Tummy Troubles: Navigating Stomach Upset from ADHD Meds
Hey everyone, my name is Lauren, and I’m a nutrition student navigating the exciting (and sometimes challenging) world of college with ADHD.
Today, we’re going to be talking about stomach upset caused by stimulants. Now I’m no doctor, but I do have some insights that I’d like to share.
If you’re an adult with ADHD, then you’ll know that stimulants are a commonly used treatment. They can be quite beneficial as they improve your attention span, reduce distractibility, enhance memory function, minimize impulsivity, and overall just allow you to feel more in control. Unfortunately for many of us, these perks come with a price - side effects. Usually, these are minimal and go away once you adjust to your dosage, but sadly this isn’t the case for everyone.
Here’s why
Think of your brain as a busy nightclub. The nightclub has some unique features:
Dopamine bouncers: These are your dopamine transporters. Their job is to either let dopamine onto the dancefloor, or to kick it off the dancefloor.
Dancers: The neurons (nerve cells) in this nightclub are scattered all over the dancefloor. Sometimes, they struggle to focus on just one dance move for too long, before they switch to a completely different one because there’s just so many dances to do before the nightclub closes.
Lights: The reward system lights are generally bright throughout the night, but they get even brighter when the dancers are successfully completing their dance moves. If the lights are too dimmed at the start of the night, the dancers will lack the incentive to start dancing because it doesn’t feel as rewarding if the lights aren’t working properly.
Now, lets think about dopamine
Dopamine is like the music playing in the club. It sets the mood, motivates the dancers and makes them feel rewarded.
In those with ADHD, where their dopamine levels are often lower, the music in the nightclub isn’t as loud as it should be. This means the dancers aren’t as pumped up and don’t feel as motivated to dance.
The dopamine transporters (bouncers) are hyperactive, and they keep sending the dopamine (nerve cells) away too quickly. This means that the dancers miss out on the beat.
And finally, let’s add add stimulants to our ADHD nightclub:
Stimulants (like Adderall or Ritalin) act like VIP passes at the nightclub. They block the dopamine bouncers from kicking anyone out, allowing more dopamine to stay on the dance floor.
Stimulants also crank up the music (dopamine release) so that distracted dancers get excited and become more coordinated which gives them the motivation they need to keep moving until they complete all the different dance moves they wanted to do.
But guess what?
Your gut has dopamine receptors too! So what does this mean?
Well, it means that when the VIPs (stimulants) hit the dance floor in your stomach, they increase the activity of the Central Nervous System (CNS). When the CNS is stimulated, norepinephrine and dopamine levels are raised in the body. These two neurotransmitters are associated with the “fight or flight” response, which is when our bodies release release hormones to enhance concentration and increase blood flow to the heart and head in response to perceived danger.
While this built in response can literally save our lives if we’re in real danger, it can also have some really unpleasant side effects. Let’s take a quick look at some of the known side effects of Adderall.
Side effects
Constipation - When it comes to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), fight or flight hormones typically bring blood away from the GIT and redirect it to organs like the heart, and the head. They do this by constricting the blood vessels that bring blood to the stomach and intestines. This reaction can cause the muscles in the digestive tract to slow down, therefore slowing down digestion which may lead to constipation.
Abdominal pain and nausea - Constricted blood flow may also lead to abdominal pain and nausea. Sometimes, the vasoconstrictive properties of CNS stimulants can even lead to side effects like bowel ischemia, a condition where blood flow to the colon (part of our large intestine) is reduced. This can damage the lining and inner tissue layers of the intestine, potentially causing sores or ulcers.
Increased gastric motility a.k.a. diarrhea - Stimulants like Adderall can cause increased gastric motility, which can sometimes even lead to diarrhea. One of Adderall’s main side effects is increased anxiety, which can affect your brain-gut connection and lead to increased gastric motility.
Why is this?
Well, the initial dose of Adderall releases amphetamines into the body that can trigger the fight or flight response. After that initial high goes away, the body can be left with the opposite response i.e. faster digestion, which is part of the parasympathetic or “rest and digest” body system. Some people may find Adderall irritates their stomach. This can also cause increased gastric motility.
Empower Yourself Through Diet
The journey to managing ADHD symptoms is personal and at times difficult. While medication and therapy play crucial roles, nutrition should not be overlooked.
By understanding the effects that stimulant medication can have on our bodies and making informed dietary choices, we can potentially improve our ADHD symptoms and overall well-being. #FeedYourFocus
References
Healthline. (2019). Does Adderall Make You Poop? How It Affects Your Digestive System. [online] Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/does-adderall-make-you-poop-2#effect-on-digestion.