{"id":628017,"date":"2024-05-02T10:30:16","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T14:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=628017"},"modified":"2024-10-25T09:58:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T13:58:51","slug":"do-women-experience-sexual-side-effects-from-adderall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/do-women-experience-sexual-side-effects-from-adderall\/","title":{"rendered":"Do women experience sexual side effects from Adderall?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many women with <\/span>attention deficit hyperactivity disorder<\/span> (<\/span>ADHD<\/span>) count on <\/span>prescription stimulants<\/span> like <\/span>Adderall<\/span> to help them focus and concentrate in their daily lives. <\/span>Adderall<\/span> is the <\/span>brand name<\/span> of an amphetamine, a type of<\/span> central nervous system<\/span> (CNS) <\/span>stimulant<\/span><\/a> that works by increasing levels of <\/span>dopamine<\/span> and <\/span>norepinephrine<\/span>. These two <\/span>neurotransmitters<\/span> in the brain play an essential role in attention. But for some people, <\/span>Adderall<\/span> may come with an adverse <\/span>sexual side effect<\/span>: reduced libido (<\/span>sexual desire<\/span>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Does <\/span>Adderall<\/span> affect <\/span>sex drive<\/span> in females?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Studies are limited on the impact that<\/span> ADHD<\/span><\/a> prescription medications<\/span> have on <\/span>sexual function<\/span> and desire. However, some women have reported lowered <\/span>sex drive<\/span> when taking <\/span>Adderall<\/span> (amphetamine and <\/span>dextroamphetamine<\/span>) and other <\/span>ADHD medications<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

“There’s very little systematic research on this,” said New York City-based sex therapist <\/span>Stephen Snyder, MD<\/span><\/a>, author of <\/span>Love Worth Making<\/span><\/i><\/a>. <\/span><\/i>Some women note an increase in libido, while others notice a decrease. <\/span><\/p>\n

Psychiatrist<\/span> Tom Xia, MD<\/span><\/a>, said although he has read about women reporting <\/span>sexual side effects<\/span> after taking <\/span>Adderall<\/span>, he doesn’t often see it in his clinical practice.“In fact, I have seen patients that have difficulty staying in the moment during <\/span>sexual activity<\/span> report improvement in their <\/span>sex life<\/span> after starting <\/span>ADHD medication<\/span>,” said Dr. Xia, who has a<\/span> private practice in San Francisco, California<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sexual side effects of Adderall<\/span> in females<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to the<\/span> United States <\/span>Food and Drug Administration<\/span> (<\/span>FDA<\/span>)<\/span><\/a>, the most <\/span>common side effects of Adderall<\/span> include:<\/span><\/p>\n