Is it safe to take Zoloft with Ginkgo Biolba?

Answer 1

It is safe to take Ginkgo Biloba with Zoloft. The typical dose of ginkgo is 60 to 120 mg twice a day. The best-studied form of ginkgo is a special extract called EGb761. In the United States, Ginkoba and Ginkgold (Nature's Way) are brands that have been compounded to reflect EGb 761.

Some people use Ginkgo Biloba to counter possible sexual side effects, including impotence. In three men and two women treated with Prozac and Zoloft, for depression who experienced sexual dysfunction, addition of Ginkgo Biloba extract (GBE) in the amount of 240 per day effectively reversed the sexual dysfunction. (source: J Sex Educ Ther 1991;17:53-61.)

I have personally taken Zoloft and 120 mg of Ginkgold twice a day for over three years now, and have no sexual side effects (or other side effects) from the medication, or the combination of the herb with Zoloft.

When taking Ginkgo, there is a small risk of bleeding in the body, and the dosages of other blood-thinning agents being taken may sometimes have to be reduced.

Answer 2

Some evidence of increased risk of serotonin syndrome, but, I've been taking a combo of sertraline (100 mg), wellbutrin (350 mg), ginko biloba (60 mg) and taurine (1000 mg) every morning for around 3 months with no adverse effect (so far as I can tell), though, it is possible that the combo could result in serotonin syndrome in some people. 'Increased risk' isn't a definitive 'yes' or 'no' that one will develop serotonin syndrome.

Answer 3

I would suggest you call your local pharmacist to get this answer - they have the most knowledge about interactions between medications and "nutritional supplements."

Also, it is best not to receive answers online to these types of medical questions. There are many contradictory answers online to these types of medical questions, because some websites explain that taking ginkgo biloba with antidepressants will induce serotonin syndrome or seizures, (1) while other websites actually encourage taking ginkgo biloba with antidepressants to reduce the effects of decreased sexual performance that many SSRIs cause.(2)

So it is best to ask a professional.

References

1(http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginkgo-biloba-000247.htm; http://answers.Yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090520190744AAc8jjq)

2. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9611693; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00034021).

Answer 4

It is ok, but if you are taking Prozac for Bipolar disorder, G. B. has been known to cause hypomania, so watch out for that. Other side effects are headache and nausea.

Answer 5

Can you take lexapro and ginko biloba at the same time