Drug & supplement interaction

Idebenone + Paroxetine

Paroxetine brand names: Paxil CR, Paxil, Brisdelle.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Idebenone and Paroxetine in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Idebenone and Paroxetine

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Paroxetine and Idebenone in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Idebenone at all — not against Paroxetine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Idebenone safety at a glance

Idebenone overall Use caution Generally tolerated in studies but long-term supplement safety is not well established.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety information, so avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Paroxetine and Idebenone? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Idebenone and Paroxetine May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Idebenone

    “There is a case report of allergic contact dermatitis related to topical use of a cream containing idebenone. The 38-year old woman applied a facial cream (Prevage MD, Elizabeth Arden, Inc.) with reactions appearing with the second dose. Symptoms included a red, itchy, burning, swollen face. She was treated with topical hydrocortisone. She reacted to idebenone with patch testing.”

    Idebenone · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    1 source cited
    1. 96035. Mc Aleer MA, Collins P. Allergic contact dermatitis to hydroxydecyl ubiquinone (idebenone) following application of anti-ageing cosmetic cream. Contact Dermatitis. 2008;59(3):178-9. PubMed

    Paroxetine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Paroxetine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Increased appetite Additional detail

    Idebenone

    “Orally, adverse effects related to idebenone have included nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, elevated alkaline phosphatase, and loose stools. Increased appetite leading to weight gain has also been reported.”

    Idebenone · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    5 sources cited
    1. 96028. Buyse GM, Voit T, Schara U, DELOS Study Group. Efficacy of idebenone on respiratory function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy not using glucocorticoids (DELOS): a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2015;385(9979) PubMed
    2. 96034. Lynch DR, Perlman SL, Meier T. A phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of idebenone in friedreich ataxia. Arch Neurol. 2010;67(8):941-7. PubMed
    3. 105705. Catarino CB, von Livonius B, Priglinger C, et al. Real-world clinical experience with idebenone in the treatment of leber hereditary optic neuropathy. J Neuroophthalmol. 2020 Dec;40(4):558-565.
    4. 105708. Zhao X, Zhang Y, Lu L, Yang H. Therapeutic effects of idebenone on leber hereditary optic neuropathy. Curr Eye Res. 2020 Oct;45(10):1315-1323. PubMed
    5. 11413. Hausse AO, Aggoun Y, Bonnet D, et al. Idebenone and reduced cardiac hypertrophy in Friedreich's ataxia. Heart 2002;87:346-9. PubMed

    Paroxetine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Paroxetine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting / Nausea Additional detail

    Idebenone

    “Orally, idebenone seems to be well-tolerated. In clinical studies, there have been no reports of serious adverse effects occurring more frequently than with placebo. Some people who take idebenone have experienced nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, elevated alkaline phosphatase, and loose stools; however, these side effects are not common.”

    Idebenone · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in dermatitis.

    6 sources cited
    1. 11410. Mariotti C, Solari A, Torta D, et al. Idebenone treatment in Friedreich patients: one-year-long randomized placebo-controlled trial. Neurology 2003;60:1676-9. PubMed
    2. 11413. Hausse AO, Aggoun Y, Bonnet D, et al. Idebenone and reduced cardiac hypertrophy in Friedreich's ataxia. Heart 2002;87:346-9. PubMed
    3. 11421. Weyer G, Babej-Dolle RM, Hadler D, et al. A controlled study of 2 doses of idebenone in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropsychobiology 1997;36:73-82. . PubMed
    4. 11424. Pisano P, Durand A, Autret E, et al. Plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetics of idebenone and its metabolites following single and repeated doses in young patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1996;51:167-9. PubMed
    5. 11427. Gutzmann H, Hadler D. Sustained efficacy and safety of idebenone in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: update on a 2-year double-blind multicentre study. J Neural Transm 1998;54:301-10. PubMed
    6. 15703. Di Prospero NA, Sumner CJ, Penzak SR, et al. Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of high-dose idebenone in patients with Friedreich ataxia. Arch Neurol 2007;64:803-8. PubMed

    Paroxetine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Paroxetine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Idebenone

    Recorded for Idebenone in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting / Nausea above.

