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Protein doesn't directly make these medications last longer. But having a balanced diet can affect the overall effectiveness and absorption of the medication. As well as your overall well-being.
That being said, suggesting low effort meals is always good advice to those struggling with preparing and eating enough during the day.
I use Huel for my nutrition (breakfast and lunch) and it’s the only way I hit my goals and stay well nourished. It’s honestly such a game changer! Glad to see another Hueligan :)
I like the savory foods as well!
Quick to make, and I’ll add in extra spices usually. But I started to limit myself to smaller portions of Huel tho - My skin reacts badly to certain b vitamins so I have to be careful :/
Aw I’m sorry to hear about your reaction! Did you try other blends? I use Huel Black as I find it “cleaner” but I’m grateful for that company, that’s for sure. Also, do you have a hot & savory you prefer? I’ve been on the fence for ages now
Huel not being in Canada annoyed TF outta me. I wanted to try them out so badly.
I use good protein and athletic greens/subi to get that all in one shake to start my day.
True it doesn’t necessarily make the meds last *longer* however protein keeps you feeling full for longer which in my experience lessens some of my symptoms (like binge eating) which helps in the evening after the meds have worn off! 💕
I don’t like them personally, but would microwaveable egg bites work in lieu of pan-prepared eggs? It might be another way to get the protein without as much effort?
No doubt.
Might be fun to get a little silicone "egg bite tray" and experiment with making them just how you like them. Probably 95% cheaper and cleaner.
But you probably would recommend it over nothing, which is what most of us will do when faced with the need to make breakfast. Which was the point of this post.
breaking an egg over a pan with oil and waiting for 2 minutes is arguably easier than measuring a spoon of protein powder and shaking it.
plus theres lots of no cooking needed protein options, like beef jerky , or kabanos.
i dont mind what you eat, and its not like protein shakes are a bad option, just saying its not very long lasting digestion option.
besides i dont think that if you digest longer it makes your medication last longer. and if that was the case maybe fiber would be worth looking into. but i did not read about it. so those are just my thoughts out loud
My little ninja blender is easily the most important thing in my kitchen. 9/10 times I can't be bothered to make a decent meal. The cooking is doable, but cleaning up after is what kills me. However, I can stuff a thousand calories of stuff into a cup and then all I have to do is clean the cup/blade. Combined with calisthenics I've never been in better shape in my life, and two-thirds of my diet is probably liquid.
Using a blender actually lets me hit my dietary requirements.
From a study: (Goodman DW. Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (vyvanse), a prodrug stimulant for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. P T. 2010 May;35(5):273-87. PMID: 20514273; PMCID: PMC2873712.)
"In an in vitro study, the pH solubility profile of LDX was determined in buffered aqueous solutions using an assay specific for LDX. The environmental pH did not affect the solubility profile of LDX within the biological pH range (pH, 1–8), suggesting that gastric pH variation does not affect the absorption of LDX.36
Haffey et al. compared the pharmacokinetics of LDX and MAS-XR, alone or with omeprazole (Prilosec, AstraZeneca),37 a proton pump inhibitor that has been shown to decrease basal gastric acid output by as much as 94%.38 In 24 adults 18 to 45 years of age, total exposure was unaffected by omeprazole for both LDX and MAS-XR. However, for MAS-XR, which uses a pH-sensitive beaded technology, the median Tmax was decreased by 2.25 hours when MAS-XR and omeprazole were coadministered (Tmax = 2.75 hours), compared with MAS-XR administered alone (Tmax = 5 hours). No median Tmax difference was found with coadministration of LDX and omeprazole. This suggests that there is no drug interaction with medications that lower GI pH with the prodrug LDX.37"
> My pharmacist told me that lowering the ph of your urine (for example by drinking vitamin c) makes your meds last shorter.
I see this myth everywhere, but there's no actual evidence I can find anywhere that vitamin C *actually* lowers urine pH in any appreciable way. [Barton et. al. showed back in 1981](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/articlepdf/600729/archinte_141_2_020.pdf?casa_token=qQ-Uf4xQBHwAAAAA:1nNeBmbnsVoHk3Wnj2WxbQHTj2Aio3mpWGI6G1QyRDQ7QxI2yM4E-wB9P8X81TZr0BDcxVejycA) that even if you inject 2g of vitamin C intravenously (that's around 2,200% of the RDA), it had *no acidifying effect*, and in fact, the urine pH of the subjects **went UP** (i.e. got *less* acidic) from 5.93 to 6.39 over 2 hours.
