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Addall XR review

Addall XR Review – Alternative to Caffeine and Energy Drinks?

I have checked out a number of supplements now that claim to have nootropic benefits. This next one is a little different in terms of the packaging and that in one pack are only two capsules.

Promising to add focus to your day, Addall XR is marketed as the solution to stay energized and focused throughout the day.

I can’t help but think the guys behind this product are attempting to capitalize on the similarity with Adderall (ADHD medication) in terms of the brand name.

Sounds great, but do the claims stack up? And can just two capsules give you that mental boost at an affordable cost?

Are you convinced that Addall XR is the solution to “adding focus” to your day? I have my doubts, but I will try to keep an open mind as I give my honest review of these focus pills.

Addall XR capsules

What is Addall XR?

The brand is bright and bursting with energy with the vibrant orange and yellow colors. I find it visually pretty good and I like it.

I find it funny that the marketing says this nootropic helps you go the extra mile “without coffee or energy drinks” when one of the main ingredients is caffeine!

What’s the significance of the name, Addall?

It’s hard to ignore the similarity with the medication Adderall, which is a prescription drug originally to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – ADHD patients.

Even the Addall XR capsules look similar to Adderall! Check out the similarity in a side-by-side comparison below.

Comparison of Adderall and Addall XR capsules

In my opinion, it's a little tricky when you have a brand that is similar to a prescription drug. This doesn't convince me that it's a better product, in fact, the opposite!

Background on Addall XR

I could find nothing out about the company or team behind Addall XR supplement. Even attempts to sign up for the newsletter didn't provide any answers.

The company address on the website shows the company is based near to San Diego in the state of California. Other than that, not a lot of information to go on regarding the guys behind the Addall XR brand.

Checking out their social media profiles and little seems to have been updated since December 2018 for both Facebook and Instagram. This makes me wonder if the brand has run out of steam.

What Ingredients Are Inside Addall XR?

There are very few ingredients in these nootropic pills. Other than Vitamin B1, B2, and B6, there are only three other ingredients all within a proprietary blend that amounts to 1,413mg.

Here are the ingredients in full:

  • Thiamin (Vitamin B1) – 15mg
  • Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) – 21mg
  • Vitamin B6 – 51mg
  • Proprietary blend: Caffeine, gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and Bacopa Monnieri – 1,413mg

Depending upon which package of Addall XR you have, each pack comes with capsules that makes one dosage or has two capsules that can be taken separately or at the same time.

AddAll XR Label comparison

[UPDATE February 2020]

There has been some confusion regarding the ingredient profile for AddAll XR, triggered by a visitor highlighting the different formulas in the version that they purchased in-store. They kindly sent a screenshot of the label for comparison, which I have included above. My review is based on the information available from the official website as this is what the manufacturer of AddAll XR is showing. It's unclear why the formula in the store is different from this and so have reached out to the company to find out.

Are There Any Side Effects To Addall XR?

Considering the ingredients, it’s unlikely there are side effects but then again, we don’t know the exact breakdown of the ingredients in the proprietary blend.

The FDA requires the ingredients to be listed in order of quantity and so we know that caffeine is the main ingredient in the blend. But how much caffeine in each serving is unsure!

we know that caffeine is the main ingredient in the blend. How much caffeine in each serving is unsure!

One of the other ingredients in the proprietary blend (GABA) has some commonly reported side effects, such as an upset stomach, headache, and sleepiness, but these are short-lived and will stop once you have stopped taking the supplement.

Does Addall XR Actually Work?

Brain nootropics

How effective a supplement depends 100% on the ingredients and importantly their amounts in the formula. There is no question that the B vitamins in this formula are essential for normal bodily functions, but you may be getting these already in your diet or from any other multi-vitamin / supplement.

The effectiveness of this formula then falls on the proprietary blend of three ingredients.

The first ingredient caffeine you will be familiar with could well be the first thing you reach for in the morning.

The benefits of caffeine to boost alertness and focus have been well established. Whilst its effectiveness can decline with overconsumption you will likely experience a short-term buzz from ingesting caffeine.

The second ingredient was a new one for me and I didn’t know too much about this one. Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (or GABA for short) according to Healthline is a naturally occurring amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter in your brain.

