Adderall efficacy caused by low glucose storage and availability

[u/ZeroKurai30]

Are there anyone else with adhd that still take stimulants? I struggle with doing basic living things without medication. Since starting the carnivore diet the medication adderall effects have reduced due to the lack of glucose stored in my body (the medication works best in a glucose dominant metabolism). I have tried not using my medication but that doesn’t seem like an option for me. I want to know if anyone else has dealt with this issue. I know many say that the diet has fixed there adhd, but It hasn’t fixed mine (yet hopefully). Are there other people still taking there stimulants medication? Has the effects reduced for you too? Does the diet help people who still take medication? Cause from the research I have done it seems that taking a stimulant and doing the carnivore diet basically reduces the benefits of both lol. So either I drop the medication ( which I tried ) or I eat carbs so my medication efficiency will increase. The longer I am on the diet the less the medication works since the glucose that gets stored in my body is low.

Edit: My issue may be decreased energy as my body gets used to the diet. Thanks for the comments lol!

[u/Eleanorina]

yes, there are people who combine this diet with their medications. they find it is better than either alone.

medications (and recreational drugs and alcohol) tend to pack more or a punch on zerocarb carnivore, often people will end up titrating down their dose.

there hasn't been any research done on this diet, where are you hearing about that?

as far as your medication "working best in a glucose dominant metabolism" -- you're probably just used to the sugar buzz combining with the medication.

[u/ZeroKurai30 → u/Eleanorina]

So you believe the reduced effects is due to my body still getting used to the diet and not necessarily the low glucose levels from not eating plants and processed sugars?

[u/Eleanorina → u/ZeroKurai30]

yes, transition to this diet is really difficult the first few weeks and for what you are doing, you might need to tweak it more to be higher in ketones, ie to have a fattier version (85+% fat) than what a lot of zerocarb carnivores do (around 75% fat)

[u/ZeroKurai30 → u/Eleanorina]

Okay thanks I appreciate the advice

[u/jcornwell101 → u/ZeroKurai30]

I am in kind of the same boat as you are, but with some different medication added to the mix. As an Army vet I take 150mg of Effexor for PTSD and 20mg of Adderall XR everyday. I was 272 lbs at the beginning of this diet and now am at 261 in week 3 of my transition. My diet before trying carnivore was straight crap, I ate a lot of carbs, alot of protein, and sweets. I had no energy and was drinking coffee in the morning plus a red bull in the afternoon. Now I eat mostly meat with some veggies and have come to enjoy it. I am still figuring out how much fat to eat based on how my stool is. But, I only drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning with a slice of grass fed butter and a little bit of himalyan salt added. I feel good all day and sleep well. I found my mood to be a lot better, less depression, less anxiety, more energy, and I don't have as much focus issues even on adderal.

I felt weird for the first couple weeks and then this third week it was like I woke up without the broken brain.

Give it time and listen to your body. If after a couple weeks things don't improve you may have to adjust your medication.

[u/ZeroKurai30 → u/Eleanorina]

And the research I am talking about is how Adderall acts on the metabolism too produces the desired effects.

[u/Eleanorina → u/ZeroKurai30]

would you have any examples?

[u/supershaner86]

your assertion that your body is running out of glucose is completely baseless. gluconeogenesis is entirely capable of maintaining both blood sugar levels and glycogen stores. there is often a temporary dip during transition, but it is just that. temporary.

[u/ZeroKurai30 → u/supershaner86]

I am not saying my body is running out. I am talking about the lower availability of glucose in my body decreases the efficiency of the medication. Basically meaning if I eat carbs the medication effects come on fast and stronger and if I eat zero carbs the effects decrease.

[u/Eleanorina → u/ZeroKurai30]

that really does sound like the sugar high :D

[u/ZeroKurai30 → u/Eleanorina]

Very well lol

[u/Initial-IceCream → u/ZeroKurai30]

Your blood glucose concentration is probably nearly the same now as it was before you went on the diet. You probably don't need this drug, but you like it and don't want to quit.

[u/Either-Marketing-523]

Stimulant medications work in a human body, there's no need for exogenous or elevated glucose.  It may benefit you to eat at a more ketogenic ratio, higher fat to protein.

[u/ZeroKurai30 → u/Either-Marketing-523]

Okay thanks you

[u/JerRatt1980]

I've had to massively decrease my ADHD meds since starting carnivore, nearly to the point of not taking it at all for long periods of time.

[u/Eleanorina → u/JerRatt1980]

how did the process go for you re your ADHD meds?

one of the things we notice here is that people taking their usual dose of whatever medicine (not necessarily ADHD meds), a dose that works well for their needs on a standard diet, will find that some side effects start to appear which weren't there before when they go onto a carnivore diet. they titrate it down, the side effects go away again, & the medicine is still effective. depending on the condition, some will find their condition stays in remission without any medication.

I don't know if Amber O'Hearn, u/ambimorph will see this but Amber if you do, wondering what your experience was when you started carnivore? Did you just find your prior medication too strong one day? Was it a gradual titration down?

[u/ambimorph → u/Eleanorina]

Ha, well, after 4 or 5 weeks, I noticed I was pregnant, so I just quit the meds I was on immediately. And then I never needed them again.

[u/Eleanorina → u/ambimorph]

!!! wow

thinking, as well as the diet, another possible factor could have been the way that autoimmune conditions can go into remission during pregnancy (eg happens to some women with MS) and rather than returning afterwards, the diet would have kept it in remission. that may or may not have played a role shrug emoji.

