Antidepressants have helped millions of people cut through the dark fog of depression. Many others try these medications but stop taking them, often because of side effects such as weight gain. A study from a Harvard-based team shows that the amount gained is usually small, and that it differs little from one antidepressant to another. Earlier studies linking antidepressant use to weight gain were usually small and short. Using electronic health records, the researchers identified men and women who took an antidepressant for at least three months. Medications used included amitriptyline Elavil, bupropion Wellbutrin, citalopram Celexa, duloxetine Cymbalta, escitalopram Lexapro, fluoxetine Prozac, mirtazapine Remeron, nortriptyline Pamelor, paroxetine Paxil, venlafaxine Effexor, or sertraline Zoloft. They also identified another 3, people who took some other type of medication for a non-depression ailment. In this study, the weight gain experienced by people taking citalopram averaged one to two pounds.
The drug has been shown repeatedly to be more likely to cause weight gain and case increase appetite than other drugs. Antidepressant utilisation and incidence of weight gain during 10 years’ follow-up: Population based cohort study. Prog Cardiovasc Dis.
Weight gain is a possible side effect of nearly all antidepressants. However, each person responds to antidepressants differently. Some people gain weight when taking a certain antidepressant, while others don’t. Generally speaking, some antidepressants seem more likely to cause weight gain than others. These include. While some people gain weight after starting an antidepressant, the antidepressant isn’t always a direct cause.
Earlier studies linking antidepressant use to weight gain were usually small and short. A study from a Harvard-based team shows that the amount gained is usually small, and that it differs little from one antidepressant to another. Article Sources. Psychopharmacol Bull. Academic OneFile, Accessed 25 Apr. Curr Opin Psychiatry. This leads to weight gain regardless of drug therapy.