Pharmacist Reveals: Why is your stimulant making you SWEAT?!

Do you feel so much hotter when you're taking like Vyvanse or Adderall all, especially like, during the summertime? I feel like this is a counselling point that doesn't get talked about enough. So let's go through it. As you know, stimulants like Vyvanse increase dopamine and norepinephrine in our brain. But norepinephrine doesn't just help with focus, it's also a major fight or flight chemical. As norepinephrine signalling goes up in our body, you start noticing having higher blood pressure, having a higher heart rate, being more alert, and even a more physical activation. When your body tries to cool itself through thermal regulation, which is controlled largely by the hypothalamus. So think of that as like our internal thermostat. But when you're supposed to do a few things: increase blood flow to the skin, make you sweat, make you feel tired, slow down or hydrate. This is where stimulants complicate things. First, they're going to increase cardiovascular workload. Is already working harder to send blood to the skin, so your body can release heat. So stimulants are increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. So now your cardiovascular system is doing extra work. At the same time, stimulants can increase alertness and physical drive. So your brain's slow down, you're not noticing you're overheating may not be as obvious. They can also suppress appetite and thirst, which is gonna mean less fluid intake, less sweat reserve. But to prevent overheating while on a stimulant, my biggest piece of advice is make sure that you are consistently drinking water throughout.