Low Sodium from Antidepressants: What You Need to Know

When you take antidepressants, medications used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Also known as SSRIs or SNRIs, they help balance brain chemicals—but they can also affect your body’s sodium levels in ways most people don’t expect. This isn’t about salt on your fries. It’s about hyponatremia, a condition where sodium in your blood drops too low. Also known as low sodium, it’s a real, sometimes dangerous side effect linked to certain antidepressants. If your sodium falls below 135 mmol/L, you might feel dizzy, confused, nauseous, or even have seizures. It’s rare, but it happens—especially in older adults, women, and people taking multiple meds.

Not all antidepressants cause this, but some are more likely to. SSRIs like sertraline, fluoxetine, and citalopram show up most often in reports. SNRIs like venlafaxine can do it too. The body’s water balance gets thrown off, often because the drug tricks your kidneys into holding onto too much water. That dilutes the sodium. It’s not about eating too little salt—it’s about your body’s internal chemistry changing. If you’ve been on an antidepressant for weeks or months and suddenly feel off, tired, or foggy, this could be why. Your doctor can check your sodium with a simple blood test.

People over 65 are at higher risk, and so are those taking diuretics, thyroid meds, or painkillers alongside antidepressants. It’s not something you can fix by drinking less water—sometimes, drinking too much actually makes it worse. The fix isn’t always stopping the med. Often, it’s adjusting the dose, switching drugs, or treating the imbalance slowly under medical supervision. You don’t have to live with confusing symptoms. If you’re on an antidepressant and feeling strange, talk to your doctor. This isn’t something to ignore.

The posts below cover real cases, medication comparisons, and safety tips tied to antidepressants and their side effects—from how they affect your body’s balance to what alternatives might work better with fewer risks. You’ll find clear, no-fluff info from people who’ve been there and experts who’ve studied it.