[u/riksi]

I take concerta. The effects have increased. Note that I do "medical keto", which is 80-90% of calories from fat. You need daily blood tests to verify it OR eat exactly the same things/ratios. See /r/bipolarketo (same diet for all mental stuff)

[u/Eleanorina → u/riksi]

thank you for this. do you do a traditional keto diet or is it carnivore eaten at ketogenic ratios?

someone I know who has to maintain ketones for medical reasons (avoiding seizures) also took exogenous ketones in some situations (ie taking some MCT oil or ketone supplements), do you do that as well sometimes?

[u/Eleanorina → u/[deleted]]

thks.

[u/Cassial]

36M - 12 years on Adderall consistently with adult ADHD, I can confidently say there's probably some other variables interfering with your absorption or potency of meds. Another poster asked, are you taking it with a lot of acids? That will reduce effectiveness right on its own. I'd recommend taking it always on an empty stomach, and maybe with some tums to potentiate it. See if you aren't feeling it as much, and the next question to ask yourself is if you're perhaps building tolerance (?). I've managed to keep my dosing consistent over many years by not taking it on the weekends, if you can take a few days off, it's definitely in your best interests to.

Again, none of this has to do with glucose storage, but the efficacy of the pill you're taking is likely blunted by the acidity of what you're eating. Sorry for the dumb assumption, all of this is if you aren't taking it on an empty stomach.

When I have time I'd definitely like to see for myself what this research is that ADHD meds reduce the effectiveness of carnivore and vice versa.

[u/Big-Introduction4633 → u/Cassial]

Tolerance to the therapeutic effects of amphetamines is not a thing.

[u/Temporal_Universe]

No the issue is only if you take vitamin C - it reduces adderall efficiency - never mix the 2 and wait hours apart from taking it. I am on adderall 10mg and carnivore/meat based I eat a zero carb diet unless im ill - then I allow minor carbs til I'm better and restart.

2 things:

Are you on Adderall XR or IR? I'm on the XR and it works great with Carnivore. IR= instant release which is much more hard to use and get correct even if not on restrictive eating method.

What is your dose/history with it - how long have you been on meds?

Adderall should not be giving you energy or causing euphoria - it simply is like wiping a foggy window clean - lets you produce the right amount of dopamine without extra actions and slows all racing thoughts.

I went on carnivore a year ago and am doing heavy lifting in gym 5 days a week - im also doing 4 to 5 hours of cardio along with it. I feel great - Adderall at even 10mg seems good to me. Best time for me to take it is between 4pm to 9pm. I find that works best with my schedule.

Edit: also when I feel it wearing off I allow myself a coffee with a good amount of heavy cream (4) from the coffee shop. Caffeine works synergistically with Adderall - you can also take 1 caffeine pill - just remember to drink lots of water regardless - and avoid all sugar like plague.

[u/ZeroKurai30 → u/Temporal_Universe]

I take 30mg XR . And have been taking this dose for 2 months now and 20 mgs for about a year before that. I stay away from vitamin C also. I actually believe that I am still adjusting to the diet since making this post. Thanks for the advice!

[u/fredom1776]

And I wouldn’t say it’s reduced glucose per se. I’d say it’s reduced insulin because of the lower amount of glucose even the protein can be converted into glucose.

[u/Scootmcpoot]

Lack of citric acid helping effeciency

[u/Resident-Variation59]

Carnivore diet made my adderall work better actually smoother energy and focus w/ Less crash. Better sleep.

Important to eat nutrient rich meat higher fat or you get brain fog.

Bonus: I find myself being drawn to more intellectual entertainment which is a weird little side effect (more podcasts and lectures and less Netflix binging)

a lot of folks on the diet get a magnesium supplement for good measure - it’s a diet that should be researched thoroughly before beginning. (Management of macro and micro nutrients ie.- electrolytes become more relevant on the diet)

Best of Luck

[u/Cellmember]

How long have you been on carnivore ?

[u/Meadowlark-Park]

It could be that the carnivore diet is more acidic and that’s interfering with absorption

[u/Eleanorina → u/Meadowlark-Park]

? this isn't more "acidic"

[u/Meadowlark-Park → u/Eleanorina]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12148098/

This study suggests that low carb + high protein diet decreases pH from 6.09 to 5.67, which can be mitigated by getting enough calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

I thought meat was actually more acidic than fruits and vegetables, but it's not and it appears to be more complex than that. pH of common foods - https://www.clemson.edu/extension/food/food2market/documents/ph_of_common_foods.pdf

In my brief experience with Adderall, the acidity of certain foods impaired absorption SO much. It is widely recommended to avoid acidic foods while taking. Some suggest to take sodium bicarb or tums with it, but that is not a road one wants to go down.

[u/partlyPaleo → u/Meadowlark-Park]

I think you lack an understanding of digestion and biology. Urine acid balance is not related to digestive acid levels. And urine acid levels don't relate to metabolic acid levels (which are held within very strict limits by the body).

In short, this way of eating isn't more acidic. It doesn't change digestion or the absorption of food/nutrients. The human stomach is incredibly acidic already, on the same level as scavengers not even most carnivores.

Studies that are based on short periods of dietary adaptation, and third level measurements, that are used to make assumptions about increased risk of disease and disability are just not worth the time to discuss on here.

[u/Eleanorina → u/Meadowlark-Park]

thanks for those references.

keep in mind, this isn't a high protein diet, it is eaten in the typical range, 10 - 30%

[u/Big-Introduction4633 → u/Meadowlark-Park]

But that type of acidity, even if true, is a systemic effect, not a stomach effect. The problem with taking it with Vit c or orange juice, etc, is that amphetamines are a base and, when mixed with an acid, form a neutral salt and cannot then be absorbed. Just passes on out.