Humira (adalimumab) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat certain types of arthritis and other inflammation-related diseases. It comes as a liquid solution for injection under your skin.

Specifically, Humira is used to treat:

To learn more about Humira’s uses, see the “What is Humira used for?” section.

Humira (pronounced hu-MARE-ah) is a biologic medication. A biologic is made from parts of living organisms.

The active ingredient in Humira is adalimumab. (An active ingredient is what makes a medication work.)

There are also biosimilar versions of Humira, such as Amjevita, Cyltezo, and others. Biosimilar drugs are medications that are similar to a brand-name biologic drug. Biosimilars are considered as safe and effective as brand-name biologic drugs and tend to cost less.

Humira belongs to a group of drugs called tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, which help reduce inflammation in the body.

If you have a certain type of arthritis or a disease related to inflammation, your doctor may prescribe Humira for you.

Humira is used in certain situations to treat the following conditions:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis: Humira is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. The drug can help slow the worsening of this condition. With RA, you have inflammation in your joints. But you may also have problems with other organs in your body.
  • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Humira is used to treat moderate to severe juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children ages 2 years and older. JIA is a type of arthritis that occurs in children.
  • Psoriatic arthritis: Humira is used to treat psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adults. The drug helps to slow the worsening of this condition. With PsA, you have inflammation in your joints, and you may also have plaques on your skin, similar to those seen with plaque psoriasis (see below).
  • Ankylosing spondylitis: Humira is used to treat ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in adults. AS and RA are very similar diseases. But people with AS usually have long-lasting lower back pain. This is unlike people with RA, who usually have long-lasting pain in joints in their hands, wrists, or knees.
  • Crohn’s disease: Humira is used to treat moderate to severe Crohn’s disease in adults and children ages 6 years and older. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease that causes swelling in your intestines.
  • Ulcerative colitis: Humira is used to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults and children ages 5 years and older. With UC, you have swelling in your lower intestine.
  • Plaque psoriasis: Humira is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults. With plaque psoriasis, you may have plaques on the skin of your scalp or trunk, or the skin around your joints. (Plaques are rough, thick, or scaly patches.) Some people with plaque psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis.
  • Hidradenitis suppurativa: Humira is used to treat moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in people ages 12 years and older. HS is a skin condition that causes sores on your underarm (axilla) or groin, around your anus, between your anus and urethra, and under your breasts.
  • Uveitis: Humira is used to treat uveitis in adults and children ages 2 years and older. With uveitis, you have inflammation in your eyes that can cause pain and vision loss.

Adalimumab, the active ingredient in Humira, targets a protein in your body called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). This protein increases inflammation in your body.

People with inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, may have too much TNF in their bloodstream and joints. Blocking TNF is how Humira works for the conditions listed above.

The Humira dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:

  • the type and severity of the condition you’re using Humira to treat
  • your age
  • other medical conditions you may have

For some conditions, you may need to start treatment with a loading dose of Humira. A loading dose is a dose that’s larger than your regular dose. It allows the drug to start working quickly in your body.

Be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

You’ll inject Humira under your skin. Your doctor will show you how to give Humira injections to yourself. Be sure to let your doctor know if you have any questions or concerns about administering the drug to yourself.

You’ll inject Humira under the skin of:

  • your abdomen, staying 2 inches away from your belly button
  • the front of your thighs

Every time you inject a dose of Humira, you should choose a different injection site. And each new injection should be given at least 1 inch away from your last injection site.

You should avoid injecting Humira into skin that’s:

  • sore
  • bruised
  • discolored
  • hard
  • scarred, including having stretch marks

Questions about taking Humira

Here are answers to some common questions about taking Humira.

  • What if I miss a dose of Humira? If you miss a dose of Humira, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Then continue taking Humira doses at your regularly scheduled times. How many days late you can take a Humira dose depends on when your next dose is scheduled. So if it’s close to when your next dose is due, just skip the missed dose. If you’re unsure of when to take a missed dose of Humira, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
  • Will I need to use Humira long term? You’ll likely need to take Humira long term. This is because most of the conditions Humira treats are long lasting. Talk with your doctor about how long you’ll need to take Humira.
  • Should I take Humira with food? You don’t have to. How well your body absorbs Humira doesn’t depend on whether you have a full or empty stomach.
  • How long does Humira take to work? Depending on the reason you’re taking Humira, it may take several months for the drug to work. For example, in studies, people with rheumatoid arthritis saw improvement in their condition after 6 months of treatment. And this improvement was maintained after 1 year when treatment was continued. You might notice Humira working sooner than this for your condition. Talk with your doctor to find out when you should expect to experience a reduction in your symptoms.

Overdose

Do not take more Humira than your doctor prescribes, as this can lead to harmful effects.

What to do in case of overdose

Call your doctor if you think you’ve taken too much Humira. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach America’s Poison Centers or use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. Or go to the nearest emergency room.