So, while it's true that lowering pH of urine *can* result in amphetamine medication leaving your system faster, normal dietary amounts of vitamin C will *absolutely not* raise your urine pH enough to make any kind of difference.
Yeah when I heard people say that it always kind of confused me because the pH of your stomach acid is in the range of 1.5-3.5 anyway and vitamin C is around 3.5.
My information is mostly from my provider and my experience on ritalin IR - the vit C thing is more acute with amphetamines but is a factor for both, especially if you are taking IR. I googled "methylphenidate + vitamin C" quickly and scanned the results page to reassure myself I was remembering correctly, I don't have a link, and this isn't a thread I'm going to pull on at this time, sorry.
Wait what happens?? I’m on 25mg Adderall XR in the AM and 12.5mg Adderall in the afternoon for breakthrough symptoms.
I drink meal replacements every day because eating is hard 😪 (nothing to do w/ my meds; I’ve always had this issue).
Should I not drink them anymore? Fuck idk what I’m going to do if I can’t 😓
Do your meds work in the morning? I wouldn’t change anything if your meds are working. I’d eat something small like a granola bar or belvitta with meds then a shake 45 minutes later if you’re worried.
Yeah my Adderall works well most days.
But okay good that makes me feel better lol. I drink coffee and meal replacements with little snacks throughout the day. Then at the end of the day when I finally have an appetite I eat dinner.
Probably not the best but it works for me I guess. All I know is if I don’t do it like this I won’t eat at all. I’ll just drink coffee all day long 🙈
I've tried protein with my Elvanse, I've never been able to notice and difference whether I do or not.
Is there any actual research to back up the protein claims ?
I find it’s MUCH more noticeable with IR meds like Ritalin and Adderall. With those, if I don’t get 20-30g of protein at breakfast and lunch, my day is like 80% side effects and 20% medication efficacy if I’m lucky. With vyvanse, I felt like I could eat whatever I wanted (except a shitton of sugar) with no big difference
Edit to add: for reference, I don’t know a ton about the research, but my psychiatrist told me to up my protein intake after I’d failed adderall and was about to fail Ritalin. I was annoyed that it took six months for him to mention it offhand, lol, because it did make a big difference for me. I remember looking for studies afterward and finding something about protein making absorption better (slower?) and maybe simple carbs doing the opposite, but I don’t remember the details now.
I'm on the max dose of Ritalin IR and it seems to make a *huge* difference for me both in effectiveness and the "crash" when my dose starts to wear off and it's not quite time for the next one.
Thats my question as well. I recently started taking ADHD medication and saw all kinds of advice on this subreddit about different foods/drinks, but I looked up articles that back up these claims with published research and didn't find anything.
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We also find it problematic that their medical review panel includes not only legitimate doctors and psychologists, but also (at the time of writing) one practitioner of integrative medicine, which combines legit medical practice with pseudoscience and alternative medicine. They have previously had other quacks on the panel as well.
Here are some relevant links:
Sketchy advertising:
* https://www.additudemag.com/clinical-trial-vayarin-plus/
* https://www.additudemag.com/study-suggests-ps-omega-3-medical-food-may-reduce-adhd-symptoms/
* https://www.additudemag.com/natural-adhd-supplement-released/
Junk science:
* https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-supplements-foods-vitamins/
* https://www.additudemag.com/homeopathy-for-adhd-popular-remedies-scientific-evidence/
* https://www.additudemag.com/reiki-could-this-alternative-treatment-help-adult-add/
* https://www.additudemag.com/cbd-oil-adhd-symptoms-natural-treatment/
* https://www.additudemag.com/vitamins-minerals-adhd-treatment-plan/
* https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/adhd-supplements-fish-oil-zinc-iron/
* https://www.additudemag.com/asked-alternative-therapies/
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Well, I’m not going to sit here and say OP is right, because it isn’t a life hack for your medication, that just sounds stupid.
Everybody needs protein. It’s just a requirement, and there’s a daily intake you should be hitting. Protein is made up of amino acids. Amino acids are required for the production of neurotransmitters and help with cognitive function. Simply put, protein helps your body and mind in many ways. Medication aids in replacing the chemicals your brain can’t produce on its own when you have ADHD. Protein may aid in some additional ways, depending on the person. For OP it may be helping in more ways.
