PlainPill

Guanfacine

People mainly take Guanfacine for focus, anxiety, sleep. Based on 42 first-hand reports and 53 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #33 of 1,974 overall.

57
User score
Mostly positive
38% positive7% mixed5% negative50% unclear

Of reports that state an outcome, 76% are positive.

Clinical research
AStrong research base
53
meta-analyses
116
RCTs
1,256
papers

What Guanfacine does, according to users

Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.

What the research says

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.

AStrong research base

3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.

Lancet Psychiatry · 2018 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Comparative efficacy and tolerability of medications for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, adolescents, and adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Conclusion: Our findings represent the most comprehensive available evidence base to inform patients, families, clinicians, guideline developers, and policymakers on the choice of ADHD medications across age groups. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, evidence from this meta-analysis supports methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, as preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD. New research should be funded urgently to assess long-term effects of these drugs.

PubMed 30097390 ↗
Mol Autism · 2022 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Pharmacological and dietary-supplement treatments for autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Conclusion: Some medications could improve core symptoms, although this could be likely secondary to the improvement of associated symptoms. Evidence on their efficacy and safety is preliminary; therefore, routine prescription of medications for the core symptoms cannot be recommended. Trial registration PROSPERO-ID CRD42019125317.

PubMed 35246237 ↗
Lancet Psychiatry · 2025 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Comparative efficacy and acceptability of pharmacological, psychological, and neurostimulatory interventions for ADHD in adults: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis

Conclusion: Stimulants and atomoxetine were the only interventions with evidence of beneficial effects in terms of reducing ADHD core symptoms in the short term, supported by both self-reported and clinician-reported ratings. However, atomoxetine was less acceptable than placebo. Medications for ADHD were not efficacious on additional relevant outcomes, such as quality of life, and evidence in the longer term is underinvestigated. The effects of non-pharmacological strategies were inconsistent across different raters. Our network meta-analysis represents the most comprehensive synthesis of available evide

PubMed 39701638 ↗
PLoS One · 2020 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Pharmacologic treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Conclusion: Overall, despite a class effect of improving clinical response relative to placebo, there were few differences among the individual ADHD pharmacotherapies, and most studies were at risk of at least one important source of bias. Furthermore, the certainty of the evidence was very low to low for all outcomes, and there was limited reporting of long-term adverse events. As such, the choice between ADHD pharmacotherapies may depend on individual patient considerations, and future studies should assess the long-term effects of individual pharmacotherapies on patient-important outcomes, including qu

PubMed 33085721 ↗

Dosage people report

As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.

1 mgdaily
dailyas reported
1 mgas reported
2 mg2x daily
6 mgdaily
0.25 mg2x daily

Reported side effects

How often each side effect came up across all reports.

drowsiness ×2shaky hands ×1fatigue ×1dry mouth ×1hair loss ×1low blood ×1emotional dampening ×1hypertensive crisis ×1

What users say

Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.

“the prescription drug guanfacine makes a great adjunctive treatment to stimulants for adhd; it helps with organization, motivation, and also lowers blood pressure.”
Source discussion ↗
“Guanfacine will help you pay attention but it makes me so fucking tired.”
Source discussion ↗
“guanfacine”
Source discussion ↗
“Guancafine would be a synergistic choice.”
Source discussion ↗
“Guanfacine”
Source discussion ↗
Top discussions (5)

Other options for focus

User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate