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Sertraline Information
is a member of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) family of drugs
used to treat people with depression.
Summary of
Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
(for details about the summarized interactions, read the full article)
 May be Beneficial: Depletion or
interference—The medication may deplete or interfere with the absorption or
function of the nutrient. Taking these nutrients may help replenish them. |
Sodium
|
| May be Beneficial: Side effect
reduction/prevention—Taking these supplements may help reduce the likelihood and/or
severity of a potential side effect caused by the medication. |
Ginkgo biloba*
|
| May be Beneficial: Supportive
interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication
work better. |
Chromium*
|
Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this
medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results. |
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
L-tryptophan
St. John’s wort*
|
| Reduced drug
absorption/bioavailability |
None known
|
An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the
interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific
evidence.
Sertraline Interactions with Dietary Supplements
Chromium
There have been five case reports of chromium supplementation (200–400 mcg per day)
significantly improving mood in people with a type of depression called dysthymic disorder who
were also taking sertraline.1 These case reports, while clearly limited and
preliminary in scope, warrant a controlled trial to better understand the benefits, if any, of
chromium supplementation in people taking this drug.
5-Hydroxytryptophan
(5-HTP) and L-tryptophan
increases serotonin activity in the brain. 5-HTP and L-tryptophan are converted to serotonin in
the brain, and taking either of these compounds with sertraline may increase
sertraline-induced side effects.
In one report, dietary supplements of L-tryptophan (available only by prescriptions from
special compounding pharmacists) taken with paroxetine (a drug similar to sertraline) caused
headache, sweating, dizziness, agitation, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, and other
symptoms.2 On the other hand, the combination of 45 mg DL-tryptophan (a synthetic
variation of L-tryptophan) per pound of body weight (a relatively high dose) with zimelidine,
a drug with a similar action to sertraline, did not cause these side effects in another
trial.3 Some doctors have used small amounts of L-tryptophan in combination with
SSRIs, to increase the effectiveness of the latter. However, because of the potential for side
effects, 5-HTP and L-tryptophan should never be taken in combination with sertraline or other
SSRIs, unless the combination is being closely monitored by a doctor. Foods rich in
L-tryptophan do not appear to interact with sertraline or other SSRIs.
Sodium
SSRI drugs, including sertraline, have been reported to cause sodium depletion.4
5 6 The risk for SSRI-induced sodium depletion appears to be increased
during the first few weeks of treatment in women, the elderly, and patients also using diuretics. Doctors prescribing SSRI drugs,
including sertraline, should monitor their patients for signs of sodium depletion.
Sertraline Interactions with Herbs
Ginkgo
biloba
In three men and two women treated with
fluoxetine or sertraline (SSRI drugs
closely related to paroxetine) for depression who experienced sexual dysfunction, addition of
Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) in the amount of 240 mg per day effectively reversed the
sexual dysfunction.7 This makes sense because ginkgo has been reported to help men
with some forms of erectile
dysfunction.8
St. John’s
wort (Hypericum perforatum)
One report described a case of serotonin syndrome in a patient who took St. John’s wort
and trazodone, a weak SSRI drug.9
The patient reportedly experienced mental confusion, muscle twitching, sweating, flushing, and
ataxia. In another case, a patient experienced grogginess, lethargy, nausea, weakness, and
fatigue after taking one dose of paroxetine
(Paxil®, another SSRI drug) after ten days of St. John’s wort use.10
Sertraline Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds
Food
Results of two nonblinded randomized studies in healthy people suggest sertraline may be taken
with or without food.11
Alcohol
SSRI drugs, including sertraline, may cause dizziness or drowsiness.12 Alcohol may
intensify these effects and increase the risk of accidental injury. Alcohol should be avoided
during sertraline therapy.
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Review Date: 2/11/2007
Medication: Sertraline -  - Very Good
Medication Type: Generic
Length Taken: Less than 1 month
Strength: 20 mg X 2 times per day
Side Effects: Dry Mouth, Loss of Appetite
Other Products Taken: Adderall
I was taking generic Zoloft for about 1 month. It helped with my anxiety quite a bit. It made me not dwell on things for so long. I was able to get through my day peacefully.
Karen D.
Detroit, MI USA
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Review Date: 3/9/2007
Medication: Zoloft -  - Stay Far Away
Medication Type: Brand Name
Length Taken: Less than 1 month
Strength: X 1 times per day
Side Effects: Anxiety, Dizziness, Nausea, Gave Me The Shakes
Other Products Taken:
I took Zoloft for three weeks. The medicine caused anxiety and tremors in me It is important to consider the side effects with this type of medication. In short it made me feel worse.
Anonymous
TX, USA
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Review Date: 1/31/2008
Medication: Sertraline -  - Average
Medication Type: Generic
Length Taken: Less than 1 month
Strength: 100 X 1 times per day
Side Effects: Depression, Dizziness, Gave Me Gas or Made Me Bloated, Loss of Energy, Loss of Sex Drive
Other Products Taken:
I've been taking it for 2 weeks, I know it can take up to 4 weeks to get the full benefits of this medication. So far, I haven't felt any different besides feeling tired/dizzy all the time.
Anonymous
NV, USA
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|
Review Date: 5/21/2008
Medication: Zoloft - - Stay Far Away
Medication Type: Brand Name
Length Taken: More than 1 year
Strength: 50 mg X 1 times per day
Other Products Taken:
This is the second time in my life I have taken Zoloft for in excess of 12 months continuously. The drug has limited effect on mood and the withdrawal from the drug is extreemly difficult. The first time I quit Zoloft, I was not working, so I simply quit and was practically unable to function for the best part of 14 days, my dose then was 200 mg per day. I am currently taking 50 mg/day, the lowest dose available in Australia, and I am finding the 'zaps' from attempting to discontinue intollerable. I have just begun to take 5000 mg of fish oil twice a day to see if this helps me to discontinue Sertraline. Everyone is different but I would use sertraline with extreeme hesitation as withdrawal is so difficult.
Warren
Queensland, Australia
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