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Zoloft Sexual Side Effects
In the case of Zoloft, sexual side effects associated with the drug include such things as decreased sex drive, ejaculation failure, and impotence. A decreased sex drive was most often seen in people taking Zoloft for obsessive-compulsive disorder or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, while ejaculation failure occurred most frequently in people taking it for panic disorder.
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:
- Decreased sex drive (libido)
- Ejaculation failure
- Impotence (also known as erectile dysfunction or ED)
- Prolonged and painful erection (priapism).
Decreased Sex Drive
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.
Ejaculation Failure
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.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD