# Why is Adderall sweet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103 "2012-08-20T22:04:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/1 "2012-08-20T22:04:48Z")
When I took it today…I didn’t swallow it on first attempt and it tasted sweet as hell. I’ve always wondered why the med is quite sweet. Is it like that on purpose because it is commonly prescribed to kids? Or, is it sweet naturally? If so, why and what chemicals make it sweet if it isn’t sugar? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/2 "2012-08-20T22:08:09Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > When I took it today…I didn’t swallow it on first attempt and it tasted sweet as hell. > I’ve always wondered why the med is quite sweet. > > Is it like that on purpose because it is commonly prescribed to kids? Or, is it sweet naturally? If so, why and what chemicals make it sweet if it isn’t sugar? I’ve noticed that too, one of the binders maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/3 "2012-08-20T22:11:52Z")
Here ya go. One of the amphetamines (it has 4) is Dextroamphetamine Saccharate. Saccharate is, I presume, a type of sugar. Also, the first inactive ingrediant is [lacitol](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactitol). All from [here](http://www.mims.com/USA/drug/info/Adderall/Adderall%20Tablet?type=full#Content). ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/4 "2012-08-21T02:37:21Z")
No, saccharate is merely made from sugar, and is not sweet. Neither is dextroamphetamine aspartate. It’s the lactitol. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/5 "2012-08-21T05:21:51Z")
Are you sure the tablets aren’t sugar coated? If they’re smooth and shiny they could be. If they aren’t timed release ones you could break one in half to see before you take it. A coating will look different from the pill’s interior. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/6 "2012-08-21T05:30:07Z")
It is lactose which is used as a binder, check the packaging. I take a generic form of loratadine which also tastes sweet, lactose in the main filler. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/7 "2012-08-21T07:44:34Z")
At least some brands of pseudoephedrine, the original Sudafed before tweakers ruined it, is red and coated with something sweet. It seems to me it’s intentional. Presumably because the plain product tastes bad? If only they’d coat multivitamins. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/8 "2012-08-21T08:56:12Z")
Because … [CUTE ROBINS][MARY POPPINS]a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down[/MARY POPPINS][/CUTE ROBINS] Lactose is popular as a binder and filler for pharmaceuticals and food products - it is cheap, safe, stable and compressible. In particular, the alpha-lactulose anomer does not absorb water from the atmosphere. Beta-lactulose does, and is responsible for clumping of pourable powders when they are exposed to air. Lots of work goes on in production to maximise alpha-lactulose crystallization. Si ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-adderall-sweet/632103/9 "2012-08-21T13:54:25Z")
You should ask your pharmacist to hook you up with the stuff made in Mexico. I’ve heard they use real Cane Sugar. Much cleaner flavour than the US made ones.