I've been making all these posts where energy drinks have just been getting a bad reception. I decided to do a little research to see if they really are unhealthy.
Some people think they are a gift from god that helps them get up in the morning, others think that they are a gross unhealthy sin. When you start to judge them though, first you need to remember that they're all made differently. One can be very healthy filled with very little caffeine and chemicals while another can be jam packed with caffeine, surgar, and excessive amounts of vitamins. It all depends on the formula of the drink.
Lets talk about the dangers first since thats what everyone is mainly interested in. Excesses of caffeine and sugar are unhealthy. While they are safe in moderation, caffeine is extremely addictive. In addition too much caffeine can lead to high blood preasure, anxiety, insomnia, and a rapid heart beat. When mixed with physical activity or alcohol caffeine intake can lead to dehydration which can make it very hard to lose weight. The sugar in energy drinks is high. Too many energy drinks can lead to gaining weight. Energy drinks in moderation can be healthy.
Healthy energy drinks are good for you because of their herbal and nutritional ingredients such as guarana, ginseng, and kava kava. Their ingredients can increase calmness and memory while reducing stress. The key to all energy drinks is moderation as too much of any energy drink can lead to unhealthy results. Even healthy energy drinks contain some caffeine and sugar. The key is to drink the healthy amount which is usually recomended on the can.
http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/68385.aspx
Friday, December 10, 2010
Now this is just Silly
Energy drinks may be the next thing to get banned. The minimum age to buy energy drinks like redbull may be elevated to 19 in Long Island. In fact any drink with more than 80mg of caffeine may be a part of this restriction.
The most recent major ban was alcoholic energy drinks like Four Loko. The ban created backlash that is now hitting non alcoholic energy drinks. Even though energy drinks have been getting negative publicity for years, authorities are trying to complete their agendas.
The energy drink Cocaine has seen this problem before. They had to go off the market for a short period of time after recieving accusations of promoting drugs.
In Britain beverages with more than 150mg of caffeine per liter must be marked with a label describing it's contents but no warning has to be present. Redbull's manufacurer does state that it is not recomended that the drink is not recomended for pregnant women or children and advise not to drink more than two cans a day.
Redbull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark. The company sold 3.5 billion cans in 143 countries within the last year.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1336957/Americas-ban-non-alcoholic-energy-drinks-proposed-Long-Island.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
The most recent major ban was alcoholic energy drinks like Four Loko. The ban created backlash that is now hitting non alcoholic energy drinks. Even though energy drinks have been getting negative publicity for years, authorities are trying to complete their agendas.
The energy drink Cocaine has seen this problem before. They had to go off the market for a short period of time after recieving accusations of promoting drugs.
'The caffeine content of energy drinks varies yet the amounts are often unlabelled and few include warnings about the potential health risks,' said Dr Roland Griffiths in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
'It's like drinking an alcoholic beverage and not knowing if it's beer or scotch.'
In Britain beverages with more than 150mg of caffeine per liter must be marked with a label describing it's contents but no warning has to be present. Redbull's manufacurer does state that it is not recomended that the drink is not recomended for pregnant women or children and advise not to drink more than two cans a day.
Redbull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark. The company sold 3.5 billion cans in 143 countries within the last year.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1336957/Americas-ban-non-alcoholic-energy-drinks-proposed-Long-Island.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Red Bull Cola Banned
YES it’s finally happened. Cocaine was actually found in an energy drink! Trace amounts of cocaine have been found in the energy soda. Now Germany is trying to get a nationwide ban of the drink. It’s already been banned in six states.
The amount of the drug found is a very small amount, about .13 micrograms per can. It takes about 12,000 Liters to feel the effects of the drug. The plant cocaine comes from is used to flavor the redbull but the drug must be removed before it is used.
