Which antidepressant is better for energy, Cymbalta or Effexor?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Which antidepressant is better for energy, Cymbalta or Effexor?
Cymbalta (Duloxetine) and Effexor (Venlafaxine) both can increase your energy levels, elevate your mood, and reduce your depression. Which one of these two is better for you, it totally depends on your symptoms and how well your body tolerates these antidepressants.
Cymbalta and Effexor are not that different from one another and they belong to the same class of antidepressants – Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). However, people respond differently to these meds.
Cymbalta and high energy levels
Cymbalta (Duloxetine) is a good choice of antidepressant and it is generally well tolerated. Cymbalta can improve energy levels and fatigue in depressed individuals.
According to research studies, treatment with Cymbalta can start improving energy levels in just a week and it continues to do so as the treatment progresses (1). However, research also shows that Cymbalta can trigger exhaustion and sleepiness in some people.
There are plenty of such cases reported in which users felt excessive tiredness and fatigue on this antidepressant, and they didn’t even feel like standing up or engaging in their daily life activities.
Such people won’t tell you – for sure – that Cymbalta can help increase your energy levels. On the other hand, we do see some cases in which Cymbalta acted like a life-saving antidepressant and it made them feel like themselves again.
Effexor and high energy levels
Effexor is considered a good antidepressant for increasing energy levels and motivation. This antidepressant can also increase productivity in depressed patients. A research review indicates that Effexor along with a good exercise regimen can help significantly improve energy levels in depressed patients.
However, Effexor can significantly affect sleep architecture in some people and inadequate sleep leads to extreme fatigue the next day. People who did feel energetic suffered from insomnia, and their high energy levels started to decline as the treatment continued.
Effexor can also cause sedation and laziness in some individuals, who generally feel low on energy. However, most of the side effects are expected to go away within a few weeks.
So, which one of these two antidepressants is best for you?
That totally depends on how you feel. Determining the best antidepressant is a trial and error process, and it may take multiple attempts to find the one that suits you best.
If your body settles on Cymbalta and you feel good, it’s best to stick to it – for as long as it works. If you feel better on Effexor, then you should keep taking it.
It totally depends on how your body responds when you take these meds and which one of them compliments your physiological composition.
Make sure you consult your healthcare provider if you wish to switch to another antidepressant or if your current one makes you feel lethargic all the time.
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References
1.-
Harada E, Kato M, Fujikoshi S, Wohlreich MM, Berggren L, Tokuoka H. Changes in energy during treatment of depression: an analysis of duloxetine in double-blind placebo-controlled trials. Int J Clin Pract. 2015 Oct;69(10):1139-48. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12658. Epub 2015 May 16. PMID: 25980552; PMCID: PMC4682452. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4682452/
2.-
Marin H, Menza MA. Specific treatment of residual fatigue in depressed patients. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2004 Sep;1(2):12-8. PMID: 21197374; PMCID: PMC3012615. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3012615/
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