Does Xanax cause night sweats? (3+ findings)
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
In this article, we will discuss whether or not Xanax causes night sweats, research findings on the relationship between Xanax and night sweats, and what to do if Xanax causes night sweats.
Does Xanax cause night sweats?
Yes, Xanax can cause night sweats. This side effect manifests differently in each individual. Night sweats are not a common side effect of Xanax.
Night sweats are a typical symptom of anxiety and panic disorders, stress can stimulate this symptom.
Xanax is believed to help treat your night sweats. However, night sweats might occur when patients use Xanax for the first time because their body needs time to adjust to the drug.
The withdrawal symptoms of Xanax cause severe night sweats if you skip doses or decide to abruptly discontinue taking it. To reduce Xanax’s withdrawal symptoms such as night sweats, it is imperative that you speak with your physician about discontinuing Xanax and gradually reducing the dosage over the course of eight weeks. (1)
What does research suggest?
There is limited research on how Xanax particularly causes night sweats, anxiolytics are known to produce this adverse effect in general. It is unclear exactly how these medications cause night perspiration to occur.
Researchers have suggested that the reason, nevertheless, might be related to how anxiolytics function.
By binding to GABA receptors, Xanax strengthens the inhibitory effect of the GABA neurotransmitter. Xanax and other benzodiazepines bind between the alpha-1 and gamma-2 subunits of the GABA neurotransmitter. (2)
50% of presynaptic boutons (axon terminals) in your hypothalamus contain GABA, which is the main inhibitory transmitter produced by many neurons. (3)
High elevations in GABA levels can have an impact on the hypothalamus, an important brain region responsible for controlling your hunger, thirst, blood pressure, sleep, mood, and body temperature. (4)
Sweating is another function of the hypothalamus. Anxiolytics when taken in excess amounts can raise body temperature. This causes your body to begin sweating to expel the excess heat.
What should you do if Xanax causes night sweats?
If taking Xanax causes severe night sweats, consult immediately your healthcare provider. This side effect goes away over time, but in certain situations and individuals, it might not go away.
- If you are taking Xanax at night, your healthcare provider might advise you to take it in the morning. This can help you sleep a little easier at night, but it might make you perspire throughout the day.
- Your healthcare provider might also try lowering your Xanax dose if you’re new to the medication to help your body get used to it. The majority of Xanax-induced night sweats happen during the first week of its use. (5)
- If the symptom of night sweats persists, your healthcare provider may switch you to another anxiolytic with fewer side effects.
- According to a study, benztropine (a medicine that is mainly used to treat Parkinson’s disease and involuntary movement disorders) can lessen the severity of profuse sweating. The study suggests using benztropine to treat antidepressant-induced night sweats, like those caused by Effexor. It can, however, be used to treat night sweats brought on by anxiolytics. (6)
Home tips to reduce night sweats
You can enhance the quality of your sleep by following these preventive measures to stay colder before going to bed.
- Place a cold pack underneath your pillow and turn it over so that your head is resting on a cool surface.
- To bed, put on light-colored, loose-fitting clothes made of linen or cotton.
- Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, spicy meals, caffeine, as well as exercising right before going to bed.
- Apply cooling gels to your mattress coverings and pillows.
- Use light-layered bedding, so that you may take it off during the night as needed. (7)
Conclusion
My study and understanding indicate that Xanax may contribute to night sweats. It varies from person to person. This is an uncommon symptom that usually goes away after one week from starting the medication. Consult your healthcare provider about reducing your dosage or switching to a different medication if you get night sweats while using Xanax.
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References
1.-
WebMD. Drugs & Medications [Internet]. Webmd.com. 2017. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-9824/xanax-oral/details
2.-
George TT, Tripp J. Alprazolam [Internet]. Nih.gov. StatPearls Publishing; 2019. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538165/
3.-
Obrietan K, AN. GABA neurotransmission in the hypothalamus: developmental reversal from Ca2+ elevating to depressing. 1995 Jul 1;15(7):5065–77. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7623135/#:~:text=GABA%20is%20the%20primary%20inhibitory,activity%20through%20opening%20Cl%2D%20channels.
4.-
Cleveland Clinic. Hypothalamus: What It Is, Function, Conditions & Disorders [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. 2022. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22566-hypothalamus
5.-
Cheshire WP, Fealey RD. Drug-Induced Hyperhidrosis and Hypohidrosis. Drug Safety. 2008;31(2):109–26. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18217788/#:~:text=Management%20options%20include%20dose%20reduction,can%20help%20to%20reduce%20symptoms.
6.-
Kolli V, Ramaswamy S. Improvement of Antidepressant-Induced Sweating with As-Required Benztropine. Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience [Internet]. 2013;10(11-12):10–1. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931183/
7.-
Night Sweats: Menopause, Other Causes & Treatment [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/16562-night-sweats