The plant cocaine comes from is known as the coaca plant. It is banned everywhere in the world except for the Andes region where it is a major part of the culture. The Bolivian president Evo Morales is a big time coaca grower himself. he got quoted saying,
"Let's say [Red Bull Cola] doesn't take out the cocaine alkaloid. Have any of those millions of people across the world who have drunk that soda ever gotten sick or felt drugged?"
a little something called COCAINE
Did you know that an energy drink is actually banned? I know it sounds crazy but I just found out that there’s a drink that was banned. The energy drink Cocaine was pulled off the shelves after causing too much controversy from its name.
No, it doesn’t actually contain cocaine but after being marketed on Myspace, (which at the time was still the top social network) to young teenagers the company was forced to with draw it’s shipments to stores in the United States. In addition the drink was banned from Seven-11 stores around the country.
The parent company of the drink Redux which was attempting to market the energy drink to an older crowd of 20 – 30 year olds did attempted to market itself to an older crowd by avoiding the normal extreme sports commercials and cartoon commercials couldn’t stop it’s negative attention.
Their straight forward slogan saying that they are a legal alternative. The website was also quoted with statements like, "We created Cocaine, in large part, because those that analyze the energy drink industry itself described energy drinks as 'Speed in a Can' and 'Liquid Cocaine',"
What causes all the problems is the fact that this drink makes too many references to the street drug, including the claim of causing euphoria minutes after finishing the drink. The name of the drink on the can also looks like cocaine itself. The company is fighting an uphill battle but it makes one great point in saying that the leading soda company in the world actually had the banned substance in it.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/78750/cocaine_energy_drink_pulled_from_7eleven.html?cat=71
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/the-end-of-cocaine-the-beverage/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/78750/cocaine_energy_drink_pulled_from_7eleven.html?cat=71
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/the-end-of-cocaine-the-beverage/
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Future of The Blog
I have learned a lot from my research that I used to make this blog. I orginally started this blog for my English class. Sadly the semester is almost over and this blog may be too. I told my friends in my dorm about the blog and they love the idea but I have very little motivation to keep the blog running. If I do keep it running I would like to find more research on my topic and find concrete answers to my questions that I asked in the infant stages of my blog. If I ever do find the answers I may blog about them but I doubt my blog will get many visits once the semester ends. I would like to leave my readers off with a thankyou and a happy holliday season.
-Mitch
-Mitch
Something Extra
http://drinkneuro.com/products/sleep/
What I've Learned from this Blog
I've noticed positive and negative perceptions of energy drinks and study drugs. In my opinion most people have trouble telling facts from fiction and believe what they heard first, It is very difficult to change their minds. I also learned a lot about the values of college students get tossed away as long as they get the grades they wanted.
Energy drinks are generally used by people to stay awake. They are considered a miracle drink to those who use them to study but the general perception of them is that they are poison and easy to overdose from but they still drink them anyway. Are people unconcerned with their health or just ignorant? I personally think that the health risks of energy drinks are still minimal but that is just my opinion.
Study drugs have become a staple in some students' daily lifestyles. Students take study drugs to stay awake for endless hours and study for tests. Until I started blogging I never knew that they were abused so much. Up to a third of college students consume study drugs to keep up with their fast moving lifestyles. They don't care that they are extremely unhealthy, or they're illegal without a perscription. All they care about is success. I am surprised that study drugs have a more positive perception than energy drinks. In a lot of situations energy drinks can help just as well as study drugs. What I've learned from this blog is that People ignore the law, health, and morals in order to be on top.
Energy drinks are generally used by people to stay awake. They are considered a miracle drink to those who use them to study but the general perception of them is that they are poison and easy to overdose from but they still drink them anyway. Are people unconcerned with their health or just ignorant? I personally think that the health risks of energy drinks are still minimal but that is just my opinion.
Study drugs have become a staple in some students' daily lifestyles. Students take study drugs to stay awake for endless hours and study for tests. Until I started blogging I never knew that they were abused so much. Up to a third of college students consume study drugs to keep up with their fast moving lifestyles. They don't care that they are extremely unhealthy, or they're illegal without a perscription. All they care about is success. I am surprised that study drugs have a more positive perception than energy drinks. In a lot of situations energy drinks can help just as well as study drugs. What I've learned from this blog is that People ignore the law, health, and morals in order to be on top.
