Sertraline, better known by the brand names Lustral (in the UK) and Zoloft (in the US), is by far the most-prescribed antidepressant drug in both Britain and the United States.
Sertraline has become the preferred choice of doctors and patients because of its effectiveness, and because it generally causes fewer and less serious side effects than other popular antidepressants.
More and more people are using CBD oil for its reported antidepressant effects, too. Studies have shown that CBD appears to be effective against depression, anxiety, stress, and more serious mental health disorders.
That leads to one obvious question: can you use CBD oil and sertraline together? There’s not enough information to answer with a definitive “yes” or “no.”
Early theories indicated that the two interact in a way that could make it more difficult for the liver to process sertraline, and that taking both sertraline and CBD oil could cause dizziness, low blood sodium levels, cognitive difficulties, or even more serious effects.
More recent studies, however, indicate that the interaction may not be as problematic as was first thought, and that using sertraline and CBD together could potentially result in better outcomes than administering just one or the other.
Until the data becomes clearer, experts suggest three possible approaches. Waiting for more clarification, separating doses of sertraline and CBD by at least several hours — or best of all, consulting your doctor or another healthcare professional for guidance.
For those who want to learn more, here’s a deeper dive into the subject.
CBD and the Body
CBD (cannabidiol) is one of more than 100 natural compounds known as cannabinoids, which are found in both the hemp and cannabis plants. The best-known cannabinoid, of course, is psychoactive THC, and it’s also found in both plants.
CBD and THC are quite similar in their chemical structures, and research has shown that each appears to provide impressive health and wellness benefits. Their small structural difference, however, causes them to act differently once inside the body. They provide somewhat different medical effects, and while THC makes most users high, CBD delivers no intoxicating effects. (There is a small amount of THC in the cannabidiol that’s used to create most CBD products, including CBD oil, but it’s not enough to interfere with users’ cognitive or physical functioning.) CBD and THC deliver their benefits and effects by interacting with a huge network of neurotransmitters and receptors in the body known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Before getting there, however, they must first be metabolized in the liver — and that’s where the potentially problematic interaction with sertraline develops. Hold that thought; we’ll get back to it shortly. CBD oil’s apparent benefits for those suffering from depression and other mental health conditions have only come to light in recent years. Sertraline has been prescribed as a front-line treatment for those issues for much longer. Let’s briefly discuss each of them. Studies have shown evidence of many potential medical benefits for CBD oil and other CBD products. It’s already being prescribed (as the medication Epidiolex) for patients suffering from several rare forms of childhood epilepsy, but the list of other conditions that appear to respond to cannabidiol use is enormous. They include chronic pain, inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative conditions, cardiovascular risk factors, insomnia, and even some forms of cancer. Research on all of those potential uses of CBD continues, but millions of people are already using CBD oil and other products in response to the initial studies that have been so encouraging. One of the most promising uses for cannabidiol is for the treatment of depression, stress, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Just some of the research results indicating its effects: Mental health professionals don’t yet prescribe cannabidiol for depression, since it hasn’t been approved for use for conditions other than the childhood epilepsy we’ve mentioned. However, that hasn’t stopped large numbers of people from using CBD oil to help ease anxiety, stress, and depression. Whether it’s prescribed under the name Lustral, Zoloft, or generic sertraline, this SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) has become the Western world’s most commonly prescribed antidepressant. Sertraline was developed and approved for use as an antidepressant in the early 1990s. It, and other SSRIs, quickly became popular alternatives to tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline, previously the front-line medications prescribed for depression and whose use was accompanied by much more serious side effects than those associated with SSRIs. Sertraline works by preventing low serotonin levels in the brain; as discussed in the last section, maintaining proper serotonin levels works to prevent depression. When you take Lustral, or Zoloft, or sertraline, though, it doesn’t go straight to the brain. It first must be processed in the liver — and that brings us to the central point of this article. We’ll divide this discussion into two parts. It’s not by accident that both CBD and sertraline are metabolized in the liver. That’s where almost all drugs and substances are processed and turned into active metabolites or inactive byproducts to be excreted from the body. The process is controlled and conducted by proteins known as enzymes. The enzymes’ capacity isn’t unlimited; the more work they have to do, the longer metabolism takes. And if the enzymes are overburdened with work, some drugs or substances may not be completely broken down. That can lead to too-high levels of drugs in the system and undesired side effects. With all of that background understood, it’s finally time to discuss CBD oil and sertraline interactions. Some of the enzymes that metabolize substances in the liver are known as CYP2C19 enzymes, and they’re primarily responsible for breaking down both CBD and sertraline. Here’s the problem, though: CBD may also block the full functioning of CYP2C19 enzymes. If that happens, the enzymes are stopped from fully metabolizing sertraline — putting more of the antidepressant into the user’s bloodstream than intended, and increasing the possibility of negative side effects like tiredness, dizziness, cognitive difficulties, loss of coordination, and diarrhoea. Some research reports that it can also cause low sodium levels. Some experts say there’s another potential problem. They warn that taking CBD and sertraline together could lead to very high serotonin levels, inducing a condition known as serotonin syndrome. In extreme cases, serotonin syndrome is characterized by fever, muscle stiffness and contractions, and seizures. It can even be life-threatening. The news isn’t all dire, though. The CBD-sertraline interaction issues we’ve mentioned have been “common wisdom” in the medical research community for some time, and are largely based on theory. Recent studies seem to show that the potential problems are nowhere as severe as had been believed. One study claims that the risk of a problematic interaction is low. Another says that the amount of cannabidiol that would cause severe issues is much higher than normal CBD doses. A third says that many enzymes other than CYP2C19 also help metabolize sertraline, so CBD’s effect on CYP2C19 enzymes isn’t enough to cause the theoretical problems we’ve described. Finally, recent research has reported that using both sertraline and CBD together to treat PTSD symptoms worked better than using either by itself. Confused? So are most experts. The jury is still out. Medical experts say there’s not enough evidence to make a firm declaration about whether it’s advisable, a bad idea, or potentially dangerous to take both cannabidiol and sertraline at the same time. There’s also not enough firm evidence for them to definitively say that CBD is a good alternative to sertraline for patients suffering from depression. However, early research does indicate that CBD oil shows strong promise as an effective way for users to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression, with far fewer side effects than sertraline. The best way for readers to make decisions about using CBD, or about combining it with a prescription medication like sertraline, is to consult with their doctor or another healthcare professional. There’s simply not enough information available just yet for users to make an informed decision on their own.
1000mg CBD Lotion
£49.95 – £149.85
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
1000mg CBD Oil
£54.95 – £329.70
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
1800mg CBD Oil
£89.95 – £539.70
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
500mg CBD Oil (Full Spectrum)
£39.95 – £239.70
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
750mg CBD Balm
£44.95 – £134.85
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
750mg CBD Gummies
£49.95 – £99.90
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
900mg CBD Capsules
£49.95 – £299.95
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
900mg CBD Patches
£34.95 – £104.85
Select options
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
CBD Oil, Sertraline, and Depression
CBD and Depression
Sertraline and Depression
Liver Enzymes, CBD, and Sertraline
The Liver and Enzymes
The Possible Effects of CBD-Sertraline Interaction
Should You Take CBD Oil and Sertraline Together?
Shop our CBD products:
