Effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors on three sex steroids in two versions of the aromatase enzyme inhibition assay and in the H295R cell assay

•The effects of 5 SSRIs on steroid production were investigated in two aromatase assays and in the H295R cell assay.•In both aromatase assays, all 5 SSRIs were shown to inhibit the aromatase enzyme.•All 5 compounds altered the steroid production in the H295R cell assay.•The IC50 values for the two aromatase assays were up to 20 times higher than for the H295R assay.•The study indicates that the H295R assay is a more sensitive end point than the aromatase assays.