Would you cheat in order to keep up with the pack?
College students have found a new way of cheating thats even worse than plagerism. Study pills like Adderall and Ritallin have become widely abused on college campuses. Recently a take home test was given in a Wesleyan class. After the exam was handed in more than half the students admitted to using some sort of study pill. Besides the fact that its extremely illegal to be taking study drugs without a perscription and its unhealthy to take medicine that is improperly dosed, it also brings up the question of cheating and fairness.
Is getting a good grade a reason to throw away your ethics? If everyone in your class but you takes the pills should you in order to keep up with your classmates? How is someone that needs the medicine suposed to have a leveled playing field when everyone he knows gets their work to the next level? I would think this person is just out of luck. Study drugs are now being compared to steroids in sports, but unlike steroids, abuse of study drugs is very difficult to catch and even harder for colleges to punish. The only way I see this issue being solved is teaching people better morals. Cheating is wrong even if you know you won't get caught. Students should be tought to live by those standards.
http://articles.courant.com/2010-10-28/health/hc-college-ritalin-cheating-20101028_1_honor-code-study-drugs-prescription-drugs/2
Is getting a good grade a reason to throw away your ethics? If everyone in your class but you takes the pills should you in order to keep up with your classmates? How is someone that needs the medicine suposed to have a leveled playing field when everyone he knows gets their work to the next level? I would think this person is just out of luck. Study drugs are now being compared to steroids in sports, but unlike steroids, abuse of study drugs is very difficult to catch and even harder for colleges to punish. The only way I see this issue being solved is teaching people better morals. Cheating is wrong even if you know you won't get caught. Students should be tought to live by those standards.
http://articles.courant.com/2010-10-28/health/hc-college-ritalin-cheating-20101028_1_honor-code-study-drugs-prescription-drugs/2
The Death of Four Loko
Four Loko has become a very popular drink at college parties. The drink is an alcoholic beverage that is also an energy drink. The drink comes in a 23.5 ounce can and has as much as 12% alcohol in a single can. That is the equivalent of almost 5 drinks in a single can. The drink has as much caffeine as three cups of coffee. It is also extremely heavy on calories, boasting 660 calories and 60 grams of sugar. The drink is also cheap. It costs about $2.50 a can. It packs a very powerful punch on those who drink it. College students from all over the country have been rushed to the hospital after drinking it. Ramapo College has sent 20 students to the hospital. The drink is slowly being banned from state to state. I disagree with this new ban. Four Loko is aimed towards college students who want a cheap buzz. Almost all college students are legal adults. Whether they are above or below the drinking age they are legally allowed to make their own choices. Four Loko is a malt beverage that mixes caffeine with alcohol. It is almost the same as a mixed drink. Mixed drinks are legal. Why should the government be banning a mixed drink that can be mixed at home? I'm completely for it being banned but I just think that the terminology behind the ban was a little silly.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
I get to criticize an open study drug user's thoughts
Quick Summary of ARTICLE
Adderall is a drug that helps people with ADD and ADHD. Adderall is also used for many other uses in academics and even weight loss. Adderall is a new way of cheating for people with no medical disorders. The author admits to using it because everyone else does it in a competitive environment. He says he can't afford to not take Adderall even with the possibility of side effects.
Critique
I perfectly understand where the author is coming from. This would be perfectly fine if Adderall was legal. This article is very simular to the other one I wrote about ( click here). The difference is this article is from the a user's view. I disagree with people using Adderall illegally. If Adderall levels the playing field for people who have ADD then the playingfield becomes unleveled again when it is used illegally. Adderall does allow people to do crazy amounts of work in single sittings, but no one should have 15 hour study sessions anyway. There is a reason Adderall is a schedule II drug. Adderall is an amphetamine. That means that it has a similar composition to Chrystal Meth and cocaine. The drug should only be taken by people who have prescriptions for it.
for the link to this article click here
Adderall is a drug that helps people with ADD and ADHD. Adderall is also used for many other uses in academics and even weight loss. Adderall is a new way of cheating for people with no medical disorders. The author admits to using it because everyone else does it in a competitive environment. He says he can't afford to not take Adderall even with the possibility of side effects.
