Antidepressants That Cause Weight Loss

Many people with depression have worked hard to treat their disease by attending therapy and taking antidepressant medications. Among the side effects related to antidepressants are both weight gain and weight loss, although these aren’t a side effect of every medication used to treat depression.

However, any side effect—including weight-related side effects—depends entirely on how your body reacts to a medicine . it’s possible that you will notice no change in weight or that you will swing in the opposite direction of what’s typical, regardless of which medication you take. for a few people, the fluctuation in weight is merely temporary.

Weight-Related Side Effects of Antidepressants

Weight changes are among the reported side effects of antidepressant drugs. While everyone’s response is different, there are some antidepressants that are more related to weight loss, while some others have been linked to weight gain.

Antidepressants and Weight Loss

Antidepressants linked to weight loss include Prozac (fluoxetine) and Wellbutrin (bupropion).1 People taking Effexor (venlafaxine) may experience a fast loss of a small amount of weight,2 and during a 10-year-long study, Effexor was related to below-average weight gain.

A link implies a statistical association, so it doesn’t predict individual results. Put differently , these are antidepressants are related to weight loss, but they’re not antidepressants that cause weight loss every time. As well, sometimes weight-loss effects fade after some months of antidepressant use.

Prozac is an SSRI. Effexor may be a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Wellbutrin is an atypical antidepressant that does not change serotonin levels in the brain. Rather, it uniquely alters other brain chemicals like noradrenaline and dopamine. this is often associated not only with weight loss but also improved sexual functioning.

However, Wellbutrin might not be appropriate for everyone. this is often especially true of people with a history of seizures or an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia.

Like all antidepressants, Wellbutrin, Prozac, and Effexor carry a recorder warning. This states their potential for increased risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in children, teens, and young adults during the first stages of treatment.

Antidepressants and Weight Gain

Weight gain while taking an antidepressant is complicated. there’s some research investigating the interaction of brain chemicals, antidepressants, and hormones which may result in weight gain, but more study is required.

One study found that about 65% of individuals taking antidepressants experienced weight gain.

Another noted that weight gain are often a “significant cause” of discontinuing treatment in the first two months.

However, not all antidepressant medications have this side effect. Research shows weight gain is usually linked to a few antidepressants:

Paxil (paroxetine) and Celexa (citalopram): Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)1
Elavil (amitriptyline): A tricyclic
Remeron (mirtazapine): An atypical antidepressant
Nardil (phenelzine): A MAO inhibitor (MAOI)1
Weight gain related to other antidepressants, if it does occur, is typically short-lived. additionally , individual factors seem to play a task . In other words, it’s hard to predict who will gain weight on certain antidepressants because numerous variables are at play.

Antidepressants that do not Cause Weight Loss or Gain
Some antidepressants appear to be weight-neutral (they aren’t associated with weight gain or weight loss). These include Trintellix (vortioxetine), Manerix (moclobemide), Pristiq (desvenlafaxine), and trazodone.

Why Antidepressants Affect Weight

One reason antidepressants can cause changes in weight is that a number of these medicines impact appetite pathways. Antidepressants that cause weight loss may do so by causing your appetite to decrease. people who cause weight gain may stimulate the appetite instead.

Depression itself also can affect your activity levels, food choices, and sleep habits—all of which affect weight. So, because the medication begins to reduce feelings of depression, these behaviors also can change. As these behaviors change, you’ll find that you gain or lose weight.
Your case history may even impact whether your weight will change while taking an antidepressant. as an example , one study found that a case history of obesity helps predict weight gain when taking this type of drug.

Choosing an Antidepressant

Treating your depression is paramount to your psychological state and well-being. Your physical appearance and health also are important. Have a candid discussion together with your doctor about depression treatment, as there are plenty of options. generally , it’s best to avoid making a decision based on weight-related side effects, as these are often unpredictable and also temporary.

Often, it’s difficult to know which antidepressant will work best for you. it’s going to take some trial and error to find a medication that is effective and also does not cause unmanageable side effects. Always discuss your treatment together with your doctor (never stop taking your antidepressant without your doctor’s go-ahead).

Preventing Weight Loss or Gain While Taking Antidepressants

If you’ve got concerns about weight-related side effects, ask your doctor about diet and exercise changes you can make as well. These also can improve your emotional and mental health. Often, a mixture of medication and a healthy lifestyle is the best treatment plan for depression.

Exercise

Whether you’re hoping to lose weight, mitigate weight-related side effects from your antidepressant, maintain your weight, or gain weight, exercise can help.

And you’ll start small. Walking, stretching, and moderate-intensity resistance training can all be helpful.

What’s most vital is consistency. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest a minimum of 150 minutes to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise for health benefits. That’s 30 to hour , five days every week , of any exercise you enjoy, from bicycling to swimming to tennis to yoga.

Diet

Eating a diet rich in whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, can help with weight management. But it’s going to also help improve your mood since there is a connection between diet and depression.12

Try making small swaps and changes every few days or hebdomadally . If you sometimes drink fruit juice, for instance , switch to water and whole fruits; you will get less sugar and more satiating fiber this way. differently to get more fiber is by choosing whole grains (such as whole-wheat bread) over refined grains.

Antidepressants As Weight Loss Aids

If you are doing not have depression, antidepressants aren’t recommended for weight loss. Studies have found that taking these medications for that purpose has negligible results. there is no proof that it helps any more with losing weight than diet and exercise alone.

Can Prozac cause you to lose weight? Yes. But losing weight by eating nutritious foods and getting regular physical activity is suggested over trying a “Prozac weight loss diet.”

If weight loss is your main concern, ask your healthcare provider about the best way to work toward a weight-loss goal. There are some prescription medications approved for the treatment of obesity, including Contrave.

Contrave may be a combination of bupropion (the active ingredient in the antidepressant Wellbutrin) and naltrexone (which is also used to treat some substance use disorders). Research has shown it to be fairly effective, well-tolerated, and safe like many medications used for weight loss, it’s typically utilized in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and an exercise program.

A Word From Verywell

Treating depression takes patience and resilience as you discover the right plan, but it are often done. While antidepressants can cause weight loss or gain, you’ll take steps to optimize both your physical and mental health. Your efforts in one area will support the opposite .