Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to prescription medication.
BuSpar is a prescription drug that’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat anxiety. The generic name for this drug is busprione, and we’ll use these terms interchangeably throughout this article as they refer to the same active drug ingredient.
One notable fact about this medication is that it’s not a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) like the majority of prescription anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) drugs.
But is BuSpar actually proven in clinical trials to reduce anxiety, and to what degree? Does it cause side effects? How do real users rate and describe its effects? And was it taken off the market?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze clinical studies on BuSpar, explain whether it causes side effects and weight gain, highlight dosage information, and share patient reviews of the drug.
Does BuSpar Relieve Anxiety?
BuSpar has been studied extensively for its ability to treat anxiety.
A 2002 meta-study on different treatment options for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) found that BuSpar was significantly more effective than placebo.
54% of the trial participants using BuSpar had “significant clinical improvement” to their anxiety symptoms, compared to only 28% of patients taking placebo pills.
The above-linked review also documents that BuSpar is as effective as benzodiazepines (commonly referred to as “benzos”), which typically have more severe side effects.
A long-term medical study on BuSpar for the treatment of chronic anxiety found it to be effective throughout the 52 week study.
Over 70% of patients taking BuSpar categorized their mental health as “much better” between months 4 and 12 of daily use of the medication. This study didn’t use a placebo group for comparative purposes, which makes the quality of data weaker, but we still find this to be a positive set of results.
A medical review published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that BuSpar combined with therapy was more effective than taking BuSpar alone.
This suggests that patients with health insurance and the capacity to do so may benefit from seeking a licensed therapist with experience working with anxious patients.
We will conclude from the available research that BuSpar is effective for treating anxiety, which is unsurprising given that the medication is approved by the FDA for that indication.
Does BuSpar Cause Side Effects?
BuSpar has a milder side effect profile than many prescription anxiety drugs.
Medical studies show that drowsiness is the most common side effect of the drug, but the rate of drowsiness in the linked study was no higher than that of placebo, meaning this side effect can’t necessarily be attributed to the drug.
The rate of drowsiness reported by BuSpar patients was significantly lower than all other anxiety drugs reviewed in the linked study.
It was 58% lower than lorazepam, which is the generic version of Ativan.
Dizziness and headache (reported by 9% and 7% of patients respectively) were the next most commonly-reported side effects of BuSpar, and are relatively mild side effects.
It’s worth noting that BuSpar doesn’t have a black box warning on its FDA label. The black box warning is the most severe type of warning required by the FDA, and indicates life-threatening risks such as increased suicide risk.
Many prescription drugs we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health carry a black box warning, and we consider the side effect profile of BuSpar to be very favorable compared with some other anti-anxiety drugs we've reviewed.
YouTuber Reviews BuSpar
A YouTube creator named "Botanical Queens" shared her experience taking BuSpar for anxiety:
Does BuSpar Cause Weight Gain?
Many patients are curious about whether BuSpar can cause weight gain as an unintended side effect, because some anti-anxiety meds do.
We didn’t find any evidence of this side effect in medical literature.
Since tens of medical studies on BuSpar have been published, and none of them documented weight gain as a side effect, we do not believe that this is something patients need to worry about.
BuSpar was even categorized as “weight neutral” in a medical review on the body weight effects of psychotropic drugs.
This means that it does not cause weight loss or weight gain on average.
BuSpar vs. Xanax
Xanax is one of the most commonly prescribed anxiety medications, so patients are often curious about whether it’s more or less effective than BuSpar.
A 1991 clinical trial compared which drug was more effective in patients with anxiety.
Both medications were found to be equivalently effective, but Xanax worked more rapidly. Xanax caused “rapid and sustained improvement” within one week, while BuSpar required several weeks of daily dosages to achieve significant anxiety reduction.
Even though Xanax may be effective in a shorter time duration, we would recommend that patients speak with their doctor about BuSpar over Xanax.
The side effect profile of BuSpar is superior in our opinion. Xanax is a benzo drug with a serious risk of addiction.
