Why Mixing Tums and ADHD Medications Can Be Dangerous

Mixing Adderall with Tums can cause overabsorption, intensified effects, and severe side effects. Consult your doctor before combining them.

Highlights:

Tums can increase Adderall absorption, leading to unpredictable effects
Side effects include heart palpitations, anxiety, and psychosis
Consult a doctor for safer alternatives or timing adjustments

The current shortage of Adderall in the U.S. that was first declared by the FDA in 2022 as caused by high demand negatively affects millions of people with ADHD. In this time, people have resorted to non-prescription medications such as Tums because they believe they augment the effects of ADHD drugs ().

While this is well encouraged through the social media networks, the practitioners are advised to prepare for strange and at times negative impacts.

‘Did You Know?
Taking Tums with Adderall can double or even triple absorption, increasing risks! #adhd #medindia’

How Does the Interaction Work?

Tums has calcium carbonate, preventing excess production of stomach acid hence making the stomach more alkaline. This change improves the bioavailability rate of some drugs such as Adderall.

In the medication’s view, it was stated that fast absorption magnifies the impacts of Adderall particularly concerning the immediate release.

Adderall, prescribed for ADHD and a drug that affects the central nervous system, helps raise dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain. In combination with Tums, the medication may get into the bloodstream in increased proportions than are desired leading to enhanced actions like increased focus and energy.

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Risks of Mixing Tums and Adderall

While improved absorption capacity may seem like a positive attribute to have, it has its corresponding severe disadvantages ().

Potential risks include:

Overabsorption: According to Sultan, Tums may increase the level of Absorbed Adderall within the system by a factor of 2 or even 3. This may culminate in great variability and sharper intensity of the effects for this medication.
Jitteriness and Harder “Crash”: There are potential issues that, although the substance absorbs quicker and becomes more available in the bloodstream, the speed creates a more profound high, but a much sharper comedown.
Physical and Mental Side Effects: These are; tachycardia, palpitations, anxiety, and psychosis in the extreme cases of the drug’s use.

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How to Manage the Risk

Some professional advise to take Adderall and Tums with a gap of at least two to three hours separately. Tums usually remain active in the body for about two to three hours, so choosing the right time is very important.

Some people take antacids daily, and there are forms of Adderall that work in the intestine which may avoid risks. Informed consent is recommended when taking the drugs, and this can only be gotten from a healthcare provider.

Seeing the Adderall shortage as a reason for people to try to get the most out of their pills is definitely dangerous, and taking the medication along with Tums is particularly perilous. This interaction is quite unknown and has ill effects that range from mild to severe. For this reason, any patient that seeks to make any changes to his or her dosage should consult a doctor before doing so.

References:

Enhancement of drug absorption by antacids. An unrecognised drug interaction - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7955775/)
Drug Interactions between Adderall and Tums Chewy Bites with Gas Relief (Lemon & Strawberry) - (https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/adderall-with-tums-chewy-bites-with-gas-relief-lemon-strawberry-190-1645-473-18827.html#)

Source-Medindia