Do antidepressants always make you fat?

While some people gain weight after starting an antidepressant, the antidepressant isn't always a direct cause. Many factors can contribute to weight gain during antidepressant therapy.
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Does any antidepressant not cause weight gain?

Some antidepressants may be less likely to affect weight. Effexor and Serzone generally do not cause weight gain, while Wellbutrin can cause weight loss.
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Which antidepressant is least likely to cause weight gain?

Bupropion was associated with the least amount of weight gain, close to none. Two others that also appeared to have less weight gain were amitriptyline and nortriptyline.
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Do antidepressants make you skinny?

The bottom line. Weight changes can be a concern with antidepressants. While more antidepressants typically cause weight gain, a few can reduce appetite, and cause nausea, vomiting, or weight loss. This might be temporary until your body gets used to the medication.
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Why do people on antidepressants get fat?

Antidepressant medications may cause weight gain more directly by interfering with brain chemistry as well as your body's normal metabolism and regulation of sugar and fat. A family history of obesity could also make you more generally susceptible to weight gain.
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Why do you gain weight with antidepressants and mood stabilizers?



How can I lose weight on antidepressants?

Increasing both aerobic exercise and strength training, ideally four times a week for a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes, can increase muscle tone and metabolism and reduce fat stores. Regular exercise has also been shown to reduce risk for depression relapse when combined with a stable medication regimen.
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How can I lose weight after antidepressants?

How to lose weight after antidepressants
  1. Change medication. Some antidepressants aren't linked to weight gain. ...
  2. Look at your lifestyle. One study on SSRI use and weight gain found that weight gain was more likely in people who also had a Western diet, were sedentary, and smoked⁸. ...
  3. Get active. ...
  4. Get a good night's sleep.
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Which antidepressants cause the most weight gain?

Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and tetracyclic antidepressants such as mirtazapine are linked to the most weight gain.
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Does serotonin cause weight gain?

According to the study published in Natural Medicine, there are 2 types of serotonin. The type that is known for its effects on mood and appetite only accounts for 5% of serotonin in the body, while the other 95%, called peripheral serotonin, plays a role in obesity.
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How do I not gain weight on sertraline?

How to Avoid Sertraline Weight Gain
  1. Weigh yourself before you start. ...
  2. Maintain your normal eating habits. ...
  3. Stay active. ...
  4. Weigh yourself weekly, not daily. ...
  5. If you gain weight, tell your healthcare provider. ...
  6. If you lose weight, tell your healthcare provider.
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Will I gain weight on Zoloft?

by Drugs.com

Zoloft (sertraline) may lead to a small weight gain ranging from 1% to 1.6% of initial body weight when used over 6 months to 1 year. For example, in a 150 lb (68 kg) person, this would equal an added 1.5 to 2.4 lbs (0.7 to 1.1 kg) of weight.
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Can Zoloft help weight loss?

Weight gain is a common complaint of patients receiving antidepressant drug treatment. The antidepressant sertraline, a selective serotonin uptake inhibitor, has been reported to promote weight loss.
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Which causes more weight gain Prozac or Zoloft?

That being said, one study published in 2016 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that Zoloft can lead to an overall greater weight gain than Prozac when taken long-term. The study found that people taking Prozac for two years gained an average of 4.6 pounds.
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Does low serotonin cause weightloss?

Serotonin is important for weight loss because it is essentially nature's appetite suppressant. It curbs your appetite, decreases food cravings, and makes you feel satisfied. If your serotonin levels are imbalanced, you may have difficulty controlling what you eat in order to lose weight.
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Do anxiety meds cause weight gain?

Manage Side Effects

The majority of patients that take anti-anxiety medications will experience weight gain partially and fully due to side effects. An individual administering this medication could encounter constipation, bloating, fatigue, and as a result, weight gain.
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Does everyone gain weight on Lexapro?

Lexapro is the brand name for a drug called escitalopram, which is a treatment for anxiety and depression. Taking Lexapro may cause a person to gain a small amount of weight. Less commonly, it can cause weight loss. A healthful diet and regular exercise can help to prevent unwanted changes in weight.
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Do antidepressants stimulate appetite?

An improved mood while taking an antidepressant, for example, may increase your appetite, leading to weight gain. Don't stop taking your drug right away even if you do gain a little bit of weight.
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Why do antidepressants make it hard to lose weight?

Antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and atypical antipsychotic drugs seem to alter appetite by inhibiting serotonin-based regulation of the appetite function. A persistent need to eat remains after the stomach is full of food, along with cravings for carbohydrate snacks.
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Does your brain go back to normal after antidepressants?

"The fact that antidepressant withdrawal can be so prolonged suggests that the drug has changed the brain and that those changes are taking a very long time to return to normal and it may be the case that sometimes they don't go back to normal."
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Do antidepressants have calories?

Answers (3) Well they don't contain calories but may affect your appetite and sometimes play with your metabolism. So, they may impact your weight however it depends upon the drug to drug or how your body reacts with it.
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Does weight come off after stopping antidepressants?

If you decrease your daily calorie intake as a result, you could potentially lose weight by stopping your antidepressants. On the other hand, if you experience loss of appetite with depression, and your depression comes back after stopping antidepressants, you may also lose weight.
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Why was Prozac taken off the market?

In 2018, the manufacturer Teva Pharmaceuticals issued a voluntary nationwide recall of fluoxetine (Prozac), because of irregular testing results. Fluoxetine is an antidepressant medication used to treat conditions like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic attacks.
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What is the strongest antidepressant?

The most effective antidepressant compared to placebo was the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline, which increased the chances of treatment response more than two-fold (odds ratio [OR] 2.13, 95% credible interval [CrI] 1.89 to 2.41).
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How much weight did you gain on Zoloft?

And the risks of weight gain increase at least into the sixth year of use. While the rates of weight gain vary, and are due to multiple factors such as depression and lack of exercise, the sertraline itself can make you gain 10 pounds in a year6, more than twice the weight gain if you are on fluoxetine (Prozac).
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Is Prozac stronger than Zoloft?

Which is More Effective? Both Prozac and Zoloft are considered powerful mental health medications, comparably effective at treating depression and reducing anxiety for the patients who take them. A few clinical trials suggest that Zoloft may have less serious side effects than Prozac.
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