Effexor and Sex Drive

 Effexor^® (venlafaxine hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine approved for the treatment of depression. It belongs to a class of drugs called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

 

A number of sexual side effects have been reported with Effexor: sex drive decrease, ejaculation problems, impotence, and others. In previous studies, up to 5.7 percent of people taking higher doses of Effexor reported a decreased sex drive (libido). However, this problem was less common in people taking lower Effexor doses.

 

Since sexual side effects are common in people who have depression, however, it is difficult to determine whether decreased sex drive is actually caused by Effexor or the depression itself.