How much Adderall is too much?

How much Adderall is too much Adderall varies by person. Kids start at 2.5 – 5 mg but do not take more than 40 mg/day. Adults take 5 – 60 mg per day, but can tolerate more or less given tolerance leves. More on Adderall safe dosing here.

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Maximum safe daily doses of Adderall are 40 mg/day for children and 70 mg/day in adults. However, doctors prescribe Adderall based on individual tolerance and health issues. In this article, we’ll look at the safe amounts of Adderall as well as how much Adderall is too much and can cause overdose. Your experiences, comments, and questions about Adderall are welcomed at the end.

Adderall strengths

Adderall is a stimulant medication used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.  Adderall is available as both an immediate release tablet, taken several times a day, and extended release capsule.  Adderall narcotic Schedule II drug by the Controlled Substances Act, as amphetamines have a high risk of abuse and related addiction but still have a known medical use.

How much Adderall is safe?

Because Adderall is a mixture of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, two very powerful stimulants, it’s necessary to be cautious when determining the ideal dosage for an individual. Even at normal therapeutic doses, Adderall can be a risky medication. It can exacerbate heart problems and cause stroke or sudden death in some people. Generally, Adderall doses begin low and then increase according to therapeutic need and individual tolerance. Following are some general Adderall dosing guidelines for children and adults.

Safe Adderall children doses – Adderall is taken starting at 2.5 mg daily for children under age 6 with ADHD. For children older than six, 5 mg is the starting dose. This is gradually increased over time, but Adderall isn’t given to children in doses larger than 40 mg/day.

Safe Adderall adult doses – Adults might take anywhere from 5 mg to 60 mg of Adderall per day. Usually, this is taken as several pills throughout the day. But even 30 mg might be too much for a particular person. However, in some people, especially those with chronic exposure to Adderall, up to 500 mg can be tolerated. 70 mg in one day is considered the maximum safe does, although this is generally not prescribed.

How much Adderall can you take at once?

You should never take more Adderall than prescribed by a doctor, due to the unpredictable nature of adverse Adderall reactions and Adderall overdose. 30 mg is the maximum recommended dose at any one time, but this can be a dangerously high amount, particularly in children and teens.

How much Adderall to overdose?

It depends. Some people who habitually abuse amphetamines have managed to take up to 15,000 mg of Adderall per day without dying. But for most people that would be far too much. Generally, 20-25 mg/kg of a person’s body weight is considered a fatal dose, so how much you can take depends on your body type and general health. Still, you can experience severe adverse reactions such as heart and lung problems at much lower doses. And some people will overdose on Adderall at lower doses regardless of body mass.

Toxic levels of Adderall in the system

You can achieve toxic levels of Adderall in the system by taking it orally. But it’s much easier to overdose by taking Adderall in ways other than prescribed. Crushing the Adderall and snorting it, or dissolving it in water and injecting it, increases your risk of overdose. This is especially true in the case of the extended-release varieties of the drug – the full dose it not intended to be taken all at once, and it’s dangerous to do so.  And although mixing Adderall and alcohol doesn’t affect they way that Adderall works in the body, it can lead to alcohol poisoning or alcohol related accidents.

How much Adderall is fatal?

How much Adderall is fatal depends on the situation. In children, doses over 30 mg can be fatal. In adults, it’s higher and depends on an individual’s size. For instance, a 150 lb adult would need to take about 1360 mg of Adderall to be fatal. Overdose and severe adverse reactions, including heart and lung problems, can occur at much lower doses. And some people will fatally overdose at lower doses regardless of body mass.

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How much Adderall should I take?

You should take the amount of Adderall prescribed to you by your doctor. Never take more than recommended by a medical professional, and only take this oral medication as directed.

Too much Adderall questions

Do you have a question about taking too much Adderall or other Adderall use questions? Please let us know. We are happy to try to answer your Adderall questions but if we cannot, we will refer you to someone who can.

Reference Sources: TOXNET: Amphetamine
FDA Medication Guide: Adderall XR
Medline Plus: Dextroamphetamine and Amphetamine
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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