PlainPill

Prednisone

People mainly take Prednisone for mood, energy, pain & inflammation. Based on 6 first-hand reports and 608 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #556 of 1,974 overall.

25
User score
Mostly positive
50% positive0% mixed17% negative33% unclear

Of reports that state an outcome, 75% are positive.

Clinical research
AStrong research base
608
meta-analyses
3,012
RCTs
36,304
papers

What Prednisone 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.

Clin Exp Rheumatol · 2016 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
RS3PE revisited: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 331 cases

Conclusion: The symptoms and unique findings that make up RS(3)PE appear to represent a steroid-responsive disease that may be a harbinger of an underlying malignancy. More study is needed to understand the molecular origins of RS(3)PE in order to determine whether it is a separate disease process. Patients with concurrent cancer tend to have more severe presentations and higher rates of recurrence.

PubMed 27050250 ↗
J Clin Endocrinol Metab · 2024 · Meta-analysis / systematic review
Neuropsychiatric Adverse Effects of Synthetic Glucocorticoids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Conclusion: The heterogeneity of glucocorticoid use is reflected in the available studies. Despite this heterogeneity, the proportion of neuropsychiatric adverse effects in glucocorticoid users is high. The most substantial associations with glucocorticoid use were found for depression and mania. Upon starting glucocorticoid treatment, awareness of possible psychiatric side effects is essential. More structured studies on incidence and potential pathways of neuropsychiatric side effects of prescribed glucocorticoids are clearly needed.

PubMed 38038629 ↗

Dosage people report

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

low doseas reported

Reported side effects

How often each side effect came up across all reports.

side effects ×1mania ×1

What users say

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

“Prednisone is prescription only and you probably don't need it, but it gets you from 17 to normal pretty fast.”
Source discussion ↗
“You can megadose prednisone for 2,3 days to see how you will feel.”
Source discussion ↗
“If I go off my pain meds and steroids, I am in constant pain”
Source discussion ↗
Top discussions (3)

Other options for mood

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