GABA is important because it can have a calming effect by reducing feelings of anxiety and stress.

Evidence for the effectivness of GABA seems to be there to suggest there could be a calming effect if take in the right dosage of 50mg to 100mg.

You may not be too familiar with the last ingredient Bacopa Monnieri, I have outlined more on this Ayurvedic herb that has proven nootropic benefits. The science so far highlights you need at least 300mg per serving to get the benefits of boosting brain function and alleviating anxiety and stress, amongst other benefits.

Addall XR could be just a caffeine pill, and despite the marketing very much JUST like a cup of strong coffee!

We don’t know the amounts of these ingredients so it’s impossible to know if they are insufficient amounts to be effective.

This means that Addall XR could be just a caffeine pill, and despite the marketing very much JUST like a cup of strong coffee!

Addall XR Customer Reviews

Checking out the feedback from Amazon reviews and it varies a lot, in fact, polarised from shoppers giving either 5 or 1 star!

From the 11 customers reviews on Amazon with an average of 3.2 out of 5. Here are a couple of examples of typical Amazon feedback.

My absolute favorite keeps me going on hardly any sleep doesn’t make u feel sick I wish came in a bottle with more It works !!!!5 star

Wish there was a bigger bottle5 star

Basically expensive caffeine2 star

Zero percent focus one hundred percent vomit1 star

Addall XR broken capsules

Some customers have reported the capsules broken upon arrival so that the powder had leaked out and the capsule crushed.

How To Take Addall XR

Adults are recommended to take two capsules per day and no exceeding four capsules. Considering the cost, you wouldn’t want to be regularly taking four capsules! More on this later.

Any Money Back Guarantee?

Well, sort of, possibly maybe. Confused, yes so was I.

Looking at the FAQs on the refund policy it simply states when asked if they offer refunds “Yes, depending on the situation”.

That answer doesn’t really inspire me with much confidence.

The refund policy page gives a better answer in they do offer a 30-day refund only if UNUSED and in the original packaging.

Where To Buy Addall XR

You can buy Addall XR from the official website, it’s also available on Amazon.com.

What’s The Cost Of Addall XR?

I thought I had misread the pricing when I first took a look at how much Addall XR costs. But nope, to buy a 3-pack of two capsules is going to set you back a whopping $26.97.

That works out to be $4.50 per capsule!

Addall XR three pack

You can make marginal savings by buying more packs such as the 6, 12, or 24 packs, but the price saving is marginal ($3.82 per capsule for the 24-pack bundle).

A single dose is 2 pills, so in reality you are paying between $7-9 per serving

It’s also worth noting that a single dose is 2 pills, so in reality, you are paying between $7-9 per serving. Crazy expensive when you consider the price of other nootropic pills is typically around $1 per capsule.

My Verdict: Addall XR

Capsule being held between two fingers

Addall XR doesn’t appear to be that popular looking at the 7 Amazon reviews alongside the inactive Facebook and Instagram profiles.

But these concerns aside my main issue is more to do with the cost and ingredient profile.

The high cost and the sub-par ingredient list make Addall XR a definite no for me. In my opinion, you would be much better taking a multi-vitamin to get the same results if any.

Even my super greens supplement packs more of a punch than this product, it’s way cheaper too.

If you’re looking for a serious cost-effective nootropic pill than alternative option is Mind Lab Pro (you can check out my review here). At only $2 per daily serving, it’s much cheaper for a better ingredient profile, that’s a lot more likely to work.

Adam Author

About the LifeHacker Guy

Hi, I'm Adam the founder of the LifeHacker Guy.

I have a First Class Honours degree in Sports Science from Brighton University, specialising in exercise physiology and nutrition. In my youth I was a competitive Triathlete and long-distance runner placing top 10 in most triathlon races I completed.

Since suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I moved into web development, after a couple of years I then moved onto developing a number of online businesses. I've recently taken a sabbatical and I'm now looking to make big changes in my life, hopefully this may resonate with you - join me in my journey!

54 comments

  1. Thanks for this lol exactly what I was looking for. I didn’t see caffeine listed as an ingredient so I was curious if it was in there.