Like most drugs, Humira may cause mild to serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the more common side effects Humira may cause, but they don’t include all possible side effects.

Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:

  • your age
  • other health conditions you have
  • other medications you take

The most common Humira side effects reported in the drug’s prescribing information include:

Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering Humira. What you’ll pay for Humira may depend on several things, such as your treatment plan and the pharmacy you use.

Here are a few things to consider regarding cost:

  • Cost information and savings coupons: You can visit Optum Perks for price estimates of Humira. These estimates are based on the use of Optum Perks coupons. Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.
  • Generic or biosimilar form: Humira is available as the biosimilar drug Amjevita. Similar to generic drugs, biosimilars often cost less than brand-name drugs. Talk with your doctor if you’d like to know whether Amjevita or another biosimilar version of Humira could be a less expensive option for you.
  • Savings options: If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. The Humira manufacturer’s website may also have some savings options.

Optum Perks is owned by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

Humira can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain vaccines.

Before using Humira, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, or supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

Other drugs may be available that can treat your condition. If you’d like to explore an alternative to Humira, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that might work well for you.

The following drugs are similar to Humira:

For information about how some of these alternatives compare with Humira, see these articles:

The following is important information to consider and discuss with your doctor or pharmacist before using Humira.

Pregnancy and Humira

Adalimumab, the active ingredient in Humira, passes through the placenta to the developing fetus during the last trimester of pregnancy. But studies don’t show a link between Humira use and development problems in pregnancy.

It’s thought that having unmanaged rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn’s disease) can negatively affect pregnancy. And keep in mind that Humira is used for those conditions.

Also, because of how Humira works, doctors will weigh the benefits and risks of giving certain vaccines to babies exposed to Humira during the last trimester of pregnancy.

If you’re pregnant or considering pregnancy, talk with your doctor before starting Humira.

Humira and breastfeeding

Humira does pass into breast milk. But side effects from Humira in children who are breastfed haven’t been reported. Also, Humira doesn’t seem to decrease milk production in people who are breastfeeding.

If you’re breastfeeding, your doctor will weigh the benefits and risks of Humira treatment. Be sure to talk with your doctor if you’ll be breastfeeding while taking Humira.

Boxed warnings

Humira has boxed warnings about the risk of serious infections and cancer. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA about drug effects that may be dangerous.

Risk of serious infections. Taking Humira can increase your risk for getting a serious infection. This includes tuberculosis, fungal infections, and other rare infections. It may also include bacterial sepsis (a life threatening illness that can result from an infection).

Symptoms of a serious infection will vary, but they may include:

If you develop a serious infection or sepsis while you’re taking Humira, your doctor will have you stop taking the drug. Call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of infection while using this drug.

Your doctor will also check you for tuberculosis before you start using Humira. And during treatment with Humira, your doctor will monitor you for any signs or symptoms of tuberculosis.

Risk of cancer. Some children and adolescents have developed certain types of cancer when taking Humira, such as lymphoma. (This is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.) Other cancers that can be fatal were also reported.

Before prescribing Humira, your doctor will consider the benefits and risks of using this drug if you already have cancer. If you develop cancer while you’re taking Humira, your doctor will also weigh the benefits and risks of Humira treatment. Your doctor may recommend that you stop taking Humira.

Other precautions

Before using Humira, discuss your health history with your doctor. Humira may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Be sure to talk with your doctor if any of the following apply to you:

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about Humira.

Does Humira cause weight gain or weight loss?

No, Humira doesn’t cause weight gain or weight loss. But if you get a serious infection during Humira treatment, you might lose weight. And serious infections are a possible side effect of this drug.

Also, new or worsening heart failure can cause a rapid increase in weight. Heart failure is a possible side effect of Humira.

If you have unexplained weight gain or weight loss when using Humira, tell your doctor. They can try to determine what might be causing your weight change.

If you’re concerned about any other weight changes while you’re taking Humira, talk with your doctor. They can provide tips to help you manage a body weight that’s healthy for you.

Will I have hair loss with Humira?

Possibly. Hair loss wasn’t reported as a side effect in Humira’s studies. But there have been reports of hair loss in people taking Humira since the drug was approved.

If you notice you’re losing hair while you’re taking Humira, talk with your doctor.

What will happen if I stop taking Humira? Will I have withdrawal symptoms?

If you stop taking Humira, the symptoms of your condition may come back. But you won’t have withdrawal symptoms from the medication itself. (Withdrawal refers to symptoms that can happen if you stop taking a medication that your body is dependent on. Dependence means the body needs the medication to function like usual.)

If you need to stop taking Humira, your doctor will closely monitor you for symptoms of your condition. If your symptoms return, your doctor may recommend that you restart treatment with Humira. Or they may suggest another drug to manage your condition.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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