Stablon - calmness with fewer side effects

What is Stablon?

Anti-depressant Stablon has attracted the interest of the medical community for two key reasons - it works in a novel way and appears to produce fewer side effects to common anti-depressants.

Stablon increases our body's uptake, or absorption, of the important neurotransmitter serotonin - which helps to regulate mood. This contrasts with common anti-depressants such as Prozac and Paxil, which instead work to maximise serotonin levels by blocking their uptake.

Research has yet to establish exactly why Stablon produces the same effect whilst acting in the opposite way to common anti-depressants. However, it is known to act without certain side effects - in particular loss of libido/sexual appetite, drowsiness and weight gain in the majority of cases.

Stablon was developed in France by Laboratoires Servier and is also known as tianeptine.

How does Stablon work?

In medical terms, Stablon is known as a selective serotonin reuptake enhancer (SSRE), in contrast to the likes of Prozac which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Whilst common serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac and Paxil try to keep as much existing serotonin as possible in circulation in the body, Stablon does the opposite. It actually works to take serotonin out of circulation by stimulating the uptake of this important neurotransmitter, with the aim of reducing the body's brain and hormonal response to stress.

Is Stablon beneficial for anything else?

Research has also shown Stablon's success in treating depression and erectile dysfunction. The Elixir study, carried out in 2006 and involving younger men with a mean age of 36 taking Stablon for eight weeks, found that more than 72 per cent of the group responded to Stablon treatment.

Respondents reported lower levels of anxiety and depression and improvements in erectional difficulties, with almost 90 per cent of patients stating that it improved their ability to have sex.

What is the dosage for Stablon?

A typical dosage for Stablon is 12.5 mg , taken two or three times a day.

A word of caution Like most anti-depressants, Stablon could interfere with other anti-depressant medications, particularly Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (including Gerovital-H3) and other serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac. Therefore, If you intend to combine Stablon with any other anti-depressants, this should only be done under the guidance of a physician.

Does Stablon have any side effects?

It has been reported that the list of side effects for Stablon is very short in comparison to many other standard anti-depressants. Possible side effects include dry mouth, anorexia, nausea, flatulence and gastralgia (stomach ache). In rare cases, where the drug has been taken in the late evening, insomnia and nightmares have been reported. Further rare side effects include feeling dizzy and faint and repertory discomfort.

Dosages: Typical dosages are 12.5mg two or three times daily.

Caution: Like most anti-depressants, Stablon could interfere with other anti-depressants, particularly MAO inhibitors (including Gerovital-H3) and other SSRIs such as Prozac. Therefore, if you intend to combine Stablon with any other anti-depressants, you must only do so under the guidance of a physician.