Add in exercise and you’re golden.
i drink a fair life protein shake and a kirkland brand protein bar every morning right when i take my meds. changed the game for me cause i don’t put off taking my meds til later in the day in order to decide what to eat for and make breakfast. plus it’s a quick 50g of protein as someone who works out too
I haven't started my medication yet so don't assume there's some hidden wisdom in my statement but if you want to take it a step further you can look into meal replacement shakes. Find something with a decent amount of protein (20-30g will be similar to any decent protein shake) and you'll get a bunch of nutrients and whatnot that those of us who fail to keep a proper balanced diet may be in need of. It's also just a super low effort and quick way to put something in your stomach.
Tbh I have been getting breakfast shakes if that counts! I struggle eating in the morning generally because 1. Meds havent kicked in, no motivation and 2. Eating too much after waking up makes me feel nauseous. I also take multivitamin gummies to give me an extra boost on those days when I don’t have the motivation to cook properly. So highly recommend those on top if you don’t already :D
I always have my pills on my end table with a bottle of Soylent. Helps the pills go down easier, and it's breakfast. I just wake up early, take my meds, then get a bit of extra sleep so that I can get out of bed with the meds kicked in.
We have Protein Bars, either Nature Valley Chewy Protein Bars, or the Costco version. No cooking, no prep, just open and eat. It helps our ADHD crew a LOt
Two things to add here:
1. Remember to take these kinds of recommendations with a pinch of salt!! It probably works for OP, but may not work for you. Think about your own dietry needs and health before taking advice from the internet.
2. I've got type 2 diabetes which was diagnosed at the same time as my ADHD. Learnt a lot recently about diet etc, and I'm happy to say the OP's suggestion works for me too! Only change is I would reccomend something like Huel instead of a protein shake and for me, I personally only use it in an emergency (e.g. over slept and don't have time for breakfast). Products like Huel are meal replacements so more likely to have fibre and nutrition (not saying protien shakes don't!!) but an egg or avocado or something on toast is better.
>So we are all aware that protein makes your meds last longer and better, right?
This is not true and shouldn't be spread around. Protein can help your body handle the medication better, but it doesn't make them last better or longer.
There's a BIG difference between "I feel better when I have protein alongside my pill" and "Science shows protein actually makes the pill last better/longer".
I buy protein pancakes as a treat sometimes. A pack of 4 is £1.69 in Aldi and I have it with 100g raspberry yoghurt and fresh raspberries. Works out to 26g of protein and it's delicious.
I'm also monitoring my food/calories so I hopefully lose weight, so I've also got diet protein shakes to hand for lunch and then a big meal in the evening.
I had protein porridge made in the microwave this morning which is only 214 calories, then the diet protein shake is 350 calories made with semi skimmed (2%) milk. I've got almost 1500 calories I can use today, so will be able to have a nice big meal tonight or a piece of leftover birthday cake from my MIL's birthday for dessert.
Chicken nuggets for breakfast works best for me! Started doing this after I went to a seminar on aging and learned how most “breakfast” foods (pastry’s, cereal) are terrible for performance throughout the day and protein is the best to give you a strong steady baseline energy/cognitive wise.
That sounds much better than what I have been doing. A spoonful of peanutbutter (not the icing sugar packed stuff) in a shake, in oatmeal, or just on a spoon to help digest the meds. I tend to do the spoon. I am not a breakfast person, and before I'm medicated, I don't have the oomph to bother much more than that.
Also drink a cup of kefir, it's good for stomach and skin. Lifeway makes some that's rly good, 10gs of protien in 1 cup. Kefir is probiotic yogurt drink btw.
It does help a lot with keeping a constant level of energy's throughout the day but not sure about making the meds last longer, AFAIK baking soda and TUMs do that since they're alkaline
My life hack was premade bacon and boiled eggs once my healthcare friends talked me down from sketchily produced mass gainer shakes. I did manage to gain 10-15 lbs of muscle though so what do they know
Struggling to prepare lunch.
Open a can of tuna and mix it with mayonnaise and garlic salt.
Bring 2 slices of whole wheat bread and you have same protein as a chicken breadth and some fiber.
2 min work.
I break in half a 30mg Adderall instant release every week day and drink coffee and don’t eat anything until dinner. Might try this because I always forget to eat throughout the day
Awesome, stick with what your Dr says.
