MAOIs are still prescribed for depression but often only as a last resort. Despite their effectiveness, many people may have discontinued treatment due to unwanted side effects, including weight gain and food sensitivity.Īccording to a 1988 review, Phenelzine specifically can result in weight gain.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were the first class of drugs used to treat depression specifically. Serotonin may cause hunger and cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta and bread. One theory is that weight changes may be caused by the effect antidepressants have on serotonin, which regulates appetite and moods. Researchers aren’t sure why weight gain might be a side effect of so many antidepressants. Weight gain can be an associated side effect of paroxetine (Paxil) and can occur no matter how long you take it. Weight gain can be a common side effect of SSRIs with long-term use.Īccording to a 2017 Australian study, weight gain was more likely to occur on SSRIs alongside other factors of an “unhealthy lifestyle,” including smoking and lack of exercise.
SSRIs are among the most-prescribed type of antidepressants. Lifestyle adjustments can also be made to lessen this effect as well. Weight gain can be a more common side effect for several types of antidepressants.Įveryone is different, and weight changes don’t happen for everyone taking these medications. Also, the brain’s neurotransmitters - dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin - may play a role. The initial weight loss might happen because people may feel less despondent once on the drug, which gets them up and active.Īntidepressants can also sometimes cause temporary loss of appetite, which would result in weight loss. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may often cause initial weight loss, but after taking them more than 6 months, weight increases can occur. But in longer-term treatment at a higher dose, patients gained a little over 2 pounds on average. Similarly, Duolexetine (Cymbalta) correlated to about a pound of weight loss in about 8 to 9 weeks, per a 2003 analysis of 10 clinical studies. One 1999 study found that participants lost 0.4 pounds on average over the course of 4 weeks. Some people didn’t lose any weight at all, and losing weight was more likely for nonsmokers.įluoxetine (Prozac) is also associated with small weight loss side effects. The average weight lost on bupropion varied widely in participants, from as little as half a pound to 7.1 pounds over 2 years. Research published in 2014 suggests that bupropion (Wellbutrin) can lead to weight loss. Weight gain may be the more common side effect of antidepressants.Īntidepressants that have been linked to weight loss include: When weight loss occurs as a side effect, it’s typically minimal. Antidepressants aren’t approved as a weight-loss method by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Weight loss isn’t one of the most common or serious side effects of antidepressants. adults over age 18 have used antidepressants in the past 30 days. Along with talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), antidepressants are considered the gold standard for treating mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and others.
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