Can You Take Benadryl And Adderall Together?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not it is safe to take Benadryl and Adderall together.
Can you take Benadryl with Adderall?
Sep 02, 2022- Benadryl and Adderall don't have a direct interaction but work against each other since Benadryl causes sedation while Adderall is a stimulant. For seasonal allergies, non-sedating antihistamines like cetirizine or fexofenadine are better choices if you're taking Adderall. Short-term use of Benadryl for acute allergies or cold symptoms is generally safe with Adderall.
Answer
Hi Lynn, thank you for your question.
While there isn't a specific interaction between them in regard to one drug affecting how the other works, Benadryl (or the generic diphenhydramine) and Adderall (or the generic amphetamine salts combo) is not the best combination to take routinely.
To an extent, they work against each other in regard to how they can make you feel.
Benadryl is a sedating histamine blocker. If you are taking your Adderall for something like narcolepsy or the stimulant effect, then the sedation from Benadryl is going to work against it.
If you are taking Benadryl for an acute allergic reaction or to help with the symptoms of a cold, it should be safe to use Benadryl in the short term though. Benadryl is the strongest antihistamine that you’ll find over the counter, so it should still be safe to use in the short term.
If you are taking Benadryl for seasonal allergies, then I would recommend a non-sedating antihistamine like cetirizine (Zyrtec) or fexofenadine (Allegra) as these are both effective against seasonal allergies and won’t work against your Adderall.
If you are taking Benadryl for sleep, the Adderall may be lasting too long in your system and that might be causing issues sleeping.
It may be appropriate to take it earlier in the day so that it’s worn off before bedtime. If you are already taking it early and it’s still in your system, it would probably be appropriate to talk to your doctor about a dosage adjustment or changing to an immediate-release product (if you are on the XR capsules).
Final Words
Thanks again for your question and please feel free to reach back out in the future!
References & sources
- Diphenhydramine Monograph — https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Diphenhydramine
- Amphetamine Monograph — https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/amphetamine
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Diphenhydramine
- The generic medication in Benadryl that causes drowsiness and blocks histamine in the body.
- Amphetamine salts combo
- The generic medication in Adderall that stimulates the central nervous system to increase alertness and focus.
- Histamine blocker
- A medication that stops histamine, a chemical in the body that causes allergy and inflammation symptoms.
- Narcolepsy
- A sleep disorder that causes sudden, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the day.
- Antihistamine
- A medication that blocks histamine to reduce allergy symptoms like sneezing, itching, and hives.
- Cetirizine
- A non-drowsy antihistamine sold as Zyrtec that treats allergy symptoms without causing sedation.
- Fexofenadine
- A non-drowsy antihistamine sold as Allegra that treats allergy symptoms without causing sedation.
- Immediate-release
- A medication form that releases the drug quickly into your system, unlike extended-release (XR) which releases slowly over time.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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