Introduction

This information is for people who have multiple sclerosis. It tells you about amantadine, a treatment used to help tiredness in multiple sclerosis. It is based on the best and most up-to-date research.

Does it work?

We're not sure. If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), taking amantadine capsules may help you feel less exhausted. But the research isn't good enough to say for certain whether this treatment works or not.

What is it?

Amantadine is a drug that works against viruses and is sometimes used to treat flu. But it also increases levels of a chemical called dopamine in your brain and spinal cord. Dopamine helps signals travel between your nerve cells.

Amantadine comes as a capsule that you swallow. Its brand names are Symmetrel and Lysovir.

How can it help?

If you take amantadine capsules, you may feel a little less exhausted than you usually do. You may find that you can do more of your everyday activities than you could before.^[86][87] But some of the research on this treatment wasn't done very well. So we can't be sure whether it works.

How does it work?

Doctors don't know why amantadine capsules seem to help people with MS feel less exhausted.

Can it be harmful?

Some people who take amantadine capsules have problems getting to sleep.^[86][87] You may also:

• Have hallucinations

• Feel sick

• Be hyperactive

• Feel anxious.

But the side effects are usually mild. Less than 1 in 10 people treated with amantadine stop taking the capsules because of side effects.^[87]

How good is the research on amantadine?

There isn't much evidence that taking amantadine capsules helps to reduce the feeling of exhaustion that you can get with multiple sclerosis.

We found two reviews and each looked at the same four studies.^[86][87] The studies weren't done in a very good way. They also used different methods, so it's hard to compare their results.

None of the studies found big improvements in exhaustion when people with MS took amantadine capsules. But exhaustion did improve a little in each study, so the treatment seemed to be doing some good for some people.

Glossary

viruses

Viruses are microbes (tiny organisms) that need the cells of humans or other animals to exist. They use the machinery of cells to reproduce. Then they spread to other cells in the body.

For more terms related to Multiple sclerosis

Citations