BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Millions of Americans taking antidepressants known as SSRIs may notice they sweat more in extreme heat — and a Baton Rouge General physician says there is a biological reason for it.
Dr. Jacob Wood, a family medicine physician at Baton Rouge General, said the connection comes down to serotonin, the chemical SSRIs target in the brain.
“My patients who are taking SSRIs do tell me that they sweat more. A lot of them do. And it is definitely a side effect that happens,” Dr. Wood said.
Core temperature stays stable, but hydration becomes critical
Dr. Wood said increased sweating does not necessarily signal a health risk. Research shows the body continues to regulate its core temperature effectively.
“The studies have shown that when they measure people’s core temperatures who are on SSRIs, they’re maintaining their core temperature fine. They’re just sweating more,” Dr. Wood said.
However, sweating more means the body loses more fluid, making hydration essential. Dr. Wood said people should not wait until they feel thirsty.
“When you know you’re getting in one of those situations, you really should go ahead and start pre-hydrating. I talked to the athletes a lot about this. You got to hydrate ahead of time. If you wait till you’re behind, you’re in trouble,” Dr. Wood said.
Talk to your doctor before stopping medication
For those who find the sweating difficult to manage, Dr. Wood said stopping medication without medical guidance is not the answer.
“If you feel like the sweating is just getting to you and it’s just too much, do talk to your doctor about it because there may be some other options to cover the same stuff,” Dr. Wood said.
Dr. Wood said the same guidance applies to other medications — including some blood pressure drugs — that list heat sensitivity as a side effect. He said people who are elderly or have underlying health conditions should have a specific conversation with their doctor about how their medications interact with extreme heat.
The CDC recommends drinking water consistently throughout the day in extreme heat, even if you do not feel thirsty.
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