    I am adhd and prescribed to vyvance but when I don’t get my refill in time I use these to get by. There nothing like the real thing but better than nothing, although it may be placebo effect

  2. Not sure as to how healthy it is, but I can vouch that they surely do give you an energy boost slightly above that of the typical energy drinks. Possibly this is due to the product being pill based and not liquid so my body is not use to it? All I know is I take 1 in the morning and I’m wired for a few hours, then the second around noon and that’s all she wrote. I use to drink 3 to 4 monsters a day and that just simply seemed to keep me slightly energized. Like I said this product may not be healthy but let’s face it either is drinking 3 to 4 energy drinks a day

  3. I bought some the other day from a store it has: Beta-Phenyl-GABA/1-Amino-2 phenylethane,2-amino-6-methylheptane. So yes there are clearly 2 versions. I haven’t tried them yet but was reading about the ingredients and well it’s all on google.

    1. I’ve gotten the same ones. My concern is how these ones show up on a drug test ..?? Especially when one ingredient is called “methylheptane”…

  4. I’m looking for something for Drowsy Driving. My friend recommended this but I don’t think I want to take it now. Any suggestions?

  5. just an fyi about side effects, some antidepressents (classified as MAOI) can lead to serotonin syndrome with these, especilly if used in conjunction with an SSRI (which no doctor in their right mind would ever do)

    Source: im in medical school

    And to the lady that said it will cause a positive amphetamine result on a drug test, that is quite wrong. In fact the structural makeup of GABA is if anything, more likely to throw a false positive for benzodiazapines (xanax). Its great that you help people throug addiction, but they can take this without any fear of relapse or failing a test.

    1. She is not wrong. I tested positive myself and it was all I took. Lost a chance for a good job because of these. 🙁

    2. Hello. Just wanted to let you know you’re wrong. I have failed 3 drug tests for amphetamine from taking these. It’s all I take. Not even Tylenol. Just these. And the ingredients on this website are NOT the ingredients listed on my packaging.

    3. It also threw a false positive for me. I am currently a patient at a methadone treatment center and have been sober from everything for 2 years and failed my monthly test for amphetamines. I was told though that the lab conducting the test can look at the GC-MS of my sample and should be able to see the exact molecule of amphetamines is not in fact present.

      1. I’m going through the same thing, today. I last took addall Sunday. I’m at M3 status at a methadone center. Do you get it cleared up or did you get in trouble for it? I go back Monday. Stressful. I don’t smoke that stuff. Hope all is well.

      2. I also am a patient at a methadone clinic so I know what you’re talking about. My question is: after they did your gcms did it show it wasn’t really amphetamine? What did they end up doing?

  6. SFlava,
    The package I had was an in store package. My capsule was stuck to the package and ripped open when I tried to take it out.

  7. As a substance counselor, I would like to warn you all that this product will test positive for amphetamines and methamphetamines on a drug screen. One of my patients had to find out the hard way.

    1. No I’m sorry somebody failed a person’s drug test because I have to take drug test every week and I passed with this so somebody was messing with his drug test he didn’t learn the hard way boom because somebody literally f*** this dude Look where it says other ingredients titanium dioxide gelatin fd&c yellow 6 LG AC red 3 this is some very dangerous ingredients and people are going by like it is not they need to stop saying this is good for the body cuz it’s not don’t get me wrong I used to like them because they done to job but until I Googled with the other ingredients meant can’t they make this at all XR without these other ingredients that are very harmful

      1. No one messed with his drug test. I’ve failed 3 drug tests for amphetamine. These are all I take. Nothing else. I’ve also PASSED 3 drug tests while taking it. So…. it seems to be hit or miss. But absolutely yes it can make you fail for amphetamine. I have the evidence sitting in my glove box. Also, the ingredients on this website are not the same ingredients listed on my package here from GA.

        1. You’re right, it’s a hit or miss.. if you’ve got the ones containing methylheptane, etc. I saw it on the bk of the package. I can’t believe they can advertise these as safe when people are failing drug tests for amphetamines bc they took something they bought otc at a gas station!

    2. I actually go to a clinic. Twice a week to get my meds. I recently failed for ADD-ADD XR. Amphetamines showed up in my drug screen and believe me I would know if I had taken some Adderall. So do you know what is in it that made the Amphetamines show up or rather trigger that drug..????!!!!!