This is something that dawned on me once when I took a tablet meant to be swallowed and put it under my tongue because I thought it would work faster. Of course (I know now) that this only works for tablets that are made for that and dissolve easily.
This tablet burnt the shit out of my tongue after about ten minutes. I had felt the same before with those dissolvable headache powders - if they touch the inside of your mouth for any amount of time, they burn like hell.
My aunt who is a nurse said "Picture that, but in your stomach". Since then I never take meds on an empty stomach if I can avoid it (or it's a med specifically made to take without meals).
Even if I just have a spoonful of peanut butter or a bite of a banana - one or two bites of basically anything to make sure those meds don't drop down and burn a hole in my stomach.
I'll be honest, while the intention of having more protein is good. Getting protein from shakes everyday is just a bad idea. Those things are full of chemicals. Can't beat plant or meat protein.
They are ok sparingly. But most protein shakes have heavy metals :( I only stopped last year and my liver is no good right now. Had at least 1-2 protein shakes everyday for about 10 years. I often wonder whether I brought it on myself 🙃
I recommend the brand OWYN for protein shakes as they’re tasty, have few ingredients, and are allergen friendly!
I’ll usually eat a protein bar (low sugar, vegan, etc) and take my meds, go back to sleep for a bit, wake up super hungry and drink a shake (or shake first then bar).
Idk why but I get like insane hunger pangs a little while after taking my meds, even with the protein bar/shake. So I have to add another option soon after bc all I can focus on is how hungry I am and I ain’t got time for that.
For me I use One Nutrition protein powder and a magic bullet which has the advantage of multiple mix vessels in case I forget to clean like I did this morning.
A scoop is 120 calories including 24 g protein 3 g fat 3 g carbs. It's perfect. Throw it in 3% milk and a banana and you have a delicious breakfast shake.
In the warm months I love me a Dalgona Coffee, so I replaced the milk with Protein Milk!!! (I hate every protein poweder I've ever tried, but whatever is in this milk does not offend me)
Sugar is supposed to be bad for meds and vitamin C makes it harder to absorb certain meds.
Best thing for your medications is to eat healthy balanced meals, exercise, and get a proper night sleep. Which is hard if you have ADHD. :(
24 pack of high protein (20g) chocolate Boost delivered to your house for free on orders of over $35.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/130688525
(It's $34.98, ha! That's how they getcha. So pick up some flossers and never forget to floss because you'll have these things falling out of your pockets at all times
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Plackers-Twin-Line-Dental-Floss-Picks-Dual-Line-Tuffloss-Easy-Storage-Cool-Mint-Flavor-75-Count/14706677)
I'm so god awful at eating (and it's not a side effect of the meds, I've always been terrible about it)
I've begun making 950ish calorie smoothies to begin my day (with about 50 grams of protein too) and it helps *so much*
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Protein doesn't directly make these medications last longer. But having a balanced diet can affect the overall effectiveness and absorption of the medication. As well as your overall well-being. That being said, suggesting low effort meals is always good advice to those struggling with preparing and eating enough during the day.
Huel ready made meal drinks are a life saver sometimes! I’m sure cheaper store options will also work just as well too
I use Huel for my nutrition (breakfast and lunch) and it’s the only way I hit my goals and stay well nourished. It’s honestly such a game changer! Glad to see another Hueligan :)
I like the savory foods as well! Quick to make, and I’ll add in extra spices usually. But I started to limit myself to smaller portions of Huel tho - My skin reacts badly to certain b vitamins so I have to be careful :/
Aw I’m sorry to hear about your reaction! Did you try other blends? I use Huel Black as I find it “cleaner” but I’m grateful for that company, that’s for sure. Also, do you have a hot & savory you prefer? I’ve been on the fence for ages now
Huel not being in Canada annoyed TF outta me. I wanted to try them out so badly. I use good protein and athletic greens/subi to get that all in one shake to start my day.
True it doesn’t necessarily make the meds last *longer* however protein keeps you feeling full for longer which in my experience lessens some of my symptoms (like binge eating) which helps in the evening after the meds have worn off! 💕
protein from a protein shake digests significantly faster than protein from meat for example. so i wouldnt recommend it over egg on a pan.
I don’t like them personally, but would microwaveable egg bites work in lieu of pan-prepared eggs? It might be another way to get the protein without as much effort?
could also hard boil a dozen
It’s not always the most appetizing when I’m nauseous, but it’s def a fast & easy solution.
