Rumor has it, lots of seemingly arbitrary things might make you horny. There’s the stress supplement ashwagandha, drugs like magic mushrooms and weed or even perfectly innocuous things like non-alcoholic elixirs, women riding mechanical bulls or, er, the U.S. election. And now, the latest question on everyone’s lips is: Does Adderall make you horny, too?
Unlike watching bull-riding or dueling politicians, it makes sense that a drug prescribed for a medical condition (in this case, ADHD) might have an impact on sexual desire. But there seems to be conflicting reports on which end of the horniness scale you’ll end up on — will it be the low libido/erectile dysfunction end, or as someone on Reddit put it, the “unbelievably horny” part?
According to Verywell Health, those who take Adderall might experience negative sexual side effects from taking the drug. For men and people with penises, this might include erectile dysfunction, as well as a decreased interest in sex — though it’s unclear whether the erectile dysfunction actually leads to a decrease in libido, or if a person can experience a reduced sex drive without it. Problems getting or maintaining an erection on Adderall likely stem from the drug narrowing blood vessels in the brain, possibly raising blood pressure and having other cardiovascular effects. And, as Verywell Health adds, “cardiovascular disease is a major risk factor for erectile dysfunction.”
Women and those with vaginas can also feel less horny when taking Adderall — though, again, other side effects of the drug like headaches, nervousness and more painful periods might have something to do with this. As reported by sex therapy app Blueheart, Adderall might make it harder for women to get wet or achieve orgasm, too.
However, if the medication is doing its intended job — boosting focus and reducing impulsivity and hyperactivity — then it might actually improve a person’s libido and sex life, simply by helping them focus during sex or alleviating symptoms of depression associated with their condition.
Furthermore, as reported by Medical News Today, amphetamines (like Adderall) in general can cause “hypersexuality” — though the publication adds that this can become an “all-consuming preoccupation with sex that can border on obsession.” Previously speaking to MEL, Matthew Johnson, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University, said the connection between amphetamines, sexual desire and risk-taking likely happens because of the drug’s elevating effect on the dopamine system.
One redditor took to the r/ADHD platform to talk about the “Adderall hornies,” writing: “It’s fucking amazing. I’m 40, have been taking Adderall for about a month and am having the best sex of my life (the increased ability to focus is certainly helping, too). About an hour and a half after I take my pill, I get so intensely horny I often hide out somewhere and jill off. This is fantastic, will it last?” In a comment, she added: “It’s nice to take an evening Adderall and have the energy and desire for sex when it can finally happen, it’s helping me to feel like a real person again.”
Countless others on Reddit echo this sentiment, though some aren’t as pleased about it as others. One described the “problem” of their “unquenchable sex drive.” “At first I just had a bit of a higher libido and then it got a bit frustrating, and now it’s really annoying,” she wrote. “Is there anything I can do to make this go away? I am female, so an orgasm is basically a few seconds of pleasure and then my vagina says, ‘One down, five more to go.’ It’s actually driving me crazy and is affecting my relationship because my boyfriend feels like he can’t keep up with me.” Another said their newfound ability to focus thanks to the Adderall was being wasted on “stroking away for hours” instead of studying.
As Verywell Health reports, feeling extreme horniness or nothing at all might go away once your body gets used to the medication. Sometimes, people might experience a dip in their libido when they first start taking Adderall, but will return to their usual state of horniess after a few weeks. For others, the immediate effect might be the other way around. Either way, it’s worth talking to your doctor if the sexual side effects of Adderall are causing serious problems for you.
In the meantime, you can (hopefully) take solace in the fact that you aren’t the redditor whose “longest Adderall jerk binge [was] around 16 hours.” And yes, he added, “around the 16th hour mark I finally came.”
Brit Dawson
Brit Dawson is a London-based journalist who mostly writes about sex, women's rights and sex work. She is also the staff writer at Dazed.