        1. If you have the store bought ingredients I’m really not surprised. When I read the ingredients it shows one of them has a very similar structure make up as amphetamine.

    3. You’re correct. I’ve failed 3 times now for amphetamine. These are all I take. Also, it should be noted my ingredients list is not the same as what’s shown on this website.

  8. According to other websites about ADDall, Amazon does not sell the real deal. Just thought I’d ADD this. Did not buy mine from Amazon and my does not contain caffeine. 2 capsules with food and do not exceed 2 capsules in a 24 hour period.

  9. I bought them for the first time and I like them. My package said nothing about caffeine. They really help my alertness and gave me the right amount of energy. No jitters or anything like that.

  10. I use them and they work for me. There’s no way a placebo is making me feel like this. Also one container, 2 capsules, 2 servings. And no caffeine. Beta-Phenyl GABA, 1Amino 2 phenylethane, 2 amino 6 methylheptane are the ingredients listed.

    1. I agree with you totally ! I freaking feel great…huge noticable difference! I have the same package as u..$3.99 2 pack….love em

      1. My package reads 2 capsules, 2 servings. And contains amino acids, phenylethane, methylheptane and beta phenyl gaba. No caffeine.

        1. Thanks Damon. It seems that there could be two ingredient versions of this product. The official website states the ingredient profile outlined in my review. Another visitor (Brandy) provided the label they got from the store.
          Adam

  11. Nothing better than someone giving a company/product review without actually purchasing the product. Inaccurate information never helped anyone so who would you be trying to help with this third date review? Man, someone your age should know better and heed the damage you could do by putting false information out there for consumers. I am a business owner and would absolutely hate for you to write a company review for me as it would surely contain falsities and information you found from others not information based off your own experience.

    1. Hi Brandy,
      You seem to be very aggrieved by my review and not really sure why. Unless you were the owner of the brand when I could understand such a reaction. If you’re a user of this product and it works for you then that is great, please let us know how it works for you here. This then gives a balanced opinion from people who have tried it and believe it works for them.
      You can make observation of a product without trying it by looking at mostly the ingredient profile, which ultimately is what determines if the product is likely to work or not. Other factors like cost and how a product is marketed too.
      I think most people, if not all, would agree with this observation – irrespective of their age, whether at university, in their forties or more senior years.
      So, in terms of your claim “false information”, please let me know where my review is inaccurate and as long as this can be substantiated I would be delighted to update the review.
      Looking forward to your reply.
      Adam

      1. You can make an assumption about how a product will work for you based off the ingredient profile if you have the correct ingredient profile, which you do not. Which I could also prove if I was able to post a photo. Give me your email and I will gladly send you a photo with the correct information. Better yet, give me your address and I will send you the label itself.

        1. Hi Brandy,
          As per our email conversation today, appreciate you taking a picture of the label you have. I have added this to the review. However the information I am using is from the official website from the company who manufacturers the product. If the information on their website was correct then there would have been no misunderstanding.
          I would like to highlight that the serving instructions on your label does say to take 1 to 2 capsules with food. So, if you do take the suggested 2 capsules at one time then the information in my review still applies.
          Thanks again for providing the information.
          Adam

          1. The official website product isn’t what is being sold in gas stations. This product is dangerous, especially for continued use on the body.
            Probably why you can’t find a face for this company.
            It’s not a false positive… ya took amphetamines.

        1. Look where it says other ingredients titanium dioxide gelatin fd&c yellow 6 LG AC red 3 this is some very dangerous ingredients and people are going by like it is not they need to stop saying this is good for the body cuz it’s not don’t get me wrong I used to like them because they done to job but until I Googled with the other ingredients meant can’t they make this at all XR without these other ingredients that are very harmful

    1. There is another very similar product sold at many convenience stores called “ctfo.” Perhaps you could research that one some time. It contains GABA, Phenibut, valerian, chamomile, melatonin, and lemon bark. It’s for anxiety and works really well. Thanks.

  12. I was looking for information about this supplement but my package has different ingredients than what is listed here.

  13. Hello, I’ve been taking Addall for a while and I’m not sure where you got those images from but there is 0% caffeine in the pill I can send you the proper images so your statement would be a little more accurate… also the people selling on amazon is a 3rd party person. I buy directly from the manufacturer and have never received damaged products..

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