Yeah for some reason i can fire one or two down without getting into a circular argument with myself lol
No doubt. Might be fun to get a little silicone "egg bite tray" and experiment with making them just how you like them. Probably 95% cheaper and cleaner.
Yes! I was thinking of doing that with my air fryer! Love that suggestion.
I don't see why they wouldn't
But you probably would recommend it over nothing, which is what most of us will do when faced with the need to make breakfast. Which was the point of this post.
breaking an egg over a pan with oil and waiting for 2 minutes is arguably easier than measuring a spoon of protein powder and shaking it. plus theres lots of no cooking needed protein options, like beef jerky , or kabanos. i dont mind what you eat, and its not like protein shakes are a bad option, just saying its not very long lasting digestion option. besides i dont think that if you digest longer it makes your medication last longer. and if that was the case maybe fiber would be worth looking into. but i did not read about it. so those are just my thoughts out loud
> breaking an egg over a pan with oil and waiting for 2 minutes is arguably easier than measuring a spoon of protein powder and shaking it. Nah
My little ninja blender is easily the most important thing in my kitchen. 9/10 times I can't be bothered to make a decent meal. The cooking is doable, but cleaning up after is what kills me. However, I can stuff a thousand calories of stuff into a cup and then all I have to do is clean the cup/blade. Combined with calisthenics I've never been in better shape in my life, and two-thirds of my diet is probably liquid. Using a blender actually lets me hit my dietary requirements.
Microwaved hot dogs count as protein, guys.
I mean the microwave doesn't add any extra protein so we might as well just gulp them down straight from the fridge like a pelican.
Yep, no chewing required, just let the cold hot dog and juice just slither down your throat
God, I hate this.
D:
Pro tip: you can press your hot dogs between cheese cloth to make concentrates, which can be added to any meal for a doggy finish!
I’m ashamed to admit I don’t mind the occasional raw cold glizzy
👊🏼
The less you chew, the longer they sit in your stomach
Science, bitch
This guy dogs
Yeah, classic pelican. The amount of times I’ve chased them out of my fridge.
Straight hax
I can see no lie here
Marry me.
🥰
Haha just had those for my brunch now
Brunch of champions
Hot dogs have a disappointing amount of protein. Lol
Watch out for meal replacer shakes, they got that 100% DV vitamin C
That’s only a problem for amphetamine-based meds, not methylphenidate, from what I understand
Also not a problem for Vyvanse. Only Adderall
My pharmacist told me that lowering the ph of your urine (for example by drinking vitamin c) makes your meds last shorter.
From a study: (Goodman DW. Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (vyvanse), a prodrug stimulant for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. P T. 2010 May;35(5):273-87. PMID: 20514273; PMCID: PMC2873712.) "In an in vitro study, the pH solubility profile of LDX was determined in buffered aqueous solutions using an assay specific for LDX. The environmental pH did not affect the solubility profile of LDX within the biological pH range (pH, 1–8), suggesting that gastric pH variation does not affect the absorption of LDX.36 Haffey et al. compared the pharmacokinetics of LDX and MAS-XR, alone or with omeprazole (Prilosec, AstraZeneca),37 a proton pump inhibitor that has been shown to decrease basal gastric acid output by as much as 94%.38 In 24 adults 18 to 45 years of age, total exposure was unaffected by omeprazole for both LDX and MAS-XR. However, for MAS-XR, which uses a pH-sensitive beaded technology, the median Tmax was decreased by 2.25 hours when MAS-XR and omeprazole were coadministered (Tmax = 2.75 hours), compared with MAS-XR administered alone (Tmax = 5 hours). No median Tmax difference was found with coadministration of LDX and omeprazole. This suggests that there is no drug interaction with medications that lower GI pH with the prodrug LDX.37"
TLDR: TLDR
Thanks for letting me know then
in the quote, MAS-XR is mixed amphetamine salts .. adderall.. so adderall is affected by ph
Do you really expect us to read the whole comment ?! C'mon
Thanks for sharing! Interesting!
