year-old boy who had 12 mg of ephedrine twice daily added to his dextroamphetamine therapy experienced improvement in hyperactive behavior.<SUP>9 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref9)</SUP> He also experienced relief from symptoms, such as headaches and spots before his eyes, that may have been caused by dextroamphetamine. However, concurrent use of amphetamines with other stimulants such as ephedrine or Ephedra sinica could cause excessive stimulation of the heart or nervous system. For this reason, such combinations should be used with great caution, and only under the supervision of a doctor.
Veratrum (Veratrum sp.)
Veratrum (Hellebore) is an herb used by doctors of natural medicine to treat high blood pressure (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1033009.htm);however, amphetamines can inhibit this effect.<SUP>10 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref10)</SUP> Therefore, people taking veratrum to treat hypertension should avoid amphetamines.
Other Interactions

<!-- Copyright 1995 - 2007 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. -->Fruit juices
Fruit juices may acidify the intestinal contents, causing reduced absorption of amphetamines.<SUP>11 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref11)</SUP> Therefore, juices should be consumed an hour before or two hours after administration of amphetamines.
Alcohol
The combination of alcohol and methamphetamine makes the heart work harder and consume more oxygen, which may produce unwanted effects.<SUP>12 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref12)</SUP> Alcohol consumption may also suppress the breakdown of amphetamines, causing elevations in blood levels of the drug.<SUP>13 (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1160000.htm#ref13)</SUP> Individuals taking amphetamines should avoid alcoholic beverages, especially if they have known heart problems.