From the FDA Drug Label
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Initial Treatment Dosage for Adults Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Sertraline treatment should be administered at a dose of 50 mg once daily. Panic Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder Sertraline treatment should be initiated with a dose of 25 mg once daily After one week, the dose should be increased to 50 mg once daily.
The starting dose of Zoloft (sertraline) for adults is:
- 50 mg once daily for Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- 25 mg once daily for the first week, then increased to 50 mg once daily for Panic Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder 1
From the Research
The starting dose of Zoloft (sertraline) for adults is typically 50 mg once daily. This recommendation is based on the most recent and highest quality study available, which is the 2019 study published in The Lancet Psychiatry 2. According to this study, sertraline is unlikely to reduce depressive symptoms within 6 weeks in primary care, but it can improve anxiety, quality of life, and self-rated mental health.
Key Points to Consider
- The dose may be gradually increased by your healthcare provider based on your response, usually in increments of 50 mg at weekly intervals, with a maximum recommended dose of 200 mg daily.
- For some conditions like depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, your doctor may start at a lower dose of 25 mg daily for the first week before increasing to 50 mg to minimize initial side effects.
- Sertraline works by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, which helps improve mood, anxiety, and other symptoms.
- It typically takes 2-4 weeks to begin noticing therapeutic effects, so it's essential to continue taking the medication even if you don't feel immediate benefits.
- Common side effects when starting sertraline include nausea, diarrhea, headache, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction, which often improve with time.
Important Considerations
- The study by Lewis et al. in 2019 2 provides the most recent and highest quality evidence for the use of sertraline in adults.
- Other studies, such as those published in 2009 3, 1995 4, 2006 5, and 2008 6, provide additional information on the efficacy and safety of sertraline, but the 2019 study is the most relevant to current clinical practice.