Does Adderall XR 20mg change your BMR?

limeysss

I take it for ADHD, have been taking it for 7 years, it works great for me, I don't have a dependence on it, and I have minimal side effects, but the most noticeable side effect is increased heart rate. I'm not sure if that's related to metabolism or if it even affects it at all, but can I go into starvation mode by only eating 1200 calories a day if my metabolism is higher than I think it is? How do I figure out my BMR while taking a stimulant?

AllOutof_Bubblegum

You won't go into starvation mode, but 1200 is very likely not enough food for you.

MFP is quite notorious for setting calorie goals FAR too low, regardless of height and weight. For example, it told me to eat 1200, and my BMR (the bare amount of calories I need to LIVE) is 1280. And I am extremely tiny, not quite 5 feet. So unless you are smaller than me, or bedridden, it is almost a CERTAINTY that you are eating too little. (This can result in lean muscle loss, chronic fatigue, metabolism damage, and bingeing due to over-restriction.)

Go to

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

and enter your height/weight/activity level.

Subtract 10-20% from the number it calculates for you, and that is the number of calories you should be eating a day in order to lose weight. With this method you do not eat back your exercise calories, as they are already figured into your daily goal.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

But to address your original question, stimulants won't change your BMR, at least not enough to make any difference. The reason people lose weight on them is because the meds lower your appetite, not because it changes your BMR.

katieca123

I used to take something similar, which is similar, and the main thing I noticed was that the increased heart rate made it harder to exercise, but my appetite was also reduced and I wasn't as hungry as much.