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Antidepressants and Gut Health

Journeyman

Journeyman

Senior Member
Messages
193
This is a question that I thought I'd get a gazillion results for after doing a google search, and I did, but none of them were useful in explaining what effects antidepressants actually have on the gut microbiome.

What little I could gather was that 95% of the bodies serotonin is produced in the gut, and that antidepressants effects on serotonin are not limited exclusively to the brain. By that logic, and knowing that serotonin promotes gastric motility, isn't it correct that antidepressants would tend to be beneficial for persons with a lack of intestinal motility or is there something else I'm missing here??

Additionally: what are the long term effects. I read something about antidepressants causing a downregulation of endogenous serotonin production which I assume would extend to the gut, but that would only be an issue in coming off the drugs wouldn't it??? Again there wasn't much explanation behind it and I'm hoping some of you might have something more substantive...

Keen to get your thoughts on this critical issue as I enter my 6th week of Mirtazepine and have just recently started treating for SIBO.....
 
dadouv47

dadouv47

Senior Member
Messages
745
Location
Belgium
Can't tell about the effects of antidepressants to your gut, but I'm pretty sure that taking Mirtazepine while treating SIBO is not a problem. Don't think it will help for your gut issues, but it's not an issue ( at least that's what my Doctor, which is treating me for leaky gut/SIBO thinks). I'm taking mirtazepine while I'm on a lot of meds for SIBO ( antibiotics, probiotics, lactoferrin, zeolite etc... )
 
C

Carl

Senior Member
Messages
369
Location
United Kingdom
Lecithin!
Constipation can be caused by low levels of PhosphatidylCholine leading to low levels of AcetylCholine because the liver is working so hard and using it all up which affects what is left to stimulate the bowel wall. Constipation seems common with leaky gut due to the stress placed upon the Liver.

Lecithin can tend to cause some degree of tiredness so taking small amounts regularly might be worth investigating,

PC also helps with building cell walls and cell turn over can be high in autoimmune illnesses so it can be helpful in multiple ways.
 
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