Supplements and Fluvoxamine.
Fluvoxamine, sold under the brand names Faverin, Luvox, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI): it raises synaptic serotonin by blocking its reuptake.
Fluvoxamine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). The class raises synaptic serotonin by blocking the serotonin reuptake transporter, with relatively low affinity for other monoamine systems. The most clinically important supplement concerns are serotonergic and additive. St John's Wort is a hard exclude per the BNF and MHRA. 5-HTP is a hard exclude on theoretical and case-report grounds. Tryptophan, rhodiola, and at higher doses saffron extract and SAMe, sit on the same pathway. Serotonin syndrome is rare but recognisable. Tremor, hyperthermia, clonus, agitation. Metabolic profiles vary across the class. Sertraline runs on CYP2B6 and CYP2C19. Fluoxetine and paroxetine are CYP2D6 inhibitors. Citalopram and escitalopram run on CYP2C19. Individual SSRI pages give a sharper picture. Discontinuation needs taper, not stop. SSRI withdrawal symptoms are real and documented in NICE NG222, and any planned change should run through the prescribing GP.
Below are the 9 documented pairs we have explicitly assessed against Fluvoxamine in the Distil database: 3 severe and 6 caution. The pairs cluster around 2 mechanisms: CYP1A2 inhibition and Additive serotonergic activity. Every call is cited to either a clinical reference (PMID) or the British National Formulary. Anything not on this list is either still to be assessed or beyond our database scope. The checker beneath surfaces assessments by supplement, and the missing-item form at the bottom of the page routes any uncatalogued supplement into our next curation pass.
Documented interactions
Last reviewed 28 October 2026. Each interaction below lists the evidence its assessment drew on: some rest on studies of the exact pair, others on mechanism evidence, where a citation may support one part of the reasoning rather than the exact combination. The evidence line on each entry says which.
CYP1A2 inhibition
Severe Does Melatonin interact with Fluvoxamine?
Fluvoxamine slows the liver enzyme that clears melatonin, so taking the two together can push melatonin levels many times higher than the dose alone would give. This may mean heavy sedation and grogginess that carries into the next day. UK prescribing guidance advises not taking them together, so if you take fluvoxamine, do not add melatonin, and ask your prescriber about other options for sleep.
Evidence: Supported by human study data.
Caution Does Green Tea Extract interact with Fluvoxamine?
Fluvoxamine slows the enzyme that breaks down caffeine, and green tea extract contains caffeine. Taking the two together can let caffeine build up and may cause jitteriness, a racing heart, or trouble sleeping. Choosing a decaffeinated or low-caffeine green tea extract, or keeping the dose modest, lowers the risk.
Evidence: Supported by human study data.
Additive serotonergic activity
Severe Does 5-HTP interact with Fluvoxamine?
5-HTP is the precursor your body uses to make serotonin. Combined with an SSRI like fluvoxamine, it can cause serotonin syndrome (agitation, sweating, tremor, confusion). Do not combine.
Evidence: Supported by human study data.
Severe Does St John's Wort interact with Fluvoxamine?
St John's Wort and fluvoxamine both raise serotonin levels. Combined, they can cause serotonin syndrome (agitation, sweating, tremor, raised heart rate, confusion). Do not combine.
Evidence: Supported by human study data.
Caution Does Ashwagandha interact with Fluvoxamine?
Ashwagandha may interact with fluvoxamine. In people taking other SSRI antidepressants, side effects that eased once ashwagandha was stopped have been reported, and one person on escitalopram developed serotonin toxicity after a large dose of ashwagandha. No report involves fluvoxamine itself, but it works the same way, so speak to your GP or pharmacist before starting ashwagandha and get urgent help if you notice twitching, agitation, fever or a racing heart.
Evidence: No direct study of this exact combination yet; the caution rests on a plausible mechanism or on reports involving a related medicine.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
Caution Does L-Tryptophan interact with Fluvoxamine?
Tryptophan is the building block your body uses to make serotonin, so adding it to fluvoxamine raises serotonin from both directions. The combination can cause agitation, sweating, tremor, shivering, muscle twitching, or a racing heart. Do not stack them without your GP's involvement.
Evidence: Limited human data, from small studies or case reports.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
Caution Does Rhodiola Rosea interact with Fluvoxamine?
Rhodiola has mild effects on serotonin pathways that can add to fluvoxamine's. Most people tolerate the combination, but watch for restlessness, sweating, tremor, or a racing heart, and talk to your GP before stacking them, especially if your dose has recently changed.
Evidence: Limited human data, from small studies or case reports.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
Caution Does SAMe interact with Fluvoxamine?
SAMe has its own antidepressant, serotonin-related activity, which may add to fluvoxamine's. Most people tolerate the combination, but watch for restlessness, sweating, tremor, shivering, or a racing heart, and tell your GP before stacking them, especially if your fluvoxamine dose has recently changed.
Evidence: Limited human data, from small studies or case reports.
Reviewer-flagged: awaiting clinical-reviewer sign-off.
Caution Does Saffron Extract interact with Fluvoxamine?
Saffron has its own antidepressant effect, possibly via serotonin-receptor modulation. Combined with fluvoxamine, the serotonergic effect may stack. Most people tolerate the combination but discuss it with your GP before stacking, especially if your dose has recently changed.
Evidence: Limited human data, from small studies or case reports.
What this list does not say. Pairs not flagged here are not implicitly safe. They are either not yet in our database, or fall outside our inclusion scope (food-supplement interactions only; for drug-drug interactions, the BNF is authoritative). Use the checker below to surface any supplement, and submit a missing item if you take something we have not catalogued.
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How the checker decides
Every result has a source
Each pair we have assessed is cited to a published study (PMID) or the British National Formulary, so you can read the source yourself.
Four kinds of answer
Severe, caution, no known interaction, and not yet assessed. A pair we have not assessed is never shown as clear.
- Severe
- Caution
- No known interaction
- Not yet assessed
Nothing in our data is not a clearance
When nothing in our data records a problem with a pair, the result says no known interaction at typical doses, which is not a clearance: your pharmacist or GP can check the pair against your full medical history.
A full supplement review, built around you, not a generic stack.
The free checker answers one interaction question at a time. A Distil report reviews the bigger picture: your goals, diet, medications, current supplements and any blood results you provide, then shows what appears worth keeping, changing, adding or leaving out.
- what your diet already covers, so you are not adding a capsule for something food is already handling
- which evidence-graded compounds are worth considering for your goals, and which were considered but left out
- what to keep, change or stop from what you already take, plus the order to introduce anything new
- how your medications and complete supplement stack fit together, with daily timing and a clear point for reassessment
The interaction check is one section of the full report. You also get the reasoning behind each recommendation and the evidence references used.
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