    Paroxetine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Paroxetine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Idebenone but not commonly for Paroxetine: a fast or pounding heartbeat and weight gain.

Effects for Paroxetine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Idebenone come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Overlapping uses

What Paroxetine Is Prescribed For, and What Idebenone Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Paroxetine is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Idebenone is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Paroxetine is prescribed for: Paroxetine tablets, film-coated tablets, and oral suspensions are approved in adults for major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The extended-release tablet forms (Paxil CR, paroxetine HCL CR, and paroxetine extended-release tablets) are approved in adults for MDD, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Brisdelle (paroxetine 7.5 mg capsule) and generic paroxetine capsules are approved specifically for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) associated with menopause — not for any psychiatric condition. Paroxetine tablets are not approved for use in children.

Idebenone has been studied for:

  • Depression studied, not established Idebenone has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Idebenone for depression

    Preliminary clinical research in adults aged 55-75 years with post-stroke depression suggests that adding idebenone 30 mg three times daily to paroxetine treatment for 12 weeks increases the effectiveness (cured or improved) rate, as measured by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, from 62% with paroxetine alone to 82% with the combination.

    1 source cited
    1. 112059. Yuan LL, Chen TY, Huang ZQ. Effects of paroxetine hydrochloride combined with idebenone on inflammatory factors and antioxidant molecules in treatment of depression after ischemic stroke. Pak J Med Sci 2023;39(1):17-22. PubMed

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Paroxetine on your own; if you are taking Idebenone for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Idebenone or Paroxetine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Idebenone or Paroxetine, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Paroxetine

This page covers Idebenone only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Paroxetine page lists 134 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Iboga (major), Lithium (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate) and 5-htp (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 105 moderate · 26 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Paroxetine page

“I treat paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Brisdelle) as a medication where supplement choices genuinely matter, not one to wave through. This antidepressant raises serotonin, so about twenty of the ingredients listed here, lithium among them, can push serotonin too high and risk serotonin syndrome, a dangerous reaction.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Paroxetine interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Idebenone as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 17 real supplement products containing Idebenone, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Idebenone. Even though Idebenone itself has no known interaction with Paroxetine, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Idebenone and Paroxetine Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Idebenone
Top half

#659 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Paroxetine
Top half

#1,014 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Idebenone reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Idebenone and Paroxetine records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Idebenone

What is Idebenone?

  • Antioxidant support
  • Brain and memory health
  • Mitochondrial disorders
  • Anti-aging skin care
  • General energy support

Idebenone is a synthetic, lab-made antioxidant related to coenzyme Q10. It has been studied mostly as a prescription drug for certain rare mitochondrial and neurological conditions, and is also used in some skin-care products, but evidence for over-the-counter supplement use is limited. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Synthetic compound (a lab-made analog of coenzyme Q10) · Capsules, tablets, topical creams and serums

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Idebenone is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Idebenone record says about it on its own.

Idebenone: dosing

There is no standard supplement dose of idebenone that experts agree on. Doses used in medical studies for specific diseases were set by researchers and differ from what is found in over-the-counter products.If you choose to use an idebenone supplement, follow the directions on the product label and do not exceed the recommended amount.

From our Idebenone monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Idebenone monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Paroxetine

What Is Paroxetine Used For?

