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Antidepressants can interfere with the body's ability to regulate temperature.

Heat-related symptoms range from mild discomfort to life-threatening heat stroke.

Simple precautions can significantly lower the risk during hot weather.

It is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and in a few months it will be in the South as well. But for those taking antidepressants, the hottest months of the year do not always bring only sunshine and outdoor activities.

Heat intolerance is a common complaint among antidepressant users, and symptoms often become more noticeable during periods of high temperatures.

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) are the antidepressants most commonly associated with heat intolerance, although people taking medications from other classes, such as tricyclic antidepressants, may also experience symptoms during hot weather.

Mechanism of the effect

Some antidepressants affect the body's ability to regulate temperature, increasing the risk of heat-related symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, fatigue, and dehydration.

The way this happens depends on the type of antidepressant. SSRIs including Prozac (fluoxetine), Celexa (citalopram), Lexapro (escitalopram), and Zoloft........

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