Medication · ssri

Supplements and Sertraline.

Every documented pair, every citation. Below: 4 documented pairs grouped by mechanism.

Sertraline, sold under the brand names Lustral, Zoloft, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI): it raises synaptic serotonin by blocking its reuptake.

Below are the 4 documented pairs we have explicitly assessed against Sertraline in the Distil database: 2 red and 2 amber. The pairs cluster around 1 mechanism: 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

Additive serotonergic activity

Red 5-HTP

5-HTP is the precursor your body uses to make serotonin. Combined with an SSRI like sertraline, it can cause serotonin syndrome (agitation, sweating, tremor, confusion). Do not combine.

BNF: Sertraline

Red St John's Wort

St John's Wort and sertraline both raise serotonin levels. Combined, they can cause serotonin syndrome (agitation, sweating, tremor, raised heart rate, confusion). Do not combine.

BNF: Sertraline

Amber Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has mild effects on serotonin pathways that overlap with sertraline. Most people tolerate the combination but watch for restlessness, jaw tension, or sleep disruption.

BNF: Sertraline

Amber Saffron Extract

Saffron has antidepressant effects in its own right, which may add to sertraline's. Most people tolerate the combination but discuss it with your GP before stacking, especially if your dose has recently changed.

PMID 15852492 · BNF: Sertraline

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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For adults over 18. This tool gives evidence-graded information, not medical advice. Always discuss changes with your GP, especially if you take any medication, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a serious health condition.

Anything we should know? (optional)

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Your supplements

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Your medications

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How we decide

How we grade severity, choose what's in scope, and what we exclude.

Every call on this page is reasoned. We publish the full rubric for severity tiers, the medication inclusion logic, the evidence grades we accept, and what we deliberately leave out. About three thousand words. Worth reading once if you use this tool more than occasionally.

Read the full methodology

Something missing?

If a supplement or medication you take isn't in our autocomplete, tell us and we'll add it in the next quarterly update.

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Distil's interactions database is reviewed and updated every quarter. We grade evidence transparently and publish our methodology, including every database change, at /about/methodology. This tool is information, not a substitute for clinical judgement. If you take medication and supplements together, your GP or pharmacist can review your full regimen against your medical history. If you want a comprehensive personalised stack reasoned against this same database, the Distil report is the next step up.