July 2, 2024 – More than 1 in 10 people within the United States take antidepressants, although many individuals stop taking the drugs resulting from a variety of negative effects, including Weight gainHowever, recent evidence shows that some antidepressants increase the likelihood of weight gain in comparison with others.
The results of a brand new large-scale evaluation by Harvard researchers could help guide treatment decisions and increase the likelihood that individuals will proceed taking the drugs and ultimately profit from them. The recent information can also be essential for individuals who wish to take antidepressants but need to regulate their weight resulting from conditions similar to diabetes.
Published this week within the magazine Annals of Internal MedicineThe evaluation included health records of greater than 180,000 people ages 18 to 80. People were considered first-time users of antidepressants, and researchers analyzed weight changes after 6, 12, and 24 months of taking the drugs. Eight drugs were studied, known by the brand names Celexa, Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft. The results included people taking brand-name or generic versions of the drugs.
People taking Wellbutrin gained the least weight. Wellbutrin users gained about 15% less weight than people taking Zoloft, essentially the most commonly prescribed antidepressant. Weight gain was defined as a rise of 5% or more from an individual's weight once they began taking the medication.
The researchers identified that previous studies had documented the low likelihood of weight gain in people taking Wellbutrin. They wrote that this will likely be related to Wellbutrin's effects on neurotransmitters similar to dopamine and norepinephrine, in addition to the drug's effects on a brain system called the hypothalamic melanocortin system, which is involved in appetite and energy balance.
People taking Celexa, Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, or Paxil gained more weight on average than people taking Zoloft. Taking Cymbalta, Lexapro, or Paxil was related to a ten to fifteen percent higher risk of weight gain.
In 2020, 18% of adults within the United States reported having Diagnosis of depression. Antidepressants are also often prescribed to individuals with other conditions similar to anxiety or bipolar disorder.
Depression includes a wide range of life-altering symptoms, similar to persistent sadness or anxiety, low energy, trouble sleeping, and physical changes. Not everyone with depression has suicidal thoughts, however the condition is related to a significantly increased risk of getting suicidal thoughts and concepts.
Antidepressants work by changing the best way the brain sends messages, which might affect the big selection of symptoms of depression, from mood to appetite to sleep.
The researchers reported that greater than half of the people stopped taking the medications, regardless of brand name, after 6 months. Wellbutrin and its generic version had the best 6-month adherence rate at 41%.
“Patients and their physicians often have several options when first starting an antidepressant. This study provides important real-world insights into the expected weight gain after taking some of the most common antidepressants,” said lead study creator Joshua Petimar, ScD, assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, in a opinion“Doctors and patients can use this information and other factors to make the right choice for them.”
If you or someone you care about is in crisis, help is accessible 24/7. Just call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988.