Shop products for Sibutramine 
Sibutramine is used for the management of obesity, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, and should be used in association with a reduced calorie diet.
Summary of
Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, an herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem
contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized
interactions.
 Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements
when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous
results. |
5-HTP Alcohol Ephedra L-tryptophan |
| Depletion or interference |
None known |
| Side effect reduction/prevention |
None known |
| Supportive interaction |
None known |
| Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability |
None known |
An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.
Interaction with Dietary Supplements
L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP
The amino acids L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) are occasionally used to treat
mental depression. Taking sibutramine with
L-tryptophan or 5-HTP might result in a rare, but serious group of symptoms known as
“serotonin syndrome.”1 Symptoms associated with serotonin syndrome may
include confusion, anxiety, muscle weakness, incoordination, and vomiting. Therefore,
individuals taking sibutramine should avoid supplementing with L-tryptophan and 5-HTP.
Interaction with Herbs
Ephedra
One side effect of sibutramine is high blood
pressure. Ephedra, an herb that until 2004 was used in cold remedies and herbal weight
loss products, contains ephedrine, which can also increase
blood pressure. Though no studies have investigated whether taking sibutramine together with
ephedra might produce an adverse interaction, currently available evidence suggests that this
combination should be used with caution.2
Interaction with Food and Other Compounds
Alcohol
Though one controlled study showed that drinking alcoholic beverages while taking sibutramine
produced no clinically important interaction, it is nevertheless recommended that individuals
taking the drug should avoid drinking alcohol.3
References
1. Sifton DW, et. Physicians’ Desk Reference. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc. 2000, 1509–13.
2. Sifton DW, et. Physicians’ Desk Reference. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc. 2000, 1509–13.
3. Sifton DW, et. Physicians’ Desk Reference. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc. 2000, 1509–13.
