Can Prednisone make you tired?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Can Prednisone make you tired?
Yes, Prednisone can make you feel tired and it is a commonly reported side effect of this medication. Prednisone may also cause anxiety and agitation, and the drug is known to reduce productivity in some people.
Although the tiredness caused by Prednisone is usually temporary and nothing to be concerned about, it could affect some people more than others. If that’s the case with you, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider.
Why does Prednisone cause tiredness?
There are three possible reasons why Prednisone can induce tiredness and fatigue in some people. These are:
- Prednisone-induced insomnia
- High blood glucose levels – a common side effect of Corticosteroids
- Mood changes
Prednisone-induced insomnia
Prednisone can cause insomnia by disturbing your circadian rhythm and sleep pattern (1). Your body’s normal physiological functioning needs at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep at night.
It helps your immune system repair and replaces the worn-out cells, muscles and tissues in your body. When your body is well rested, you feel highly energetic and you literally wake up in a good mood.
When this doesn’t happen, your body is affected in a number of ways. It’s a known fact that inadequate sleep can not only make you feel tired, but it significantly decreases your productivity and affects your mood and overall cognition.
It also gives you a headache and you feel like your body does not have enough energy to go on with the day. This is one of the reasons why Prednisone can make you feel tired.
High blood glucose levels – a common side effect of Corticosteroids
Prednisone can increase your blood glucose levels, like almost every other Corticosteroid. This is one of the most common side effects of this medication and people are usually warned about it prior to the drug use. In fact, excessive use can trigger diabetes in some people (2).
Most healthcare providers even recommend reducing your dietary sugar intake to prevent your blood glucose level from going even higher.
It is a common fact that people who suffer from diabetes feel lethargic or have very low energy levels. They are always tired and hungry.
The exact same happens when you’re taking Prednisone and it increases your blood glucose level. You won’t really have diabetes, but the increased BGL may make you feel like you do.
Mood changes
Prednisone is closely associated with causing psychological side effects, like agitation, anxiety, mood swings, etc. These side effects can significantly reduce your productivity and affect your energy levels.
This can make you feel tired and exhausted, and you don’t feel like doing anything.
What to do if Prednisone makes you tired?
If Prednisone makes you feel tired and exhausted, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider about this. In most cases, the side effects begin to subside with time as your body adjusts to the medication.
However, excessive tiredness and impaired mental alertness must be evaluated. You should consult your doctor and make sure whether or not you can continue to use this medication.
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References
1.-
Cole JL. Steroid-Induced Sleep Disturbance and Delirium: A Focused Review for Critically Ill Patients. Fed Pract. 2020 Jun;37(6):260-267. PMID: 32669778; PMCID: PMC7357890. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32669778/
2.-
Hwang JL, Weiss RE. Steroid-induced diabetes: a clinical and molecular approach to understanding and treatment. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2014 Feb;30(2):96-102. doi: 10.1002/dmrr.2486. PMID: 24123849; PMCID: PMC4112077. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4112077/
