Does Adderall expire? What you need to know.

Pharmaceuticals have expiration dates. Adderall falls into this category. Labeled as a controlled substance, Adderall contains amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Both are amphetamine salts that belong to a class of drugs known as central nervous system (CNS) stimulants.

However, when prescription drugs are in short supply—as with the recent Adderall shortage—many patients who need this stimulant medication may be tempted to take old pills they find, hoping that’s better than nothing. Additionally, people who have an Adderall addiction or drug abuse problem may be tempted to take old pills if that’s all they have left. The power of addiction is strong, and having to detox is—to understate it—hard.

Expired Adderall pills may have some residual activity in treating health conditions such as narcolepsy or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by boosting dopamine and norepinephrine. However, healthcare professionals want you to know that expired Adderall is likely less effective in terms of potency. Always seek medical advice from a trusted healthcare professional when questioning the drug expiration dates of any of your prescribed medications.

RELATED: What you should know about prescription Adderall

Does Adderall expire?

Adderall can expire, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

What exactly does that mean, though? The FDA explains that their regulations require a proposed expiration date for medications to be approved. The pre-expiration period reflects when the drug is “stable,” meaning that the strength, quality, and purity are solid. Extensions of those expiration dates can and have happened if a manufacturer applies to do so, but they don’t always.

Further, much testing and many factors are a part of the process, so the situation is complicated in determining an expiration date. “The shelf-life of medications, including Adderall, is determined by rigorous testing performed by the manufacturer,” says Dr. Elizabeth A. Hall, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCPPS, an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy and translational science, as well as the assistant vice chancellor of academic, faculty, and student affairs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. “Many factors determine shelf-life, so always refer to your prescription bottle for the expiration date and ask your pharmacist any questions.”

It’s also important to store the medicine properly (tips are below) so it stays good as long as possible. “The shelf life is directly correlated to this,” says Dr. Christina Madison, Pharm.D., FCCP, AAHIVP, founder and CEO of The Public Health Pharmacist, PLLC. “With that being said, typically most prescriptions expire one year after it is dispensed.”

In this case, the common descriptor of “expired” is a little misleading. “There is usually a margin of safety factored in here, so the medication may be stable for longer,” adds Dr. Maryann Amirishani, Pharm.D., MD, MPH, Ph.D., the co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center and a professor of emergency medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. 

But whether or not it’s okay to take the medicine after the drug’s expiration date is somewhat of a hot topic.

What happens to Adderall when it expires?

There’s not a ton of research out there, but from what exists, the consensus is Adderall isn’t as helpful once it expires. 

Dr. Hall points to a 2012 study in Arch Intern Med, which found expired samples of medication with amphetamine (one of the active ingredients in Adderall) were at half-potency after being out-of-date for between 28 and 40 years. In other words, she says, if it was a 5 mg pill, the expired pill was measured to be fewer than 2.5 mg. 

“Given this study, it is reasonable to expect that the potency and efficacy of Adderall cannot be assured once it is expired,” she says.

Dr. Madison points to a 2019 study in African Health Sciences that found most over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications likely maintain their potency for a few months to years after the expiration date but says the FDA only guarantees full potency by the expiration date, and if stored properly.

Again, proper storage is what it comes down to. Dr. Amirishani says the FDA’s testing through the Shelf-Life Extension Program (SLEP) found they could extend the half-life of 88% of medications for quite some time—and the conditions are probably much different in a patient’s household.

Dr. Amirishani believes there’s a big misunderstanding about where to store medication. “One common mistake people make is to store their medications in the medicine cabinet,” Dr. Amirishani says. “Heat and moisture from the shower can cause medications stored there to break down faster.” 

RELATED: Is expired medicine safe to take?

Can you take expired Adderall during a shortage?

With the recent shortage of Adderall, people may be tempted to take Adderall that’s expired because they have no other way of getting it. Whether or not someone decides to take expired Adderall (excluding cases of substance abuse, in which addiction treatment is paramount) ultimately comes down to how cautious a person wants to be and what they expect.

“It’s likely not harmful to take an expired Adderall,” Dr. Madison says. “Unlike antibiotics such as doxycycline that become toxic if they expire, there is no issue other than decreased efficacy with taking this medication.” This goes for Adderall, which has expired for all periods of time.

Dr. Amirishani largely agrees patients shouldn’t experience side effects. “Reports of adverse effects from taking expired medication are exceedingly rare,” she says. “The big thing you worry about is a lack of potency. If a medication loses its potency, the medical problem you are taking it for may not be adequately treated, which can cause harm.”

However, other experts vote against taking expired Adderall. “As a pediatric pharmacist, I would not recommend that patients take expired Adderall,” Dr. Hall says. The FDA agrees, urging people not to consume expired medicines and warning about the potency and safety risks.

Regardless, the good news is Adderall isn’t the only option, particularly if taken to treat ADHD. According to Dr. Hall, more than 30 medications are on the market today in the U.S. for this common condition. “Patients and caregivers should speak with their pharmacist or other healthcare provider to determine an alternative treatment option,” she says.

If a patient does still take their expired Adderall, it may be unhelpful—and, more importantly, possibly unsafe. “Taking expired Adderall is not advised as it is beyond the date at which the medication manufacturer can guarantee full potency and safety of the medication,” Dr. Hall says.

RELATED: Adderall alternatives: What can I take instead of Adderall?

Tips to keep your Adderall prescription good until its expiration date

You can keep an Adderall prescription good until the expiration date with some storage tips. This ensures that Adderall has a high potential to stay efficacious before expiration. In other words, the effects of Adderall will work the way they’re supposed to and treat symptoms.

The medication guide for Adderall XR recommends keeping the bottle: 

• In a safe place, like a locked cabinet
• Where the temperature is between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (aka room temperature)
• Protected from light

The guide also says to consume Adderall XR capsule contents immediately—rather than store them—if they are sprinkled in applesauce.

Side note: A step before keeping Adderall good is spending less on it. Don’t forget to grab a  SingleCare prescription discount card to save up to 80% of the cost.

How do you dispose of expired Adderall?

So, someone’s Adderall has expired. How should they get rid of unused medicine? 

Taking it to a drug disposal program is the best option. Several pharmacies, such as CVS, have these, so they shouldn’t be too hard to locate. 

“If a take-back site is unavailable in your area, you can dispose of the medication in your household garbage by mixing it inside a sealable plastic bag with old coffee grounds, kitty litter, or another unappealing substance,” Dr. Hall adds. That way, someone experiencing Adderall abuse is less likely to take it.

While flushing is an easier option that may come to mind, it’s interestingly the opposite of what healthcare professionals advise. “Never flush any medications unless your pharmacist or doctor has specifically instructed you to do so,” Dr. Hall says. 

That’s because flushing it poses additional public health risks. “Because of the environmental impact of medications getting in the water supply, it is not recommended that you flush Adderall,” Dr. Amirishani adds.

Disposing of it the right way is also crucial, given the high rates of addiction and the risk of it getting into the wrong hands, emphasizes Dr. Amirishani. “Having extra expired medication in the house can be a source of poisoning for young children or diversion or substance abuse in adolescents or adults if they are not properly stored.”