Critique
I perfectly understand where the author is coming from. This would be perfectly fine if Adderall was legal. This article is very simular to the other one I wrote about ( click here). The difference is this article is from the a user's view. I disagree with people using Adderall illegally. If Adderall levels the playing field for people who have ADD then the playingfield becomes unleveled again when it is used illegally. Adderall does allow people to do crazy amounts of work in single sittings, but no one should have 15 hour study sessions anyway. There is a reason Adderall is a schedule II drug. Adderall is an amphetamine. That means that it has a similar composition to Chrystal Meth and cocaine. The drug should only be taken by people who have prescriptions for it.
for the link to this article click here
Students at Hopkins also Twitch
Students at John Hopkins University have gone to study pills Adderall and Ritalin to stay awake. One student goes on to say that some students even snort the pills. Many students say this is becoming a ”big problem”. People who take the pills occasionally may not be at risk for serious side effects but others. Abusers of study pills may get phonetic tics, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, hallucinations and cardiomyopathy. Students prefer Adderall to Ritalin because Aderall is less harsh. In addition Adderall goes for about $1.50 a pill while Ritalin goes for about $5.00 at Hopkins. Students who have prescriptions to the drugs sell them and make some profit. The problem is the willingness of students to sell the pills and the fact that they’re so cheap.
-The availability of study drugs is growing at John Hopkins University
-some students have started crushing up and snorting pills in order to study better
-abuse of study drugs can lead to health problems
-students with prescriptions are willing to sell their pills for a small profit
-study pills are sold at a cheap price, making them affordable for everyone
THE RESULTS REALLY MAKE ME TWITCH
I wanted to see if a lot of people drink energy drinks so I conducted a poll of four questions. I asked the first 10 people that I saw walking into my building. I wanted to see a rough percentage of energy drink users, how easy people it is to overdose on them, if people thought there are health risks with energy drinks, and if people liked the taste of energy drinks.
1. Do you drink energy drinks?
7/10
2. Do you think it is easy to overdose on energy drinks?
7/10
3. Do you think there are any health risks associated with drinking energy drinks?
9/10
4. Do you enjoy the taste of energy drinks?
6/7
Breaking down the statistics:
7 of the 10 people have had an energy drink in their life time. I feel like that statistic is accurate because the amount of use of energy drinks is growing. I’m not sure if it’s for the better or worse.
7 of the 10 people think it is easy to overdose on an energy drink. As I’ve blogged about before there is a web page that clearly shows that it is NOT easy to overdose on energy drinks or any substance containing caffeine. Click on the link to see what I'm talking about.
9 of the 10 people think that there are health risks associated with energy drinks. I’m really not sure if this is true because I’ve read that they can be healthy, and I’ve also read that they are responsible for heart attacks.
6 of the 7 people who have tried energy drinks think that they are tasty. I wanted to know what everyone thought about this because when I was in high school everyone hated the taste of energy drinks and the taste was one of the reasons people stayed away.
The only surprise I found was that only one person I polled thought that there are no health risks associated with energy drinks. This leads to the question a big question. Why do people drink energy drinks if they know that they are unhealthy?
Some sites I recommend based on studies and some other cool blogs to read
Here are some sites I found while doing some research. Enjoy!
I’ve never seen a web site that rates qualities of energy drinks until I saw this one. It rates all of the well known energy drinks and lots that I’ve never seen before. The blog is running for its third year, but the administrator has been inconsistent updating it. I would assume that he has trends where he either writes posts somewhat regularly or doesn’t at all. The posts describe the positives and negatives of each drink. The posts also have the nutrition facts and the drink’s website. If I am ever curious about an energy drink this blog would be one of the first ones I would go to.
