Latuda Side Effects: Common, Serious, and When to Call a Doctor

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr John Motl MD

What are the side effects of Latuda?

The most common side effects of Latuda (lurasidone) are sleepiness, akathisia (a restless urge to keep moving), movement symptoms such as stiffness or tremor, and nausea. Anxiety, trouble sleeping, vomiting, and dizziness are also reported.^1,2

Latuda can also cause rarer but serious problems, including tardive dyskinesia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and changes in blood sugar and cholesterol. It carries two FDA boxed warnings.¹

Latuda is approved for schizophrenia and for depression in bipolar I disorder.¹ For many people it brings real relief. Knowing the side effects helps you and your prescriber catch problems early. If you want to know about years of use, see our companion article on Latuda long-term effects.

Want medical support while you taper? Learn how our residential medication tapering program in Sedona works, or call (888) 907-7075.

Common Latuda side effects

Short answer: in clinical trials, the side effects seen at least twice as often as with placebo were sleepiness, akathisia, movement symptoms, and nausea.¹ Akathisia and movement symptoms became more common at higher doses.¹

The table shows results from short-term (6-week) trials in adults.¹

Source: Latuda prescribing information. Bipolar column is the monotherapy trial.¹

Other side effects listed by MedlinePlus include: feeling unsteady, weakness, tiredness, slow movements or a shuffling walk, breast enlargement or discharge, late or missed periods, and lower sexual ability.²

Weight: in short-term schizophrenia trials, average weight gain was about 1 pound (0.43 kg), compared with no change on placebo. About 5% gained 7% or more of their body weight, compared with about 3% on placebo.¹ Longer use is covered in our Latuda long-term effects article.

Latuda boxed warning

Short answer: Latuda has two boxed warnings, the FDA’s strongest kind.¹

• Older adults with dementia-related psychosis. Older people with dementia-related psychosis who take antipsychotic drugs have a higher risk of death. In pooled trials, the death rate was about 4.5% on these drugs compared with about 2.6% on placebo over about 10 weeks, mostly from heart problems or infections such as pneumonia. Latuda is not approved for dementia-related psychosis.¹
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Because Latuda is used to treat bipolar depression, it carries the antidepressant warning. In short-term studies, antidepressants increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Everyone taking Latuda should be watched for worsening mood or new suicidal thoughts, especially early in treatment and when the dose changes.¹

Family members and caregivers are asked to watch for changes in behavior and tell the prescriber.¹

Serious Latuda side effects

Short answer: these are less common, but the FDA label asks prescribers and patients to watch for them.¹

• Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). A rare, life-threatening reaction with high fever, rigid muscles, confusion, and unstable heart rate or blood pressure. It needs emergency care.¹
• Tardive dyskinesia (TD). Involuntary movements that may become permanent. See the section below.¹
• Metabolic changes. Atypical antipsychotics can raise blood sugar and cholesterol and cause weight gain. Your prescriber should check blood sugar, lipids, and weight over time.¹
• High prolactin. Can cause breast discharge, missed periods, breast growth in men, and sexual problems. Over the long term, high prolactin with low sex hormones may lower bone density.¹
• Low white blood cells. Rarely, Latuda can lower white blood cell counts, raising infection risk. Fever, sore throat, or other signs of infection need a call to your doctor.^1,2
• Dizziness on standing and fainting. Most likely early on or when the dose goes up.¹
• Falls. Sleepiness, low blood pressure, and unsteadiness can lead to falls and fractures.¹
• Seizures, overheating, and trouble swallowing. Latuda should be used with care in people with seizure history. It can make it harder for the body to cool down in heat or during hard exercise.¹
• Mania or hypomania. Treatment for bipolar depression can tip some people into a manic or hypomanic episode, so tell your prescriber about unusually high energy or little need for sleep.¹
• Allergic reactions. Swelling of the face, lips, or throat, hives, or trouble breathing need emergency care.^1,2

Can Latuda cause anxiety or akathisia?

Short answer: yes. Anxiety was reported more often on Latuda than on placebo in trials, and akathisia, a feeling of inner restlessness, was one of its most common side effects.¹

Akathisia can feel like anxiety. People describe an inner tension and a need to keep moving, pacing, or shifting. In the bipolar depression trial, about 9% of people on Latuda had akathisia compared with about 2% on placebo, and it was more frequent at higher doses.¹

Akathisia can be distressing, and it deserves a call to your prescriber rather than waiting it out. Changes in dose or treatment can often help. Read more about drug-induced akathisia.

Can Latuda cause tardive dyskinesia?

Short answer: yes. Tardive dyskinesia is a warning for all antipsychotic drugs, including Latuda. It causes involuntary movements, often of the face, lips, and tongue, and it may be permanent.¹

According to the FDA label:¹

• The risk is believed to rise with longer treatment and higher total dose.
• It is most common in older adults, especially older women, but anyone can develop it.
• It can appear after short treatment at low doses, and sometimes after the drug is stopped.
• It may improve, partly or fully, if the antipsychotic is withdrawn.
• The label advises using the smallest dose for the shortest time that works, and reassessing the need for treatment regularly.

If you notice lip smacking, grimacing, tongue movements, or jerky movements you can’t control, tell your prescriber.² Don’t stop Latuda suddenly because of it. Decisions about TD need a doctor’s exam.

