Is CoQ10 (Ubiquinone) Safe with Fluoxetine?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
CoQ10 supplementation (100–200 mg daily with food) may be considered in patients experiencing fatigue or muscle-related side effects with long-term fluoxetine use. Discuss with your prescriber.
Why this interaction occurs
SSRIs including fluoxetine have been shown to inhibit mitochondrial complex I activity and reduce cellular CoQ10 levels over time, which may contribute to fatigue, muscle weakness, and cognitive symptoms. CoQ10 supports mitochondrial electron transport and may partially offset these effects. Evidence is preliminary but biologically plausible.
Evidence
Evidence level: limited.
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 87,365 reports mentioning Fluoxetine. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the Fluoxetine + supplement combination on this page.
FAERS reports are voluntary and cannot prove that a drug caused an event. Do not use report counts to assess the safety of this specific drug-supplement pair.
Frequently asked questions
Related interactions
All CoQ10 (Ubiquinone) interactions → · All Fluoxetine interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.