Weight Loss: Antidepressants Can Stop Your Weight Loss – What To Do About It

Weight gain due to the intake of antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotic medications is very common. The topic of weight gain is often postponed when starting medications, the concept being that it might be better to stabilize the mood and worry about possible weight gain later on. However, after a few months, increasing weight gain without any change in exercise or food intake becomes more and more of a problem.

Here are some of the medications taken for depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and panic attacks that may be causing weight gain:

Currently, Paxil is the worst offender, with Prozac and Zoloft ranking second. Some antidepressants are less likely to affect weight. Effexor and Serzone generally do not cause weight gain, while Wellbutrin can cause weight loss. More than 25% of people taking most types of SSRI antidepressant medications – medications such as Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft will experience a 10-pound weight gain. or more.

Other antidepressant medications, including Elavil and Tofranil and MAO inhibitor medications such as Parnate and Nardil, can also influence fat accumulation with both long-term and short-term use.

Studies in animals and humans have shown that these drugs can cause weight gain in several different ways:

o Increase carbohydrate bonds.
o Blocking histamine receptors causes an increase in appetite.
o Move slower, less restless.
o When depression causes weight loss (not very common), improving depression can cause weight gain.

Drugs most commonly associated with weight gain:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and weight gain:

The five most common SSRIs currently prescribed in the United States are as follows:

o Citalopram (Celexa®)
o Fluoxetine (Prozac®)
o Fluvoxamine (Luvox®)
o Paroxetine (Paxil®)
o Sertraline (Zoloft®)

Paroxetine (Paxil®) appears to have the most significant impact on weight of all SSRIs. Some studies even showed an average weight gain over time of 15-20 pounds with sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac®), and citalopram (Celexa®).

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and weight gain:

TCAs were the most frequently prescribed antidepressants before SSRIs were widely available. There is evidence that they increase carbohydrate cravings and may decrease metabolism.

o Amitriptyline (Elavil®)
o Amoxapine (Asendin®)
o Clomipramine (Anafranil®)
o Desipramine (Norepramine®, Pertofrane®)
o Doxepin (Adapin®, Sinequan®)
o Imipramine (Janimine®, Tofranil®)
o Nortriptyline (Aventyl®, Pamelor®)
o Protriptyline (Vivactil®)
o Trimipramine (Rhotramine®, Surmontil®)

Other antidepressants and weight gain:

Other antidepressants that are not strictly included in the SSRI, TCA, or MAOI classifications include the following:

o Buproprion HCL (Wellbutrin®)
o Mitrazapine (Remeron®)
o Nefazadone (Serzone®)
o Trazadone (Desyrel®)
o Venlafaxine (Effexor®)

Venlafaxine (Effexor®) has been shown to cause weight gain, but not as bad as SSRIs (Paxil®), fuoxetine (Prozac®), and sertraline (Zoloft®).

Mitrazapine (Remeron®) has been associated with significant weight gain, possibly secondary to interactions with the histamine (H1) receptor

Trazadone (Desyrel®) is an antidepressant with sedative properties that is often used as a sleep aid and as a treatment for depression. It appears to cause less weight gain than amitriptyline (Elavil®) but more than bupropion HCL (Wellbutrin®).

Buproprion HCL (Wellbutrin®) has not been associated with weight gain and is commonly used with some success for smoking cessation.

The first solution is to reduce the doses and then switch to another drug. (with the help of a doctor). This is not as easy as you might expect. Often times, people who have been through really bad times with their depression and feel good are very reluctant to take lower doses or change medications for fear of returning to the “sadness.” Most people have very individual responses to their medications. Therefore, great care must be taken when adjusting dosages and choosing the “right” medicine for the “right” person. For this to work, you need to consult with the doctor who prescribed the drug. Making changes to medications without supervision can be dangerous.

There is growing evidence that increasing daily exercise, even 15 to 20 minutes a day, can have an effect not only on weight loss but also on depression. In a Finnish study, researchers found that men who exercised at least two to three times a week experienced

While experts may not be sure why antidepressants cause weight gain, they do know that switching medications can make a difference.