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Taking SSRI antidepressants may do more harm than good, a review in the online journal Frontiers of Evolutionary Psychology warns
Antidepressants may cause more harm than good
Taking SSRI antidepressants may do more harm than good, a review in the online journal Frontiers of Evolutionary Psychology warns.
SSRIs work by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain. But researchers at McMasters University in the US say their review of SSRI efficacy trials reveals a wide range of harmful side effects on other physiological processes. These include high risk of developmental problems in infants, sexual dysfunction, digestive problems and abnormal bleeding and stroke in older people. Older people taking SSRIs are also more likely to die than those not taking them. People taking SSRIs for depression are also more likely to relapse when they come off them, as their brains try to regain equilibrium.
The researchers argue that serotonin is an important chemical that governs a number of processes in the human body. They say the risks of taking SSRIs outweigh the benefits and that safety advice should be changed to reflect their findings.
