The “heavy” side effect of antidepressants

I see a lot of patients who are on antidepressants.

Especially women.

Of course, these drugs are prescribed for many reasons outside of treating depression…

Including helping to control anxiety.

But there’s a potential side effect that weighs “heavily” in the mind of my patients.

Let’s talk about it…

Slight shifts

It was only the beginning of the week and I already had this same conversation twice.

So, I thought to address it here—especially after seeing an article about eight commonly prescribed antidepressants…

And their weight gain potential.

In fact, a large observational study found differences in short- and long-term weight change in patients prescribed sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, bupropion, duloxetine, or venlafaxine.

Here’s how those drugs are classified:

• SSRIs: Sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, and paroxetine are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
• SNRIs: Duloxetine and venlafaxine are serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
• NDRIs: Bupropion is a norepinephrine/dopamine-reuptake inhibitor (NDRI).

Turns out, patients on escitalopram, paroxetine, and duloxetine were up to 15 percent more likely to gain at least 5 percent of their baseline weight, compared to those taking sertraline.

Moreover, among the SSRIs, escitalopram and paroxetine were associated with the greatest weight gain over a six-month period.

And across the board, bupropion was associated with the least amount of weight gain.

Eyes wide open

As a doctor who believes in the power of nutrition, I’m acutely aware of the subtle differences in how antidepressant medications affect metabolism.

But the same cannot be said for many physicians who prescribe these drugs. And typically, that’s when the patients come to see me (or a physician like me).

This is when I start taking a step back. I take into account all of the concerns of my patient before starting any pharmaceutical interventions.

This is especially true of my menopausal patients. Consider this…

Many times, antidepressants are prescribed during menopause for symptom relief.

But this will only further compound weight gain—leading to a double whammy that many women never recover from.

Folks, I understand. When you’re faced with feelings of depression and anxiety, you can feel lost… stuck… and without hope.

And what many patients don’t realize is that if you happen to find relief from a pharmaceutical, you’re sometimes faced with another hurdle… weight gain.

If this sounds familiar, I encourage you to share this study with your treating physician. Then, discuss exactly how your medication works—and if there may be other options available to you.

I even outline a safer plan to help combat depression in the August 2020 issue of my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives. To access that article, subscribers can log in with their credentials by clicking here.

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Until next time,

Dr. Fred

Source:

“Eight Common Antidepressants Ranked by Weight Gain Potential.” Medscape, 07/02/2024. (medscape.com/viewarticle/eight-common-antidepressants-ranked-weight-gain-potential-2024a1000c9v)