Quetiapine
Prescription ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Prescription second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic approved for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic and depressive episodes), and as adjunctive therapy for major depressive disorder. Also widely used off-label for insomnia and anxiety at lower doses due to its sedating properties. Carries metabolic risks including weight gain, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. Dosage must be determined by your prescribing physician.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
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This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Prescription second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic approved for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic and depressive episodes), and as adjunctive therapy for major depressive disorder. NutriStack rates the supporting evidence as strong. Common adult dosing is 25–800 mg daily depending on indication (as prescribed by your physician), though a prescriber sets the actual dose. This profile indexes 12 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: psychotic symptom reduction, bipolar mood stabilization, adjunctive depression treatment. 12 sources indexed (2013–2023), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Antagonizes multiple neurotransmitter receptors including dopamine D2, serotonin 5-HT2A, histamine H1 (sedation), and alpha-1 adrenergic receptors (orthostatic hypotension). Lower D2 affinity compared to typical antipsychotics, resulting in lower risk of extrapyramidal symptoms. Active metabolite norquetiapine also inhibits NET reuptake, contributing to antidepressant effects.6
Dosing & protocol.
Can be taken with or without food. Extended-release formulation should be taken without food or with a light meal (less than 300 calories). Swallow XR tablets whole.
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
6- 1Effect of quetiapine on inflammation and immunity: a systematic reviewPMIDFerrari M, Godio M, Martini S et al. · International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice · 2023
Ferrari M, Godio M, Martini S et al.. Effect of quetiapine on inflammation and immunity: a systematic review. International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice. 2023
- 2Quetiapine Treatment for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review of the LiteraturePMIDCrapanzano C, Damiani S, Casolaro I et al. · Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2023
Crapanzano C, Damiani S, Casolaro I et al.. Quetiapine Treatment for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2023
- 3Quetiapine-Induced Thyroid Dysfunction: A Systematic ReviewPMIDKhoodoruth MAS, Abdo AKA, Ouanes S · Journal of clinical pharmacology · 2022
Khoodoruth MAS, Abdo AKA, Ouanes S. Quetiapine-Induced Thyroid Dysfunction: A Systematic Review. Journal of clinical pharmacology. 2022
- 4Quetiapine safety in older adults: a systematic literature reviewPMIDEl-Saifi N, Moyle W, Jones C et al. · Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics · 2016
El-Saifi N, Moyle W, Jones C et al.. Quetiapine safety in older adults: a systematic literature review. Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics. 2016
- 5Quetiapine monotherapy in bipolar II depression: a systematic review and meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDBartoli F, Crocamo C, Clerici M, Carra G · J Psychopharmacol · 2016
- 6Comparative efficacy and tolerability of 15 antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenia: a multiple-treatments meta-analysis.PMIDLeucht S, Cipriani A, Spineli L et al. · Lancet · 2013
Landmark meta-analysis of 212 trials found quetiapine effective for schizophrenia symptoms with moderate efficacy ranking among 15 antipsychotics; notable for better metabolic tolerability profile but more sedation compared to other atypicals.
Reviews & position papers
1- 7Quetiapine Fumarate: A Review of Analytical MethodsPMIDHamsa A, Karumandampalayam Shanmugaramasamy K, Kariyarambath P et al. · Journal of chromatographic science · 2023
Hamsa A, Karumandampalayam Shanmugaramasamy K, Kariyarambath P et al.. Quetiapine Fumarate: A Review of Analytical Methods. Journal of chromatographic science. 2023
Reference material
5- 8Lieberman JA et al. Effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in patients with chronic schizophrenia (CATIE). N Engl J Med. 2005.Source linkedPMID
- 9Calabrese JR et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of quetiapine in the treatment of bipolar I or II depression. Am J Psychiatry. 2005.Source linkedPMID
- 10Bauer M et al. Extended-release quetiapine as adjunct to an antidepressant in patients with major depressive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 2009.Source linkedPMID
- 11Lin CY, Chiang CH, Tseng MM et al.. Effects of quetiapine on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2023Source linkedPMID
- 12Monahan K, Cuzens-Sutton J, Siskind D et al.. Quetiapine withdrawal: A systematic review. The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry. 2021Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Quetiapine, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Quetiapine?
Prescription second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic approved for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic and depressive episodes), and as adjunctive therapy for major depressive disorder. Also widely used off-label for insomnia and anxiety at lower doses due to its sedating properties. Carries metabolic risks including weight gain, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. Dosage must be determined by your prescribing physician.
What is Quetiapine used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Quetiapine include: Psychotic symptom reduction; Bipolar mood stabilization; Adjunctive depression treatment; Insomnia improvement (off-label); Manic episode management. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Quetiapine?
A typical adult dose of Quetiapine is 25–800 mg daily depending on indication (as prescribed by your physician). The commonly recommended form is Tablet or extended-release tablet. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Quetiapine?
Reported side effects include sedation and drowsiness, weight gain, dizziness, orthostatic hypotension, dry mouth, dyslipidemia. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Quetiapine?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Quetiapine in NutriStack.
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