We know Adderall, Vyvanse, and Ritalin help manage ADHD, but also cause appetite loss. But there’s also a lesser-talked-about aspect: Many people with ADHD report getting that “food ick” more often after taking medication. For some, eating simply isn’t an enjoyable activity. For others, we go “off” certain foods for weeks, months, or even years because even the thought of that food is, well, icky!
Why is this?
Check out this blog post to learn about how stimulants increase dopamine, which decreases our appetite, but another factor is to consider that plays a significant role in appetite changes is sensory dysregulation.
ADHD is associated with atypical sensory filtering and processing. Studies show individuals with ADHD, particularly the inattentive subtype, often demonstrate reduced alpha wave suppression, meaning their brains may process more sensory input than necessary.
Increased sensitivity to textures, smells, and temperatures, and sounds can lead to overwhelm; more pronounced if stressed, sleep-deprived, or socially dysregulated
ADHD is not a Sensory Processing Disorder; however, the research on the brainwave patterns indicate that ADHD may partially be a disorder of sensory overload, especially for those with more inattentive symptoms.
Stimulants and sensory gating
That seemingly odd phenomenon where you need to turn down the music in your car to find a parking space isn’t actually that weird: You have host of neural processes to “turn things down” and let you focus—this is sensory gating. A 2021 study investigated sensory gating in adults with ADHD that have never used stimulants using P50 suppression and prepulse inhibition (PPI)—two measures of how the brain filters out repetitive or non-essential stimuli.
| P50 suppression studies how your brain reacts to a repeated sound. A healthy brain goes, ‘oh, that again? Boring,’ and dampens its response. Poor P50 means your brain thinks the repeated sound matters equally to the first—not great for filtering. |
| Prepulse inhibition (PPI) tests your startle response. If you hear a smaller sound before a loud one, a healthy brain is less startled. But if your PPI is weak, your brain doesn’t get that ‘heads up’— you stay jumpy and reactive. It’s often used as a marker for sensory overload. |
Key findings from the study
- Before treatment, ADHD participants showed similar sensory gating compared to controls.
- After six weeks of methylphenidate (a common ADHD stimulant), ADHD symptoms improved, and P50 and PPI remained stable.
- However, habituation worsened, meaning participants’ brains continued to respond to repetitive stimuli as though they were new or important.
Habituation is your brain’s ability to learn that things that repeat are not worth paying attention to—whether because it’s new and interesting or potentially threatening. Think the sound of chewing, the feeling of swallowing, or the texture of the same food over and over. When habituation weakens, your brain treats repeated signals like they’re new or important. So instead of zoning out while you eat, your brain keeps going:
This is a noodle.
This noodle is slimy.
Wow, this other noodle is also slimy.
This now feels like I’m eating worms…
Difficulty habituating to food-related sensations like chewing, texture, or temperature can lead to a heightened perception of discomfort or disgust during meals, even in the absence of typical sensory sensitivity. This may be why you can eat a specific food and then all of a sudden feel like you can’t eat it anymore. You might not think you’re thinking about your food, but your brain is thinking about the food…over and over and over again.
Slimy worm noodles may not be your lived experience, but many ADHD-ers report periods of time where they simply cannot eat certain foods that they had no problem with before, and vice versa. For some appetite support, check out these 7 steps!