BuSpar does not appear to be addictive, and we haven’t come across any medical evidence that it causes withdrawal symptoms when treatment is stopped.
Was BuSpar Taken Off The Market?
BuSpar appears to have been voluntarily taken off the market by its manufacturer.
There is a lot of misinformation online about whether this drug was taken off the market due to its ineffectiveness or legislative action.
According to the Federal Register, which is a reporting wing of the US government, BuSpar was not taken off the market for safety reasons.
This means that the drug’s manufacturer chose to remove it from the market for other reasons; likely business-related. Perhaps the drug wasn’t generating as much profit as expected.
Generic busprione is currently available for under $6 at Cost Plus Drugs at the time of updating this article.
Should I Take BuSpar at Bedtime?
Since many patients with anxiety struggle to sleep well, there is often a question of what time of day is the optimal time to take BuSpar.
It would make sense to take the drug at bedtime if it had relaxing properties.
However, somewhat counterintuitively, medical research suggests that BuSpar actually decreases sleep quality and duration.
The above-linked study found that BuSpar had stimulatory properties, rather than sedative properties. The study authors suggested that the drug be taken earlier in the day to prevent sleep disturbances.
How Does BuSpar Work?
BuSpar is a member of a medication class called “serotonin agonists.”
Medical studies show that the mechanism of action of this drug is to partially activate serotonin receptors, leading to an overall increase in serotonin activity in the brain.
Researchers aren’t entirely sure why increasing serotonin levels is effective for treating anxiety, but it’s theorized that serotonin may have sedative and mood-stabilizing effects.
It’s an important neurotransmitter that directly influences mood and emotional state.
Some scientists propose that increased serotonin levels in the prefrontal cortex of the brain may help prevent the brain’s fight-or-flight response from chronically overreacting, which can occur in anxiety patients.
Does BuSpar Cause Heart Attacks?
Although many patients search for answers to this question every year, we can't identify any clinical studies suggesting that BuSpar causes heart attacks.
If this side effect existed, it would almost certainly be listed on the drug’s FDA label in a black box warning.
Since no such warning exists, we believe that this isn’t a concern worth worrying about.
Of course, any patient could have an allergic reaction or adverse reaction to any drug due to individual sensitivity and biology, but there doesn’t appear to be any evidence suggesting that BuSpar increases the risk of heart attacks.
Can I Take BuSpar and Wellbutrin?
Wellbutrin is an antidepressant medication. Since it’s relatively common for patients to experience both anxiety and depression, many patients search for information about whether it’s safe to take BuSpar and Wellbutrin together.
We could only identify one published medical study on this combination, and it was a case study.
This means that it documented the effects in one single patient. While this type of study can be useful to spur further research, it’s certainly too small of a sample size to be definitive.
In the linked case study, a patient with depression experienced favorable results when taking both BuSpar and Wellbutrin. The study authors suggested that there may be a synergistic effect between the two drugs.
Patients with both anxiety and depression should speak with their doctor prior to using this combination.
Our Mental Wellness Picks
Brightside Health is our top overall mental wellness pick.
Brightside is an online therapy and medication platform that connects patients with licensed therapists and psychiatrists from the comfort of their home.
A medical review published in the Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy journal found that online therapy was equally effective to in-person therapy for treating depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Mindbloom is our top alternative mental wellness pick.
Mindbloom offers ketamine therapy, and over 88% of patients experienced relief of anxiety and depression symptoms in a clinical trial on the brand.
BuSpar Dosage
BuSpar is prescribed at a wide range of dosages.
Oral tablets of the medication range from 5 to 30 milligrams (mg), and the dose is typically titrated up from the minimum effective dose over the course of several weeks.
Most adult patients work up to a daily dose between 20 mg and 30 mg, as reported in a 2023 medical review.
This is considered the standard adult dosing range to treat anxiety disorders.
A medical study published in the Clinical Therapeutics journal compared the effectiveness of one large dose of BuSpar (30 mg) and two or three smaller daily doses.
No difference in effectiveness was noted, so it seems sensible to take the one larger daily dose, as this may reduce the risk of forgetting to take one of many daily doses.
