Dexmethylphenidate vs Lisdexamfetamine for focus
Short answer: For focus, more users report improvement with Lisdexamfetamine — 87% of 200 reports, versus 75% of 12 for Dexmethylphenidate.
Dexmethylphenidate has 6 meta-analyses and 29 randomized trials on PubMed; Lisdexamfetamine has 58 and 112.
Based on 28 reports about Dexmethylphenidate and 439 about Lisdexamfetamine. Not medical advice.
| Dexmethylphenidate Medication | Lisdexamfetamine Medication | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 41%helped17 reports · few reports | 41%helped281 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 6 / 29 | 58 / 112 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Focus % reporting improvement | 75% (12) | 87% (200) |
| Mood % reporting improvement | — | 50% (82) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 33% (3) | 61% (62) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | — | 39% (36) |
| Sleep % reporting improvement | — | 12% (17) |
| Common side effects | fatigue, draining, headache, insomnia | anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, irritability |
| Typical dose reported | Not listed | Not listed |
Exercise and psychological interventions are effective for reducing CRF during and after cancer treatment, and they are significantly better than the available pharmaceutical options. Clinicians should prescribe exercise or psychological interventions as first-line treatments for CRF.
JAMA Oncol, 2017 ↗“When I gave dexmethylphenidate and bupropion a shot after getting diagnosed with ADHD... all my depression symptoms disappeared”
Our findings represent the most comprehensive available evidence base to inform patients, families, clinicians, guideline developers, and policymakers on the choice of ADHD medications across age groups. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, evidence from this meta-analysis supports methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, as preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD. New research should be funded urgently to assess long-term effects of these drugs.
Lancet Psychiatry, 2018 ↗“It's been a game changer for my focus and energy levels, really brought me back to life.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate