thyrulian
Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2015
- Messages
- 114
Why Painkillers Interfere with Anti-depressants
... I did not know that.
In two studies, scientists found that taking antidepressants raises levels of cytokines in a person’s body. These cytokines then boost the levels of a protein called p11. This protein makes more serotonin receptors on the surface of cells. Having more of these receptors makes it easier for them to interact with serotonin. Serotonin is the primary brain chemical that SSRIs are designed to affect.Increasing serotonin usually reduces depression.
But the researchers noted that when people took NSAIDs to reduce pain, the painkillers interfered with the production of these cytokines. This reduced the levels of p11 protein, which then reduced serotonin receptors on cells. Thus, there were fewer serotonin receptors for the brain chemical to work on, and this kept the SSRI antidepressants from working at full strength.
... I did not know that.