Sexual Side Effects With Zoloft: An Overview
Zoloft® (
sertraline hydrochloride), like all selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (
SSRIs), is known to cause certain sexual side effects. These may include:
Zoloft is known to cause a decrease in libido. In clinical studies where side effects of the medicine were documented, a decreased sex drive occurred in up to 11 percent of people taking Zoloft. This was most common in people with
obsessive-compulsive disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder -- 11 percent. It is least common in people taking
Zoloft for depression -- 1 percent.
Zoloft is also known to cause ejaculatory problems, such as ejaculation failure (the inability to ejaculate). In clinical studies where side effects were documented, ejaculation failure occurred in up to 19 percent of people taking it. The highest incidence occurred in people with
panic disorder, while those with
depression experienced a lower incidence of this Zoloft sexual side effect (7 percent).
Impotence as a Zoloft Sexual Side Effect
Impotence is usually defined as a total inability to achieve erection, an inconsistent ability to do so, or a tendency to sustain only brief erections.
Ultimately, impotence is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.
In studies, impotence occurred in at least 1 percent of men taking Zoloft, although the exact percentage was not reported.
