Medication is often the first line treatment for ADHD. The medications for ADHD are divided into two broad categories, stimulants and non-stimulants, each with its own subcategories. The stimulants category is further subdivided into methylphenidate-based stimulants and amphetamine-based stimulants. The non-stimulant category consists of two classes of medication that have been found to be effective in treating ADHD: antidepressants and blood pressure medications. Stimulant medications are generally more effective¹, but they carry a higher risk of abuse and diversion (selling or trading medication). Also, they aren’t always as well tolerated as their non-stimulant counterparts. Furthermore, no medication is “superior” to another as each individual responds differently to each medication.

            Lisdexamfetamine (brand name Vyvanse) is one of the more popular stimulant medications on the market right now. It is a relatively new drug, only gaining FDA approval in 2008, and as such there are not any generics available at the moment. Lisdexamfetamine is not psychoactive itself; it is a prodrug of Dextroamphetamine and L-lysine. When ingested, the body breaks lisdexamfetamine into L-lysine (an amino acid) and dextroamphetamine (the psychoactive component). Linking L-lysine with Dextroamphetamine makes the medication last longer, because the body takes its time breaking down the amino acid (L-Lysine), and only when it breaks it down does the actual drug (dextroamphetamine) get released. Dextroamphetamine on its own is an effective medication and has been used to treat ADHD for half a century, but it has some notable drawbacks. Firstly, it only lasts for 3-6 hours, meaning patients would have to take multiple pills throughout the day. On top of being tedious, this also leads to inconsistent amounts of medication in the blood. Secondly, it is liable to be abused through snorting and injection. Finally, dextroamphetamine is a very fickle chemical: stomach contents can have an impact on its effectiveness in the body. The addition of the amino acid L-lysine in Lisdexamfetamine addressed those concerns. The body takes its time splitting the L-Lysine and Dextroamphetamine, so one capsule taken in the morning can last up to 14 hours² in most individuals, though there is a portion of the population that breaks down the L-lysine much quicker. Furthermore, it is much less likely to be abused. The body is going to break the lisdexamfetamine down at the same rate whether it is taken orally, snorted, or injected. It is also much less fickle than dextroamphetamine, and has the same effectiveness independent of stomach contents. Dextroamphetamine is one of the most effective medications in treating ADHD, and now given the reduced potential for abuse and increased duration, it is no wonder that lisdexamfetamine is a popular medication, both for physicians and patients.

            A meta analysis revealed that lisdexamfetamine effectively decreases ADHD symptoms such as: hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity as measured by the ADHD-RS³ (a scale used to rate ADHD symptoms). It has also been shown to increase driving performance, as tested using driving simulators. The more common side effects reported were: decreased appetite, insomnia, headache, stomach ache, and dry mouth. All of these are considered mild  –  no serious adverse effects were reported. The medication is deemed safe and effective for physically healthy individuals with ADHD³. Reviews of medications are difficult to present as their efficacy varies from person to person. However, user reports from the medication database Drugs.com gives the medication an overall rating of 7.4/10, with over 50% of respondents giving the medication a 9/10 or a 10/10 rating⁴. All things considered, lisdexamfetamine is an effective medicine for treating ADHD in both children and adults, though of course it may not be effective for everyone. If you are a college student with ADHD, and your doctor deems it an appropriate medication ,Vyvanse may be a good treatment. Please see a doctor if you suspect you have ADHD.

References:

1. Soreff, MD, S. (2019, January 1). What is the first-line medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Www.Medscape.Com. https://www.medscape.com/answers/289350-4482/what-is-the-first-line-medication-for-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd

2. Babiskin, A. H., & Zhang, X. (2015). Application of Physiologically Based Absorption Modeling for Amphetamine Salts Drug Products in Generic Drug Evaluation. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 104(9), 3170–3182. https://doi.org/10.1002/jps.24474

3. Najib, J., Wimer, D., Zeng, J., Lam, K. W., Romanyak, N., Paige Morgan, E., & Thadavila, A. (2017). Review of Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate in Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Central Nervous System Disease, 9. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179573517728090

4. Vyvanse User Reviews for ADHD at Drugs.com. (n.d.). Drugs.Com. Retrieved May 7, 2020, from https://www.drugs.com/comments/lisdexamfetamine/vyvanse-for-attention-deficit-disorder.html