Does Buspar increase appetite?
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/
Does Buspar increase appetite?
Buspar may or may not increase your appetite. This side effect is reported in some individuals. However, Buspar may cause loss of appetite in some people as well.
This medication is used for the management and treatment of anxiety disorders (1,2). Often anxiety causes appetite changes in people, who begin to feel less hungry hence they eat less.
This symptom of anxiety could easily be reversed by Buspar and positive appetite changes are seen in such a population. If you’re being treated with Buspar and you notice a significant spike in your appetite, consult your healthcare provider.
The incidence of increased appetite with Buspar
The incidence of increased appetite with Buspar can vary among individuals. Some people may notice a slight increase in their appetite, while others may not experience this side effect at all (3). Additionally, the degree of appetite increase can differ from person to person.
The mechanism behind increased appetite with Buspar is not entirely clear. However, it is believed to involve the interaction of Buspar with certain receptors in the brain, particularly serotonin receptors (3).
Buspar affects serotonin activity, and serotonin is known to play a role in regulating appetite and food intake. By influencing serotonin activity, Buspar may indirectly lead to an increase in appetite for some individuals (3).
It’s important to note that increased appetite is just one potential side effect of Buspar and does not occur in everyone. Other common side effects of Buspar may include dizziness, headache, nausea, and lightheadedness (3). Gastrointestinal side effects can be prevented by taking Buspar with food and not on an empty stomach.
What to do if Buspar increases your appetite as a side effect?
If Buspar is increasing your appetite as a side effect and you have been consuming a lot of calories lately, reach out to your healthcare provider as soon as you can.
Such significant appetite changes can make you gain a tremendous amount of weight and you need to prevent it from happening. This type of weight gain is extremely hard to reverse as your body ends up with a huge amount of stored fat and we all know how much effort is required to burn that.
This is why you need to discuss your appetite change with your doctor who’ll determine if it’s safe for you to continue using Buspar. Meanwhile, there are a few tips that might help you:
- Opt for healthy food choices when Buspar makes you hungry. This way you will be able to satiate your hunger without consuming loads of calories.
- Make exercise a crucial part of your routine. A good workout session like HIIT can help you burn a lot of calories and your metabolism remains active for 48 hours post-workout.
- Steer clear of sugar and refined carbohydrates. They may tempt you and taste amazing, but they are close to poison for your health.
- Maintain good sleep hygiene as inadequate sleep will make you cranky the following morning and it may trigger stress eating.
Final words
To sum up, Buspar may or may not affect your appetite. Each individual is unique and people can experience different types of side effects while being treated with Buspar or any other psychotropic medication.
Just make sure to keep your doctor updated about your side effects and properly follow the given directions to ensure the safe and effective use of Buspar.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
Jann MW. Buspirone: an update on a unique anxiolytic agent. Pharmacotherapy. 1988;8(2):100-16. doi: 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1988.tb03543.x. PMID: 3041384. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3041384/
2.-
Goa KL, Ward A. Buspirone. A preliminary review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy as an anxiolytic. Drugs. 1986 Aug;32(2):114-29. doi: 10.2165/00003495-198632020-00002. PMID: 2874976. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2874976/
3.-
Wilson TK, Tripp J. Buspirone. 2023 Jan 17. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30285372. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531477
