Ritalin (Methylphenidate)

Below you will find more information about Ritalin

Tips for use are located at the bottom of the page.

What is Ritalin?

Ritalin is originally a medicine that is used to treat and support people with AD(H)D concentration disorder. The active substance Methylenidate ensures that the user gets less distracted from both internal and external stimuli. This makes it possible to achieve a much deeper and stronger concentration. It also gives the user mental energy so that he can focus for a longer period of time without getting tired. In addition, Ritalin provides additional available dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that gives a nice and satisfied feeling. This ensures that the user experiences pleasure in what he chooses to be doing at that time. That is why this medicine has proven to be very effective for treating and supporting people with AD(H)D concentration disorder.

However, people who do not have this concentration disorder also benefit from Ritalin. Not only students but also doctors as well as lawyers, chefs, IT professionals, security officers, traders (and many others) use this medicine. The reason for this is that Ritalin helps them during their work or study to focus optimally for a long period of time. Doctors sometimes make working days of more than 12 hours. Students sometimes study through the entire night. Ritalin helps them with this. You do not have to suffer from a concentration disorder to experience the symptoms of those disorders, because everyone sometimes experiences these. What if you experience these at a critical moment? Ritalin is the perfect tool for this. You will eventually have to do it yourself, but with a tool like Ritalin many things are possible. You get the full hundred percent out of yourself and are thus able to deliver good work, for hours. By making optimal use of your time, you also have more time to relax afterwards. Something that is becoming increasingly scarce in this society.

How to use Ritalin

It is best to use Ritalin in the morning or early in the afternoon. The medicine has more effect in the morning hours. For the best effect, it is wise to eat before you take your Ritalin. It is important to pay attention to your sugar intake. It is better to not consume sugar at all, since this has a negative effect on the effectiveness of the medicine. Sugar decreases the effect of Ritalin. The same goes for vitamin C! The use of Ritalin can slightly suppress appetite during use. Long-term use of Ritalin is often also accompanied by light to moderate weight loss. By eating well in advance (and during), you increase the effectiveness of the medicine, giving you a better concentration and minimizing any side effects. Drinking enough water is also very important.

Ritalin is a medicine whose effect actually gets better over time. The body gets an increasingly better tolerance for possible side effects, while the effect on the concentration remains virtually the same. Some people experience stomach complaints or feelings of restlessness at the beginning, these side effects gradually decrease over time. Most people are not bothered by this from the start. Sometimes the reason for the restlessness may also be related to the fact that you have been in the same position for too long. Because of the medicine, you do not realize that you have been working non-stop for 3 hours straight. By occasionally stretching your legs every now and then you can easily get rid of those feelings.

On average, one Ritalin tablet works for approximately four hours. It is recommended that you keep track of when you have taken your Ritalin. That way you can time when you can take another tablet, if you wish. If you accidentally take two tablets in a very short time, that’s fine. However, this may cause your concentration to temporarily deteriorate. Unless you have built up a tolerance for the medicine and you actually need more! If you use this medicine every day and you want to stop taking it, it is wise not to do this at once. By steadily phasing out this medicine you will not be bothered by the possible withdrawal symptoms that may occur.

Tips for use

Read the available information under the heading ‘How to use Ritalin’ on this page.
Do not use vitamin C – including multivitamins – before or during the use of Ritalin, because vitamin C inhibits the effect of Ritalin. Remember that fruit also contains a lot of Vitamin C!
Take as little sugar as possible just before or during the use of Ritalin, because sugar inhibits the effect of the medicine. If for some reason you are not satisfied with the effect, you can use sugar to reduce the effect.
Do not drink coffee just before or during the use of Ritalin. With this combination you can become restless, making it more difficult to concentrate. (Not everyone reacts the same to the combination of Ritalin and caffeine)
Before the drug has any effect, it may have taken 30 minutes. Do not take more Ritalin in this period if you think it is not working, but wait until after this period.
If you still feel no effect after this 30 minute period, then you can take for example one tablet every two hours next time, before switching to two tablets at the same time. Try not to focus on the feeling it gives you too much, but rather on its effect on your behavior.
Try Ritalin for the first time in a trusted environment to see what the medicine does to you. Using Ritalin during an exam is not a bad idea, but if this is the first time you are taking the medicine – this is not advisable because you do not yet know what the effects of the medicine are on you.
Some people become slightly drowsy during, but often only after using Ritalin, keep this in mind if you still have to drive – careful driving is then desirable.
Never combine Ritalin with alcohol. The Ritalin keeps you sharp, so you do not realize how far you are under the influence of the alcohol, which can be dangerous.
Do you want to combine Ritalin with other medication? Contact us first.
Are you pregnant or are you breastfeeding? Then it is better to stop using Ritalin for a while. It is not yet known whether or not Ritalin has a negative influence on the (unborn)child.

Do you want to achieve a meditative focus? Then use the food supplement Valerian in combination with Ritalin.

Are you still unsure about something or do you have any questions? Then contact us here.