This blog focuses on caffeine in food and drinks. It’s very interesting because in a lot of the foods we eat, we don’t even realize that there are energy supplements in them. It also covers other popular culture with caffeinated products. I enjoy looking into the lists about energy drinks. The site also informs of some health risks I didn’t know about. My favorite part of the site is the “Death By Caffeine” function, which I’ve already blogged about. It shows how much of a certain food or drink it takes to kill someone. It’s probably not scientifically proven but it’s a fun thing to waste some time on.
I have searched for a very long time to find a blog like this one. It’s very difficult to find a blog those talks about adderall. Sadly this blogger only has one post about it, but the post is a diary about his break from taking the drug. The blogger has ADD like I do. I can strongly relate to the symptoms he felt from his break. I regularly take breaks from it in order to lose the tolerance I gain from it.
Many study drugs were originally used for weight loss. Eventually most of these drugs became only people with ADD and ADHD. Although they are quickly growing in use by people who don’t have a prescription it’s always good to remember what their intended use is. This site covers everything from dealing with attention deficit disorder to the backgrounds to all of the drugs and treatments. The site seems like a great guide for anyone learning to deal with attention deficit disorder or just getting used to life on study drugs.
I find blog posts to be friendlier and more personal than real articles. This blog site takes everything from a site that explains ADD and drugs that fight it but puts it much friendlier. It is also very well updated on recalled drugs and how to manage the medication. I wish sites like this were much more visible because it took way more digging than necessary to find this. It has relevant information that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else.
I found a directory that puts to together many different questions, statements, and ideas about Ritalin and adderall. There are many ideas that are really interesting. I’m mainly interested in how they compared study drugs are compared to marijuana. The post says that both drugs are gate way drugs. I’m fascinated by this because marijuana is now being acquired legally as are study drugs. It makes me wonder if the perspective of study drugs and marijuana will one day trade places.
Before energy drinks started to take over as the main source for keeping people energized coffee was the main source people would use for extra energy. This blog examines ideas about coffee, health benefits of coffee, and even videos of people making coffee. I haven’t been a heavy coffee drinker since the beginning of high school but this blog may be the one that could bring me and even readers back to drinking this hot drink.
This is a great site to look at for anyone that wants an energy boost without drinking anything caffeinated. It shows 50 ways for someone to boost their energy. I highly recommend this site for anyone that wants to get away from a nasty caffeine addiction. The methods all seem to follow the theme of a healthy lifestyle.
I also enjoyed reading these blogs
I also enjoyed reading these blogs
Effects of Drugs and Misuses vividly shows all of the consequences of illegal drugs. The blog shows how dangerous drugs can be. The blog has links that give a lot of information about the drugs. The blog also has several posts that give examples of how stupid people can really be when they are high. This blog interested me because my blog’s goal is to talk about controversial study drugs and energy drinks.
I am a huge sports fan and my roommate has ESPN on 24 hours a day. The blogger is a Yankees fan and I am a diehard Yankees fan. That easily makes this a blog I would recommend. In addition the blog is in depth with facts and fun to read. I will definitely keep up with this blog.
I thought this blog was cool because it focuses on current events in the news and government. The blogger has so far talked about the election, 9/11 and the mosque that will be built near by the world trade center site, and the immigration laws in Arizona. He has also promised to talk about healthcare, bailouts, gay rights, the tea party, and other relevant topics in the near future. I’m excited to see what he has to say.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Death by Caffeine
I found this really cool site where you can figure out how much of a caffinated soda, beverage, or food it will take to kill you. Just enter your weight and the drink or food and see how much it takes to put you to your death. click here
Monday, October 4, 2010
Study Drugs
I was looking for a quick rundown of what study drugs are, and this is what I found. If you want to read it on the original site click here.
