merlinmatt asked
I currently take 50mg of Sertraline, I have tried increasing Sertraline but I don't like the side effects. The 50mg of Sertraline has improved my overall mood but I still feel anxious. Would it be safe to also use CBD oil alongside Sertraline?
At a glance
- Drug interaction studies with CBD are lacking, but preliminary evidence suggests a variety of potential interactions based on what we know of CBD metabolism.
- The chance of CBD having a clinically significant interaction with Zoloft (sertraline) is low based on available data.
Answer
Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a major component of cannabis (i.e. marijuana).
While THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is likely more well-known due to its psychoactive and euphoric effects, CBD makes up almost 40% of cannabis extracts and has a wide range of potential benefits when used medicinally, although more studies are certainly needed to better understand the compound.
While the exact dosing of CBD explored in studies ranges wildly (from 1 mg to over 600 mg), there is preliminary positive evidence for a variety of indications, including:
- Anxiety
- Dystonia
- Pain
- Seizures
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Insomnia
- Parkinson's Disease
Further adding to the potential benefit of CBD, is the fact that it is considered CBD is considered "non-euphoric", even at high doses.
CBD has recently exploded in popularity, with multiple products and brands available at a number of natural health food and supplement stores. It is even being mixed with traditional consumer products, like water!
With this, it is important to consider potential drug interactions with prescription medication.
Due to the relatively recent nature of CBD use for medicinal purposes, there is a distinct lack of studies when it comes to potential drug interactions between CBD and prescription medication, like Zoloft (sertraline).
Zoloft - CBD (Cannabidiol) Interaction
Zoloft (sertraline), an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor), is metabolized extensively by a variety of CYP enzymes, including:
- CYP2B6
- CYP2C19
- CYP2C9
- CYP3A4
- CYP2D6
As discussed above, research indicates that CBD can inhibit many of the metabolizing enzymes listed above.
Therefore, the use of CBD and Zoloft together could theoretically increase the risk of adverse effects, due to increasing Zoloft concentrations in the body.
However, additional data on CBD drug interactions indicate the risk of an interaction between CBD and Zoloft specifically is low.
There are many studies that postulate that while CBD does inhibit metabolizing enzymes, it is not significant and the blood concentrations needed to affect these metabolizing enzymes in humans far exceeds what is possible with usual dosing.
In addition, since Zoloft is metabolized in the body by a number of enzymes, it is thought that it would be difficult for a single agent to cause a clinically significant interaction. In the words of one study:
"The observation that multiple enzymes appear to be involved in sertraline [Zoloft] metabolism suggests that there should be no single agent that could substantially alter the pharmacokinetics of sertraline, nor should there be any single drug-metabolizing enzyme genetic polymorphism (e.g., CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, UGT1A1) that could profoundly impact the pharmacokinetics of sertraline."
Nevertheless, until studies are completed that specifically look at how CBD interacts with Zoloft (sertraline), we can only make educated guesses. It would be prudent to let your doctor know you are interested in trying CBD, so you can be appropriately monitored, just in case.
Summary
- CBD (cannabidiol) is a non-euphoric component of the cannabis plant and is widely used for a variety of health benefits.
- There is a lack of data available regarding whether or not CBD interacts Zoloft (sertraline).
- There is theoretical interaction between CBD and Zoloft based on how CBD can inhibit CYP metabolizing enzymes.
- As Zoloft is metabolized by many different CYP enzymes, the potential for a serious interaction appears low, but this cannot be confirmed until further studies are done.
