Vyvanse Vs. Adderall: Similarities, Differences, And How To Choose

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What to know about the difference between Vyvanse and Adderall

Medically reviewed by Jennie Olopaade, PharmD, RPH — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD — Updated on August 16, 2024

Adderall
Vyvanse
Uses
Effectiveness
Side effects
Interactions
How to choose
Summary

Vyvanse and Adderall are two drugs that doctors may prescribe to treat ADHD symptoms. Both work in similar ways and share comparable side effect profiles.

Both Vyvanse and Adderall are effective treatments for symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They have different active ingredients but treat symptoms by altering the amount of free dopamine and norepinephrine in the blood.

The active ingredient in Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine, while the active ingredients in Adderall are a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts.

In this article, we explore the similarities and differences between Vyvanse and Adderall and discuss how doctors decide between the two.

What is Adderall?

two prescription bottles on a black background — Jeffrey Hamilton/Getty Images

Adderall is a brand-name medication containing a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. It is a central nervous system stimulant, which works by increasing the circulating amount of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain.

Adderall is available in immediate-release tablets and extended-release capsules (Adderall XR). While both types can help treat ADHD, people also use immediate-release Adderall to treat narcolepsy, which is a sleep disorder.

How to take Adderall and dosages

A doctor may prescribe immediate-release Adderall at the lowest-available dose — as low as 2.5 milligrams (mg) per day — and increase it if necessary.

Dosages of Adderall vary depending on the type. The drug is available as in immediate-release (IR) and extended-release (XR) forms. The former releases into the body immediately upon dosage, while the latter releases slowly over a period.

Immediate-release (mg)	Extended-release (mg)
5	5
7.5	10
10	15
12.5	20
15	25
20	30
30

What is Vyvanse?

The active ingredient in Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine. Lisdexamfetamine is an inactive drug that the body breaks down into dextroamphetamine in the bloodstream. Dextroamphetamine is one of the same active ingredients that Adderall contains and similarly affects dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain.

Vyvanse is available in a capsule or in a chewable form. If someone has difficulty swallowing, they can open the capsule and dissolve the contents in water.

How to take Vyvanse and dosages

The following table lists the dosages of both forms of Vyvanse.

Vyvanse (mg)	Vyvanse chewable (mg)
10	10
20	20
30	30
40	40
50	50
60	60
70

The starting dose of Vyvanse to treat ADHD in people 6 years and older is 30 mg once daily in the morning. The doctor can increase the dose by 10 to 20 mg every week until the medication achieves the desired effect.

Uses

Doctors prescribe both Vyvanse and Adderall for ADHD. Some adults take Vyvanse for moderate to severe binge eating disorder.

Doctors can prescribe Adderall IR in people over 6 years old to treat narcolepsy. Adderall XR is also an off-label option for the treatment of narcolepsy once a person reaches a stable dose.

How effective are they?

Alongside behavioral therapy, medications are a first-line treatment for ADHD.

The drugs differ in their length of action:

Vyvanse provides takes up to 1 hour to take effect and may last for 8 to 14 hours.
Adderall XR can take up to 7 hours to reach peak concentration in the blood.
Adderall IR can take up to 3 hours to reach peak concentration.

Sometimes, people who take Adderall XR need a short-acting amphetamine at the end of the effect to extend the control of their symptoms.

Side effects

The side effects of Vyvanse, Adderall XR, and Adderall are similar and include:

reduced appetite
decreased weight
sleeplessness
dry mouth
irritability
nausea and vomiting
tics
increases in blood pressure and heart rate
constipation
diarrhea

Interactions

Since the body converts Vyvanse into dextroamphetamine, both Vyvanse and Adderall have the same drug interactions.

As with other stimulants, people need to avoid using certain types of antidepressants — namely monoamine oxidase inhibitors — with Vyvanse, Adderall, or Adderall XR. Mixing these medications can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise to dangerous levels.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors include:

phenelzine
isocarboxazid
tranylcypromine
selegiline

A person must stop taking these drugs 14 days before starting Vyvanse or Adderall XR.

How to choose

When choosing whether to take Adderall or Vyvanse, people can ask the following questions.

What am I using it for?

Both Adderall and Vyvanse are effective treatments for ADHD. For binge eating disorder, doctors can prescribe Vyvanse because researchers have demonstrated its efficacy through clinical studies.

Immediate-release Adderall helps treat narcolepsy, but doctors have only indicated Adderall XR for treating ADHD.

How long do the effects last?

One of the most significant differences between Vyvanse and Adderall is that Vyvanse remains inactive until the body breaks it down in the bloodstream. The effect of Vyvanse can last longer than that of Adderall XR. Vyvanse provides a maximum of 12 hours of symptom control.

Adderall XR only lasts about 10 hours, and some people may require additional short-acting amphetamines.

How easy are they to take?

Some people have difficulty swallowing pills. Both Vyvanse and Adderall have options for people with difficulty swallowing.

People can take these drugs in the following ways:

dissolve the contents of Vyvanse capsules in water
choose chewable Vyvanse tablets
sprinkle the contents of Adderall XR capsules in applesauce
cut immediate-release tablets of Adderall in half if necessary

What is their abuse potential?

Both Vyvanse and Adderall XR are long-acting stimulants of the central nervous system. There is a lower potential for abuse with long-acting stimulants.

Immediate-release Adderall is a short-acting medication and has a higher potential for abuse. However, it is the only drug indicated in the treatment of ADHD in children under 6 years old.

Summary

Vyvanse and Adderall are two stimulants of the central nervous system that doctors prescribe for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Their side effect profile and drug interactions are similar. Adderall is available in both an immediate and extended-release form.

The immediate-release form of Adderall is the only medication for ADHD that is suitable for preschool-aged children between 3 and 5 years old. Both Vyvanse and Adderall are suitable for people who cannot swallow pills.

Vyvanse has a longer duration of action than Adderall XR. Sometimes, a short-acting stimulant is necessary to extend the effect of Adderall XR.

ADHD / ADD
Pharmacy / Pharmacist

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Label: Adderall – dextroamphetamine saccharate. (2024).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=f22635fe-821d-4cde-aa12-419f8b53db81
Label: Adderall XR – dextroamphetamine sulfate. (2023).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=aff45863-ffe1-4d4f-8acf-c7081512a6c0
Label: Vyvanse – lisdexamfetamine dimesylate capsule. (2023).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=704e4378-ca83-445c-8b45-3cfa51c1ecad
Magnus W, et al. (2023). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441838/
Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) capsules, for oral use, CII. (2017).https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/208510lbl.pdf

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Medically reviewed by Jennie Olopaade, PharmD, RPH — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD — Updated on August 16, 2024

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Tag » How Long Does Vyvanse Take To Kick In

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What is Adderall?

How to take Adderall and dosages

What is Vyvanse?

How to take Vyvanse and dosages

Uses

How effective are they?

Side effects

Interactions

How to choose

What am I using it for?

How long do the effects last?

How easy are they to take?

What is their abuse potential?

Summary

How we reviewed this article:

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