Although Concerta and Adderall are chemically similar drugs used to treat ADHD, the side effects and indications for these medications differ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concerta and Adderall are two of the most common drugs to treat attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Both drugs are stimulants and\u00a0Schedule II<\/a>\u00a0controlled substances and work similarly. Although they are chemical cousins, there are differences between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Concerta and Adderall are different drugs with similar effects. Both drugs are central nervous system stimulants used to treat ADHD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerta<\/a> is specifically FDA-approved for ADHD treatment and one of the brand names for methylphenidate. Concerta is one of the long-acting dosage forms for methylphenidate, compared to shorter-acting dosage forms like Ritalin. Therefore, it is taken only once daily<\/a> in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adderall<\/a> is also specifically FDA-approved for ADHD. The drug is a mixture of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine salts. It comes in two dosage forms, a long-acting form sold as Adderall XR and a short-acting form sold simply as Adderall. The Adderall dosage form is also FDA-approved to treat the sleeping disorder narcolepsy. Because it is short-acting, Adderall can be given multiple times daily<\/a> at four to six-hour intervals. In contrast, Adderall XR, which is long-acting, is only given once daily<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As similar drugs, Concerta and Adderall have extremely similar effects. Concerta starts to work within the first hour<\/a> after taking the medication, and its levels in the body continue to increase for around 10 hours before the drug wears off. It is designed this way so it can be taken in the morning but will wear off before bedtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, Adderall and Adderall XR do not usually last as long. Adderall peaks<\/a> in the body after around three hours, while Adderall XR peaks in the body after about seven hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should not substitute Concerta for Adderall or vice versa unless your doctor specifically instructed you to. Because both Adderall and Concerta are addictive Schedule II<\/a> controlled substances, they should only be taken exactly as prescribed by the person to whom they were prescribed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A doctor might prescribe a person both Concerta and Adderall in specific cases. An example might be a person with ADHD who is prescribed Concerta to take in the morning when they wake up. Because the drug wears off after around 10 hours<\/a>, a doctor might prescribe a single dose of short-acting Adderall to help the person with ADHD focus throughout the late afternoon and evening, as the drug would hopefully wear off before bedtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerta and Adderall are available at different doses. When comparing the two, it is difficult to determine which one is stronger, partly because they last for different durations. This means a 54 mg dose of Concerta may be expected to last 10 hours and cannot fairly be compared to a 30 mg dose of Adderall, which may only last four hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAre Concerta and Adderall the Same?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Does Concerta Feel Compared to Adderall?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can You Substitute Concerta for Adderall?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Concerta vs. Adderall Dosage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n