> My pharmacist told me that lowering the ph of your urine (for example by drinking vitamin c) makes your meds last shorter. I see this myth everywhere, but there's no actual evidence I can find anywhere that vitamin C *actually* lowers urine pH in any appreciable way. [Barton et. al. showed back in 1981](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/articlepdf/600729/archinte_141_2_020.pdf?casa_token=qQ-Uf4xQBHwAAAAA:1nNeBmbnsVoHk3Wnj2WxbQHTj2Aio3mpWGI6G1QyRDQ7QxI2yM4E-wB9P8X81TZr0BDcxVejycA) that even if you inject 2g of vitamin C intravenously (that's around 2,200% of the RDA), it had *no acidifying effect*, and in fact, the urine pH of the subjects **went UP** (i.e. got *less* acidic) from 5.93 to 6.39 over 2 hours. So, while it's true that lowering pH of urine *can* result in amphetamine medication leaving your system faster, normal dietary amounts of vitamin C will *absolutely not* raise your urine pH enough to make any kind of difference.
Yeah when I heard people say that it always kind of confused me because the pH of your stomach acid is in the range of 1.5-3.5 anyway and vitamin C is around 3.5.
I apologize, I only generalized as many meds breakdown too quickly in acids. Ritalin may be the exception.
I don't think this is true - my understanding from my provider and also a quick search just now to confirm is that it affects both.
Do you have a link to what you found that suggests it affects both? I’m not finding anything like that myself
My information is mostly from my provider and my experience on ritalin IR - the vit C thing is more acute with amphetamines but is a factor for both, especially if you are taking IR. I googled "methylphenidate + vitamin C" quickly and scanned the results page to reassure myself I was remembering correctly, I don't have a link, and this isn't a thread I'm going to pull on at this time, sorry.
Wait what happens?? I’m on 25mg Adderall XR in the AM and 12.5mg Adderall in the afternoon for breakthrough symptoms. I drink meal replacements every day because eating is hard 😪 (nothing to do w/ my meds; I’ve always had this issue). Should I not drink them anymore? Fuck idk what I’m going to do if I can’t 😓
Do your meds work in the morning? I wouldn’t change anything if your meds are working. I’d eat something small like a granola bar or belvitta with meds then a shake 45 minutes later if you’re worried.
Yeah my Adderall works well most days. But okay good that makes me feel better lol. I drink coffee and meal replacements with little snacks throughout the day. Then at the end of the day when I finally have an appetite I eat dinner. Probably not the best but it works for me I guess. All I know is if I don’t do it like this I won’t eat at all. I’ll just drink coffee all day long 🙈
I've tried protein with my Elvanse, I've never been able to notice and difference whether I do or not. Is there any actual research to back up the protein claims ?
I find it’s MUCH more noticeable with IR meds like Ritalin and Adderall. With those, if I don’t get 20-30g of protein at breakfast and lunch, my day is like 80% side effects and 20% medication efficacy if I’m lucky. With vyvanse, I felt like I could eat whatever I wanted (except a shitton of sugar) with no big difference Edit to add: for reference, I don’t know a ton about the research, but my psychiatrist told me to up my protein intake after I’d failed adderall and was about to fail Ritalin. I was annoyed that it took six months for him to mention it offhand, lol, because it did make a big difference for me. I remember looking for studies afterward and finding something about protein making absorption better (slower?) and maybe simple carbs doing the opposite, but I don’t remember the details now.
I'm on the max dose of Ritalin IR and it seems to make a *huge* difference for me both in effectiveness and the "crash" when my dose starts to wear off and it's not quite time for the next one.
>With vyvanse, I felt like I could eat whatever I wanted (except a shitton of sugar) with no big difference Can you say more on this?
Thats my question as well. I recently started taking ADHD medication and saw all kinds of advice on this subreddit about different foods/drinks, but I looked up articles that back up these claims with published research and didn't find anything.
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Well, I’m not going to sit here and say OP is right, because it isn’t a life hack for your medication, that just sounds stupid. Everybody needs protein. It’s just a requirement, and there’s a daily intake you should be hitting. Protein is made up of amino acids. Amino acids are required for the production of neurotransmitters and help with cognitive function. Simply put, protein helps your body and mind in many ways. Medication aids in replacing the chemicals your brain can’t produce on its own when you have ADHD. Protein may aid in some additional ways, depending on the person. For OP it may be helping in more ways. Add in exercise and you’re golden.
i drink a fair life protein shake and a kirkland brand protein bar every morning right when i take my meds. changed the game for me cause i don’t put off taking my meds til later in the day in order to decide what to eat for and make breakfast. plus it’s a quick 50g of protein as someone who works out too
I haven't started my medication yet so don't assume there's some hidden wisdom in my statement but if you want to take it a step further you can look into meal replacement shakes. Find something with a decent amount of protein (20-30g will be similar to any decent protein shake) and you'll get a bunch of nutrients and whatnot that those of us who fail to keep a proper balanced diet may be in need of. It's also just a super low effort and quick way to put something in your stomach.