The term "study drugs" came into widespread use in the late 1990s to describe drugs, particularly prescription stimulant medications, which students use to increase concentration and stamina. The term is most often associated with the illegal use of Ritalin® and Adderall® by people who acquire them through any means other than a legitimate prescription.
Ritalin and Adderall are amphetamines - brain stimulants that physicians very frequently prescribe to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). ADD and AD/HD are common behavioral disorders affecting attention span, impulse control, and self-discipline, and in the case of AD/HD, hyperactivity.
Not too long ago, drugs like Ritalin and Adderall were known almost exclusively as a treatment for children and some adults with AD/HD. However, it has become quite common to find students on college and high school campuses who are not affected by AD/HD using drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall to help them study longer and with greater focus and efficiency.
The illegal nonmedical use of Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, and other similar prescription medications as study aids is a hot topic on U.S. college campuses today. Estimates of the percentage of students who use prescription stimulants for nonmedical reasons vary between 8%-36%.
Ritalin and Adderall are closely related to illegal "street" drugs, including dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, or "dexies"), methamphetamine ("crystal meth") and cocaine.
Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Methylin, and Rubifen are brand names for methylphenidate hydrochloride, an amphetamine-like prescription stimulant commonly used to treat AD/HD in children and adults. It is also one of the primary drugs used to treat symptoms of traumatic brain injury and the daytime drowsiness of narcolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Ritalin was derived from Dexedrine in the 1950's in an effort to reduce that drug's side effects of appetite suppression and insomnia. Ritalin is the most frequently prescribed stimulant drug for AD/HD and is the focus of much of the controversy about stimulant drugs.
Ritalin is available in both short- and long-acting form. The short acting form generally begins working about 30 minutes after ingestion, peaks at two hours and diminishes in about four. It must be taken several times daily. Ritalin sustained-release tablets last about eight hours.
Ritalin affects children in the same way that related stimulants like cocaine affects adults. It sharpens the short-term attention span when the drug kicks in and produces equally predictable valleys when it wears off.
Possible side effects include insomnia, nervousness, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, blurred vision, tics, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, weight loss, irregular or fast heartbeat, confusion, and liver damage (characterized by yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, and severe fatigue).
Possible symptoms of an overdose include agitation, anxiety, tremors, muscle twitches, seizures, confusion, hallucinations, sweating, headache, fast or irregular heartbeat, large pupils, and dryness of the mouth and eyes.
Ritalin has potential for abuse and for physical and psychological dependence, especially among people who do not have AD/HD. Continued Ritalin use can build up a tolerance to the drug and eventually require larger doses to reap the same effects. Once discontinued, withdrawal effects such as depression may occur.
Adderall is a "cocktail" drug that combines four drugs from the amphetamine family. It was first developed about 20 years ago under the name Obetrol, and was marketed for weight loss. The FDA first approved it for unrestricted use for the treatment of ADD and ADHD (AD/HD) in 1996.
The effects of Adderall can be felt after only a few doses but often takes up to a week or more to achieve the full effect. One dose lasts about six hours. Doctors and people using Adderall report that it can be less "harsh" than Ritalin, with fewer peaks and valleys.
Possible side effects of Adderall include irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, restlessness or tremor, anxiety or nervousness, headache, dizziness, insomnia, dryness of the mouth or unpleasant taste in the mouth, diarrhea or constipation, impotence or changes in sex drive.
Possible symptoms of overdose include restlessness, tremor, rapid breathing, confusion, hallucinations, panic, aggressiveness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.
Like Ritalin, Adderall has potential for abuse and dependence, especially among people who do not have AD/HD. Continued use can result in tolerance to the drug, necessitating an increase in dosage to reap the same effects. Once discontinued, withdrawal effects such as depression may occur.
next time I'll describe my personal experiences with adderall and ritalin, along with the pluses and minuses of the drugs.
The term "study drugs" came into widespread use in the late 1990s to describe drugs, particularly prescription stimulant medications, which students use to increase concentration and stamina. The term is most often associated with the illegal use of Ritalin® and Adderall® by people who acquire them through any means other than a legitimate prescription.
