BupropionBenefits, Dosage & Interactions
Also known as: Wellbutrin, Zyban
Bupropion is an antidepressant medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and as an aid to smoking cessation. It is marketed under various brand names, including Wellbutrin and Zyban.
Researched by DoseRoutine R&D TeamReviewed for accuracy by Nicholas Alexander, RSELast updated
617 human randomized trials and regulatory approval on file.
What published protocols report
Ranges documented in the literature, shown for reference. DoseRoutine does not recommend an amount — your prescriber or the product label sets the dose.
Reported for Bupropion in the cited sources. Published ranges are not dosing advice.
References & evidence
Documents the Bupropion entry is written from. Each number matches an inline marker above.
- [1]Efficacy and Safety of AXS-05 (Dextromethorphan-Bupropion) in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial (GEMINI)Iosifescu DV, Jones A, O'Gorman C, et al. · J Clin Psychiatry · 2022 · Peer-reviewed · PMID 35649167
- [2]Aripiprazole or Bupropion Augmentation Versus Switching to Bupropion in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Risk-Benefit AnalysisMeyerson WU, Ross EL, Kennedy CJ, Hoyle RH, Chhatwal J, Wang PS, Smoller JW · The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · 2025 · Peer-reviewed · PMID 41004167
How to track Bupropion doses
Tracking Bupropion well takes four fields and a habit. Here is what to record so the log is still useful in three months.
- 1
Add the dose and unit
Log Bupropion with its dose in mg so totals stay comparable over time — including days when you split the dose or skip it.
- 2
Set the time of day and food rule
Typical timing is morning. Reminders fire at that time and can export to your calendar.
- 3
Check it against the rest of the stack
Run Bupropion through the interaction checker against everything else in the routine — supplements, peptides, hormones and prescriptions — before it becomes a daily habit.
- 4
Log adherence, not intentions
Mark each dose taken, skipped or delayed as it happens. Weeks of honest logs are what make an adherence rate or a trend line meaningful; retrospective guessing is not.
- 5
Review against outcomes
With a reported half-life around 21 h, effects and timing shifts show up over days rather than instantly. Review Bupropion alongside your logged metrics and any relevant blood work every few weeks before changing the dose.
What to log each time
- Dose in mg
- Time of day
- Taken / skipped / delayed
- Any side effects or notable changes
References & Evidence
Sources on this page that document Bupropion dosing, timing and safety.
- [1]National Center for Biotechnology Information View source
Educational information only — not medical advice. Dose ranges vary by person, indication and prescriber.
What is Bupropion?Sources for this section: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
What does the research say about Bupropion?
Tap a section to expand.
Source for this section: Sources for How does Bupropion work?: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
Source for this section: Sources for When should you take Bupropion?: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
What interacts with Bupropion?
| Interacts with | Severity | Type | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any supplement + medication | Note | Category ruleConfidence: theoretical | Some supplements change how the body processes medications (absorption, liver enzymes, or additive effects).Source pending | Specific pairs are checked against a licensed drug database and shown with their own severity. Always confirm with your provider or pharmacist. |
| Any vitamin + medication | Note | Category ruleConfidence: theoretical | Certain vitamins interact with specific medications (e.g., vitamin K with blood thinners).Source pending | Specific pairs are checked against a licensed source; confirm with your provider. |
| Amantadine | Caution | Compound pairConfidence: theoretical | Both lower seizure threshold and are dopaminergic. Combined use raises seizure and CNS-stimulation risk.Source pending | Use together only under a prescriber. Report tremor, agitation, or any seizure activity immediately. |
Frequently asked questions about Bupropion
Which studies looked at Bupropion?
Peer-reviewed research indexed in PubMed. Each entry links to the original record.
- 1.Bupropion and Anxiety: A Brief Review(opens PubMed in a new tab)Hum Psychopharmacol · 2025 · PMID 40958494 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40958494/
- 2.Efficacy and Safety of AXS-05 (Dextromethorphan-Bupropion) in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial (GEMINI)(opens PubMed in a new tab)J Clin Psychiatry · 2022 · PMID 35649167 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35649167/
- 3.Bupropion and Naltrexone in Methamphetamine Use Disorder(opens PubMed in a new tab)N Engl J Med · 2021 · PMID 33497547 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33497547/
- 4.Neuropsychiatric safety and efficacy of varenicline, bupropion, and nicotine patch in smokers with and without psychiatric disorders (EAGLES): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial(opens PubMed in a new tab)Lancet · 2016 · PMID 27116918 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27116918/
Sources cited on this page
Specific documents referenced by the numbered markers above. Each number matches the marker in the text.
- PubChem CID 62884(opens in a new tab)National Center for Biotechnology Information · pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/62884
Verify at
Publisher search links for Bupropion. These are places to check the information — they are not citations, so they are not numbered.
- FDA-approved labeling (DailyMed)(publisher search, opens in a new tab)U.S. Food and Drug Administration · publisher search
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements(publisher search, opens in a new tab)National Institutes of Health · publisher search
- MedlinePlus(publisher search, opens in a new tab)U.S. National Library of Medicine · publisher search
- Mayo Clinic(publisher search, opens in a new tab)Mayo Clinic · publisher search
- Cochrane Library(publisher search, opens in a new tab)Cochrane · publisher search
- DrugBank(publisher search, opens in a new tab)DrugBank Online · publisher search
- PubMed literature search(publisher search, opens in a new tab)National Library of Medicine · publisher search
- Wikipedia entry(publisher search, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia · publisher search
DoseRoutine compiles summaries from publicly available scientific and regulatory references. Always verify important decisions with a licensed clinician. How we source and review this information.
What is the short answer on Bupropion?
Plain-text summary, safe to quote verbatim:
Bupropion is an antidepressant medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and as an aid to smoking cessation. It is marketed under various brand names, including Wellbutrin and Zyban.
Cite this page
Using this in an article, AI answer, or research note? Please attribute:
DoseRoutine. (2026). Bupropion — Overview, Benefits & Side Effects. Retrieved from https://doseroutine.com/library/bupropion
What compounds are similar to Bupropion?
Others in the medication category or studied for the same goals.