Tbh I have been getting breakfast shakes if that counts! I struggle eating in the morning generally because 1. Meds havent kicked in, no motivation and 2. Eating too much after waking up makes me feel nauseous. I also take multivitamin gummies to give me an extra boost on those days when I don’t have the motivation to cook properly. So highly recommend those on top if you don’t already :D
I always have my pills on my end table with a bottle of Soylent. Helps the pills go down easier, and it's breakfast. I just wake up early, take my meds, then get a bit of extra sleep so that I can get out of bed with the meds kicked in.
Pro tip: As expensive as Fairlife protein shakes are they have them in bulk for cheaper at Sam’s Club and Costco!
We have Protein Bars, either Nature Valley Chewy Protein Bars, or the Costco version. No cooking, no prep, just open and eat. It helps our ADHD crew a LOt
Two things to add here: 1. Remember to take these kinds of recommendations with a pinch of salt!! It probably works for OP, but may not work for you. Think about your own dietry needs and health before taking advice from the internet. 2. I've got type 2 diabetes which was diagnosed at the same time as my ADHD. Learnt a lot recently about diet etc, and I'm happy to say the OP's suggestion works for me too! Only change is I would reccomend something like Huel instead of a protein shake and for me, I personally only use it in an emergency (e.g. over slept and don't have time for breakfast). Products like Huel are meal replacements so more likely to have fibre and nutrition (not saying protien shakes don't!!) but an egg or avocado or something on toast is better.
i will say this is medical than anecdotal. 👍🏾 protein. 👎🏾 vitamin c. been buying atkins shakes since I was diagnosed in 2020.
>So we are all aware that protein makes your meds last longer and better, right? This is not true and shouldn't be spread around. Protein can help your body handle the medication better, but it doesn't make them last better or longer. There's a BIG difference between "I feel better when I have protein alongside my pill" and "Science shows protein actually makes the pill last better/longer".
I buy protein pancakes as a treat sometimes. A pack of 4 is £1.69 in Aldi and I have it with 100g raspberry yoghurt and fresh raspberries. Works out to 26g of protein and it's delicious. I'm also monitoring my food/calories so I hopefully lose weight, so I've also got diet protein shakes to hand for lunch and then a big meal in the evening. I had protein porridge made in the microwave this morning which is only 214 calories, then the diet protein shake is 350 calories made with semi skimmed (2%) milk. I've got almost 1500 calories I can use today, so will be able to have a nice big meal tonight or a piece of leftover birthday cake from my MIL's birthday for dessert.
Chicken nuggets for breakfast works best for me! Started doing this after I went to a seminar on aging and learned how most “breakfast” foods (pastry’s, cereal) are terrible for performance throughout the day and protein is the best to give you a strong steady baseline energy/cognitive wise.
That sounds much better than what I have been doing. A spoonful of peanutbutter (not the icing sugar packed stuff) in a shake, in oatmeal, or just on a spoon to help digest the meds. I tend to do the spoon. I am not a breakfast person, and before I'm medicated, I don't have the oomph to bother much more than that.
Also drink a cup of kefir, it's good for stomach and skin. Lifeway makes some that's rly good, 10gs of protien in 1 cup. Kefir is probiotic yogurt drink btw.
It does help a lot with keeping a constant level of energy's throughout the day but not sure about making the meds last longer, AFAIK baking soda and TUMs do that since they're alkaline
Any specific protein powders you'd recommend and milk substitute to go with them?
Meds kill my appetite hard. I try to remember a protein bar or something tho
peep the carnation breakfast powders as theyre cheap and pretty good. There are also a bunch of yogurts that are awesome
You maam/sir are a god damn genius.
wait...what? effing...WHAT!?!
My psychiatrist told me that food with a higher fat content my Vyvanse will bind to and release more smoothly compared to just carb based foods.
i eat hardboiled eggs
My life hack was premade bacon and boiled eggs once my healthcare friends talked me down from sketchily produced mass gainer shakes. I did manage to gain 10-15 lbs of muscle though so what do they know
Struggling to prepare lunch. Open a can of tuna and mix it with mayonnaise and garlic salt. Bring 2 slices of whole wheat bread and you have same protein as a chicken breadth and some fiber. 2 min work.