Study Drugs 101
Ritalin and Adderall are amphetamines - brain stimulants that physicians very frequently prescribe to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). ADD and AD/HD are common behavioral disorders affecting attention span, impulse control, and self-discipline, and in the case of AD/HD, hyperactivity.
Not too long ago, drugs like Ritalin and Adderall were known almost exclusively as a treatment for children and some adults with AD/HD. However, it has become quite common to find students on college and high school campuses who are not affected by AD/HD using drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall to help them study longer and with greater focus and efficiency.
The illegal nonmedical use of Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, and other similar prescription medications as study aids is a hot topic on U.S. college campuses today. Estimates of the percentage of students who use prescription stimulants for nonmedical reasons vary between 8%-36%.
Ritalin and Adderall are closely related to illegal "street" drugs, including dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, or "dexies"), methamphetamine ("crystal meth") and cocaine.
Ritalin
Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Methylin, and Rubifen are brand names for methylphenidate hydrochloride, an amphetamine-like prescription stimulant commonly used to treat AD/HD in children and adults. It is also one of the primary drugs used to treat symptoms of traumatic brain injury and the daytime drowsiness of narcolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Ritalin was derived from Dexedrine in the 1950's in an effort to reduce that drug's side effects of appetite suppression and insomnia. Ritalin is the most frequently prescribed stimulant drug for AD/HD and is the focus of much of the controversy about stimulant drugs.
Ritalin is available in both short- and long-acting form. The short acting form generally begins working about 30 minutes after ingestion, peaks at two hours and diminishes in about four. It must be taken several times daily. Ritalin sustained-release tablets last about eight hours.
Ritalin affects children in the same way that related stimulants like cocaine affects adults. It sharpens the short-term attention span when the drug kicks in and produces equally predictable valleys when it wears off.
Possible side effects include insomnia, nervousness, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, blurred vision, tics, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, weight loss, irregular or fast heartbeat, confusion, and liver damage (characterized by yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal pain or discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, and severe fatigue).
Possible symptoms of an overdose include agitation, anxiety, tremors, muscle twitches, seizures, confusion, hallucinations, sweating, headache, fast or irregular heartbeat, large pupils, and dryness of the mouth and eyes.
Ritalin has potential for abuse and for physical and psychological dependence, especially among people who do not have AD/HD. Continued Ritalin use can build up a tolerance to the drug and eventually require larger doses to reap the same effects. Once discontinued, withdrawal effects such as depression may occur.
Adderall
Adderall is a "cocktail" drug that combines four drugs from the amphetamine family. It was first developed about 20 years ago under the name Obetrol, and was marketed for weight loss. The FDA first approved it for unrestricted use for the treatment of ADD and ADHD (AD/HD) in 1996.
The effects of Adderall can be felt after only a few doses but often takes up to a week or more to achieve the full effect. One dose lasts about six hours. Doctors and people using Adderall report that it can be less "harsh" than Ritalin, with fewer peaks and valleys.
Possible side effects of Adderall include irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, restlessness or tremor, anxiety or nervousness, headache, dizziness, insomnia, dryness of the mouth or unpleasant taste in the mouth, diarrhea or constipation, impotence or changes in sex drive.
Possible symptoms of overdose include restlessness, tremor, rapid breathing, confusion, hallucinations, panic, aggressiveness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.
Like Ritalin, Adderall has potential for abuse and dependence, especially among people who do not have AD/HD. Continued use can result in tolerance to the drug, necessitating an increase in dosage to reap the same effects. Once discontinued, withdrawal effects such as depression may occur.
next time I'll describe my personal experiences with adderall and ritalin, along with the pluses and minuses of the drugs.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Comment policy
This blog is based on facts, pop culture, and opinions. You may comment on posts with whatevers on your mind but just be RESPECTFUL. Comments with spam or hate will be rejected. Arguments are welcomed as long as they stay within those boundries. Feedback would be appreciated. I hope you enjoy my site.
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