Tianeptine: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence

Q: What is Tianeptine used for?

Tianeptine is most often marketed for No credible benefit exists for tianeptine as a dietary supplement or nootropic; its marketed claims (mood, focus, anxiety) are not supported by evidence at the unregulated doses sold in the U.S., As a licensed prescription antidepressant in some European, Asian, and Latin American countries (brand names Stablon/Coaxil), low therapeutic doses (~37.5 mg/day) treat major depression — but this is a regulated medical use, not a supplement use, and is unavailable in the U.S., Any perceived 'cognitive' or 'euphoric' effect from gas-station products is opioid receptor activation, i.e. the same mechanism as drug intoxication, not a health benefit.. "Gas station heroin" — a mu-opioid agonist sold as a nootropic, with no legitimate supplement use.

Q: Does Tianeptine work — what does the evidence say?

Banned / Harmful evidence. Linked to serious harm and/or banned in sport and many jurisdictions. Listed for awareness and safety only — NOT a recommendation. Tianeptine is an atypical tricyclic-structured antidepressant licensed at low doses (~37.5 mg/day) in parts of Europe, Asia, and Latin America, but it has never been approved by the FDA for any use and does not meet the legal definition of a dietary ingredient. Although historically described as a glutamatergic/serotonergic modulator, it is now established to be a full agonist at the mu-opioid receptor (and a weaker delta-opioid agonist), and this opioid activity dominates at the high doses sold in U.S. "gas station" and online "nootropic" products. At those doses it produces euphoria, tolerance, physical dependence, classic opioid-like withdrawal, respiratory depression, and death, earning the street name "gas station heroin." U.S. poison-center exposure calls rose sharply (from a handful per year before 2014 to dozens annually by 2017 and far higher since), and the FDA has issued repeated consumer warnings, while numerous states (including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and others) have banned it. There is no legitimate supplement or nootropic use for tianeptine, and the evidence tier for such use is best described as none/banned.

Q: How many studies support Tianeptine?

NutriDex cites 13 sources for Tianeptine, graded "Banned / Harmful".

Peh, Daryl

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Tianeptine

"Gas station heroin" — a mu-opioid agonist sold as a nootropic, with no legitimate supplement use.

Banned / Harmful evidence ☠️Banned & Harmful

✚ Updated 7 Jun 2026 · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier

Banned / Harmful

Research weight

Not supported

Citations

13 verified / 13

Classification

Banned & Harmful

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What the evidence says. Linked to serious harm and/or banned in sport and many jurisdictions. Listed for awareness and safety only — NOT a recommendation.

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Health warning. At the high doses sold in U.S. gas-station and online "nootropic" products, tianeptine acts as a mu-opioid receptor agonist that causes addiction, severe opioid-like withdrawal, respiratory depression, and death — it is not a safe supplement and is banned in several U.S. states.

What is Tianeptine?

Tianeptine is a banned or harmful substance marketed for no credible benefit exists for tianeptine as a dietary supplement or nootropic; its marketed claims (mood, focus, anxiety) are not supported by evidence at the unregulated doses sold in the u.s.. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Banned / Harmful. Tianeptine is an atypical tricyclic-structured antidepressant licensed at low doses (~37.5 mg/day) in parts of Europe, Asia, and Latin America, but it has never been approved by the FDA for any use and does not meet the legal definition of a dietary ingredient. Although historically described as a glutamatergic/serotonergic modulator, it is now established to be a full agonist at the mu-opioid receptor (and a weaker delta-opioid agonist), and this opioid activity dominates at the high doses sold in U.S. "gas station" and online "nootropic" products. At those doses it produces euphoria, tolerance, physical dependence, classic opioid-like withdrawal, respiratory depression, and death, earning the street name "gas station heroin." U.S. poison-center exposure calls rose sharply (from a handful per year before 2014 to dozens annually by 2017 and far higher since), and the FDA has issued repeated consumer warnings, while numerous states (including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and others) have banned it. There is no legitimate supplement or nootropic use for tianeptine, and the evidence tier for such use is best described as none/banned.

Marketed Claims (unproven)

✕No credible benefit exists for tianeptine as a dietary supplement or nootropic; its marketed claims (mood, focus, anxiety) are not supported by evidence at the unregulated doses sold in the U.S.

✕As a licensed prescription antidepressant in some European, Asian, and Latin American countries (brand names Stablon/Coaxil), low therapeutic doses (~37.5 mg/day) treat major depression — but this is a regulated medical use, not a supplement use, and is unavailable in the U.S.

✕Any perceived 'cognitive' or 'euphoric' effect from gas-station products is opioid receptor activation, i.e. the same mechanism as drug intoxication, not a health benefit.

Dosing & Compounds

Use & Legality

No safe supplement dose exists. The licensed antidepressant dose abroad is 12.5 mg three times daily (~37.5 mg/day); abused U.S. products are taken at 75–10,000 mg/day, where opioid agonism, dependence, and overdose dominate. Avoid entirely.

Active Compounds

Tianeptine (free acid)Tianeptine sodium saltTianeptine sulfate (extended-release salt favored in misuse products)

Safety & Cautions

DANGER — do not use. Tianeptine is a mu-opioid receptor agonist at the doses sold in the U.S., with high potential for addiction, severe opioid-like withdrawal (anxiety, sweating, tachycardia, agitation, vomiting, diarrhea), respiratory depression, coma, and death; naloxone may be needed for overdose. It is NOT an FDA-approved drug or a legal dietary supplement, and it is banned or scheduled in many U.S. states. Absolutely avoid combining with other CNS depressants — opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol, or gabapentinoids — as this sharply raises the risk of fatal respiratory depression; deaths have occurred with adulterated products such as "Neptune's Fix" (which also contained synthetic cannabinoids). Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals must avoid it (neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome has been reported); people with a history of substance use disorder, opioid dependence, depression, or psychiatric illness are at especially high risk. Discontinuation after regular use should be done under medical supervision, as withdrawal mirrors opioid withdrawal and case reports describe management with buprenorphine or methadone. If you or someone else has used these products and shows sedation, slowed breathing, or unresponsiveness, seek emergency care immediately (U.S.: call 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222). Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Tianeptine with any medicine.