Sleepiness, brain fog, and feeling “like a zombie”

Sleepiness is one of Latuda’s most common side effects. In schizophrenia trials, 17% of people on Latuda reported it, compared with 7% on placebo.¹ The label also warns that, like other antipsychotics, Latuda can impair judgment, thinking, and motor skills. Don’t drive or use machinery until you know how it affects you.¹

Feeling slowed down, foggy, or flat can wear on daily life. It’s worth telling your prescriber, since dose and timing can make a difference.

Latuda side effects in women

• Prolactin. Latuda can raise prolactin. In schizophrenia trials, 5.7% of women on Latuda had prolactin levels five or more times the upper limit of normal, compared with 2.0% on placebo.¹
• Periods and breasts. High prolactin can cause late or missed periods and breast discharge.^1,2
• Pregnancy. Babies exposed to antipsychotics in the third trimester can have movement or withdrawal symptoms after birth. There is limited data on Latuda in pregnancy.¹ If you are pregnant or planning to be, talk with your prescriber before any change.

Food and drug interactions that change side effects

Take Latuda with food. The label says to take it with at least 350 calories. Food roughly doubles how much of the drug your body absorbs.¹

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice should be avoided, because they can raise Latuda levels.¹
• Strong CYP3A4 blockers, such as ketoconazole, clarithromycin, and ritonavir, must not be taken with Latuda.¹
• Strong CYP3A4 inducers, such as rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, and St. John’s wort, must not be taken with Latuda either, because they can lower its level sharply.¹
• Moderate blockers, such as diltiazem or erythromycin, usually call for a lower Latuda dose.¹

Check with your pharmacist before starting any new medicine, herb, or supplement.

How long does Latuda stay in your system?

Latuda’s average half-life is about 18 hours at a 40 mg dose.¹ Most of a drug is usually cleared after about five half-lives, so most Latuda leaves the blood within about four days of the last dose. Leaving your blood is not the same as your brain readjusting, which can take longer.

Side effects of stopping Latuda

Short answer: stopping an antipsychotic suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms and raises the risk of the original symptoms coming back. Latuda should be reduced only under a prescriber’s care.^2,3,4

A 2020 review of five studies found that about half of people who stopped an oral antipsychotic abruptly had withdrawal symptoms.³ These studies did not look at Latuda specifically. Reported problems after stopping antipsychotics include:

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and sweating³
• Restlessness, anxiety, tension, and trouble sleeping³
• New or worse movement symptoms^3,4
• Rebound psychosis or a return of mood symptoms⁴

In one study in that review, most symptoms faded within about 4 weeks, while some movement symptoms lasted for months.³
Tardive dyskinesia can also appear after an antipsychotic is stopped.¹ Some withdrawal symptoms look like relapse, so close monitoring matters. Our Latuda withdrawal guide covers the timeline, and Latuda tapering explains how supervised reductions work.

When to call a doctor about Latuda side effects

Get help with Latuda side effects

Alternative to Meds Center is a residential treatment center in Sedona, Arizona, with about 20 years of experience helping people reduce or come off psychiatric medications, including antipsychotics. Our program lasts about 60 days on average.

For some people, Latuda is the right medication. For others, side effects lead them and their prescriber to consider a lower dose or a slow taper. If that is where you are, residential care means you have medical and nursing staff watching sleep, mood, and symptoms every day.

Every resident has a medical assessment and lab testing on arrival. Your taper is paced to how you respond, and our medical team plans each dose step, using half tablets or liquid preparations as needed. Care may also include neurotransmitter support with an individualized supplement plan, whole-food nutrition, counseling, and dual diagnosis care. Supplements support the plan; they don’t replace medical treatment you need.

Our Medical Director describes how the team works:

“Our medical and nursing teams collaborate closely to monitor each client’s tapering plan, assess progress, and make adjustments as clinically indicated. The team regularly evaluates symptoms, sleep patterns, mood, and overall well-being to support a safe and individualized process.”
Kimberli Galloway, PMHNP-BC, Medical Director

Latuda side effects FAQs

Sources:

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed. LATUDA (lurasidone hydrochloride) tablets, prescribing information. Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc. Label version January 2025. [cited 2026 Oct 20]

2. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Lurasidone. [cited 2026 Oct 20]

3. Brandt L, Bschor T, Henssler J, et al. Antipsychotic Withdrawal Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:569912. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.569912. PMID: 33132934. [cited 2026 Oct 20]

4. Cerovecki A, Musil R, Klimke A, et al. Withdrawal symptoms and rebound syndromes associated with switching and discontinuing atypical antipsychotics: theoretical background and practical recommendations. CNS Drugs. 2013;27(7):545-572. doi:10.1007/s40263-013-0079-5. PMID: 23821039. [cited 2026 Oct 20]

5. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org. [cited 2026 Oct 20]

This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.

Dr. John Motl, M.D.

Dr. Motl is currently certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry, and Board eligible in Neurology and licensed in the state of Arizona.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in biology and minors in chemistry and philosophy. He graduated from Creighton University School of Medicine with a Doctor of Medicine.  Dr. Motl has studied Medical Acupuncture at the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and at U.C.L.A.

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Diane Ridaeus

Diane is an avid supporter and researcher of natural mental health strategies. Diane received her medical writing and science communication certification through Stanford University and has published over 3 million words on the topics of holistic health, addiction, recovery, and alternative medicine. She has proudly worked with the Alternative to Meds Center since its inception and is grateful for the opportunity to help the founding members develop this world-class center that has helped so many thousands regain natural mental health.