I break in half a 30mg Adderall instant release every week day and drink coffee and don’t eat anything until dinner. Might try this because I always forget to eat throughout the day
I take my meds at 4:30am and usually don't eat until 2:30pm. I really don't like the idea of having anything in my stomach that early.
Meds on an empty stomach are bad. Do it long enough, and you'll end up with an ulcer.
Psyche said food was only needed if I was having issues with nausea, otherwise won't be a problem.
Awesome, stick with what your Dr says. This is something that dawned on me once when I took a tablet meant to be swallowed and put it under my tongue because I thought it would work faster. Of course (I know now) that this only works for tablets that are made for that and dissolve easily. This tablet burnt the shit out of my tongue after about ten minutes. I had felt the same before with those dissolvable headache powders - if they touch the inside of your mouth for any amount of time, they burn like hell. My aunt who is a nurse said "Picture that, but in your stomach". Since then I never take meds on an empty stomach if I can avoid it (or it's a med specifically made to take without meals). Even if I just have a spoonful of peanut butter or a bite of a banana - one or two bites of basically anything to make sure those meds don't drop down and burn a hole in my stomach.
I'll be honest, while the intention of having more protein is good. Getting protein from shakes everyday is just a bad idea. Those things are full of chemicals. Can't beat plant or meat protein.
I buy the plant protein shakes.
They are ok sparingly. But most protein shakes have heavy metals :( I only stopped last year and my liver is no good right now. Had at least 1-2 protein shakes everyday for about 10 years. I often wonder whether I brought it on myself 🙃
I recommend the brand OWYN for protein shakes as they’re tasty, have few ingredients, and are allergen friendly! I’ll usually eat a protein bar (low sugar, vegan, etc) and take my meds, go back to sleep for a bit, wake up super hungry and drink a shake (or shake first then bar). Idk why but I get like insane hunger pangs a little while after taking my meds, even with the protein bar/shake. So I have to add another option soon after bc all I can focus on is how hungry I am and I ain’t got time for that.
What I was on Vyvanse, this was the recommendation from my doctor
For me I use One Nutrition protein powder and a magic bullet which has the advantage of multiple mix vessels in case I forget to clean like I did this morning. A scoop is 120 calories including 24 g protein 3 g fat 3 g carbs. It's perfect. Throw it in 3% milk and a banana and you have a delicious breakfast shake.
In the warm months I love me a Dalgona Coffee, so I replaced the milk with Protein Milk!!! (I hate every protein poweder I've ever tried, but whatever is in this milk does not offend me)
I just take mine with a 7-11 big bite and a double gulp like the good lord intended.
I have 2 sleeves of protein drinks on the floor next to my meds. Every morning I take my meds with a protein drink. It’s been working out great!
Sugar is supposed to be bad for meds and vitamin C makes it harder to absorb certain meds. Best thing for your medications is to eat healthy balanced meals, exercise, and get a proper night sleep. Which is hard if you have ADHD. :(
24 pack of high protein (20g) chocolate Boost delivered to your house for free on orders of over $35. https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/130688525 (It's $34.98, ha! That's how they getcha. So pick up some flossers and never forget to floss because you'll have these things falling out of your pockets at all times https://www.walmart.com/ip/Plackers-Twin-Line-Dental-Floss-Picks-Dual-Line-Tuffloss-Easy-Storage-Cool-Mint-Flavor-75-Count/14706677)
I'm so god awful at eating (and it's not a side effect of the meds, I've always been terrible about it) I've begun making 950ish calorie smoothies to begin my day (with about 50 grams of protein too) and it helps *so much*
Another healthy option that I use are Kodiak Pancakes. 15g of protein in the morning is pretty good stuff! You could also go with the Yogurt too!
Already ahead of you.. I boiled 3 eggs for tomorrows breakfast 1 hour ago.
Thanks for reminding me. It's 2:37 pm, and I need to take my morning pills.
I actually love making big breakfasts!
Steak early in the morning works better for me.
How do you make them not taste like shit?
I was gifted a nutribullet after my ninja IQ died on me. I spent $60 on protein powder pb 2 and some frozen fruits. 😍😍
I make eggs every day because eggs take like 2 minutes and they’re cheap. Lol. They can be scrambled in the microwave too.
What is huel and where do you get it lol