Brand names: Paxil CR, Paxil, Brisdelle

Paroxetine tablets, film-coated tablets, and oral suspensions are approved in adults for major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The extended-release tablet forms (Paxil CR, paroxetine HCL CR, and paroxetine extended-release tablets) are approved in adults for MDD, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Brisdelle (paroxetine 7.5 mg capsule) and generic paroxetine capsules are approved specifically for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) associated with menopause — not for any psychiatric condition. Paroxetine tablets are not approved for use in children.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Paroxetine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (91,207 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Drug withdrawal syndrome 6,210 reports
Nausea 6,139 reports
Dizziness 5,469 reports
Fatigue 5,430 reports
Anxiety 5,396 reports
See full Paroxetine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Idebenone

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Idebenone — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Idebenone against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Idebenone list.

See the full Idebenone interactions page
See every supplement checked against Paroxetine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Idebenone References

The 25 references that drive our Idebenone monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Mariotti C, Solari A, Torta D, et al. Idebenone treatment in Friedreich patients: one-year-long randomized placebo-controlled trial. Neurology 2003;60:1676-9. PubMed
  2. Filla A, Moss AJ. Idebenone for treatment of Friedreich's ataxia? Neurology 2003;60:1569-70. PubMed
  3. Hausse AO, Aggoun Y, Bonnet D, et al. Idebenone and reduced cardiac hypertrophy in Friedreich's ataxia. Heart 2002;87:346-9. PubMed
  4. Schols L, Vorgerd M, Schillings M, et al. Idebenone in patients with Friedreich ataxia. Neurosci Lett 2001;306:169-72. PubMed
  5. Lerman-Sagie T, Rustin P, Lev D, et al. Dramatic improvement in mitochondrial cardiomyopathy following treatment with idebenone. J Inherit Metab Dis 2001;24:28-34. PubMed
  6. Rustin P, von Kleist-Retzow JC, Chantrel-Groussard K, et al. Effect of idebenone on cardiomyopathy in Friedreich's ataxia: a preliminary study. Lancet 1999;354:477-9. PubMed
  7. Weyer G, Babej-Dolle RM, Hadler D, et al. A controlled study of 2 doses of idebenone in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Neuropsychobiology 1997;36:73-82. . PubMed
  8. Ikejiri Y, Mori E, Ishii K, et al. Idebenone improves cerebral mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in a patient with MELAS. Neurology 1996;47:583-5. PubMed
  9. Pisano P, Durand A, Autret E, et al. Plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetics of idebenone and its metabolites following single and repeated doses in young patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1996;51:167-9. PubMed
  10. Ihara Y, Namba R, Kuroda S, et al. Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy (MELAS): pathological study and successful therapy with coenzyme Q10 and idebenone. J Neurol Sci 1989;90:263-71. PubMed
  11. Gutzmann H, Hadler D. Sustained efficacy and safety of idebenone in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: update on a 2-year double-blind multicentre study. J Neural Transm 1998;54:301-10. PubMed
  12. Di Prospero NA, Sumner CJ, Penzak SR, et al. Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of high-dose idebenone in patients with Friedreich ataxia. Arch Neurol 2007;64:803-8. PubMed
  13. Buyse GM, Voit T, Schara U, DELOS Study Group. Efficacy of idebenone on respiratory function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy not using glucocorticoids (DELOS): a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2015;385(9979) PubMed
  14. Corben LA, Lynch D, Pandolfo M, Schulz JB, Delatycki MB; Clinical Management Guidelines Writing Group. Consensus clinical management guidelines for Friedreich ataxia. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2014;9:184. DOI
  15. Di Prospero NA, Baker A, Jeffries N, Fischbeck KH. Neurological effects of high-dose idebenone in patients with Friedreich's ataxia: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2007;6(10):878-86. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Idebenone and Paroxetine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Idebenone with Paroxetine?
We do not list a known interaction between Idebenone and Paroxetine. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Idebenone and Paroxetine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Idebenone and Paroxetine used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Idebenone in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Paroxetine is being adjusted to a target.
Does Paroxetine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Paroxetine has documented interactions with 134 supplements in our database — Idebenone is not one of them. The Paroxetine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Idebenone monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Paroxetine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Paroxetine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Paroxetine, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 25 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Paroxetine and Idebenone?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.