Weight gain due to taking antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics is very common. The issue of weight gain is often postponed when the drugs began to be-the concept being that it might be better to stabilize the mood and concerns about the potential of this latest increase weight. However, after a few months, increasing weight gain without any change in the exercise or food intake becomes more and more a problem.
Here are some of the drugs taken for depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks that may be causing weight gain:
Currently, Paxil is the worst offender, with Prozac and Zoloft second. Some antidepressants may be less likely to affect weight. Effexor and Serzone usually do not cause weight gain, while Wellbutrin can cause weight loss. Over 25% of people who take most types of SSRI antidepressants – drugs as Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, and experience a weight gain of 10 lbs. or more.
Other antidepressants such as Elavil and Tofranil and drugs as MAO inhibitors Nardil and Parnate, you can also inflluence fat accumulation with both long term and short-term use.
Studies in animals and humans have shown that these drugs can cause weight gain for several different ways:
 • Increased carbohydrate cravings.
 • Blockade of histamine receptors cause increased appetite.
 • To move slower, less restless.
 • When depression causes weight loss (not very common) improved depression can cause weight gain.
Drugs most commonly associated with increased Weight:
Selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake (SSRIs) and weight gain:
The five most common SSRIs currently prescribed in the United States today are:
 • Citalopram (Celexa ®)
 • Fluoxetine (Prozac ®)
 • Fluvoxamine (Luvox ®)
 • Paroxetine (Paxil ®)
 • Sertraline (Zoloft ®)
Paroxetine (Paxil ®) appears to have the most significant impact on the weight of all the SSRIs. Some studies have even shown an average weight gain in time 15-20 pounds with sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac ®) and citalopram (Celexa ®).
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) and increased Weight:
Tricyclic antidepressants are prescribed more often before available.They SSRIs were widely used to treat pain and sleeping. There is evidence that increase cravings for carbohydrates and can decrease metabolism.
 • Amitriptyline (Elavil ®)
 • Amoxapine (Asendin ®)
 • Clomipramine (Anafranil ®)
 • Desipramine (Norepramine ®, Pertofrane ®)
 • doxepin (Sinequan ®, Sinequan ®)
 • Imipramine (Janimine ®, Tofranil ®)
 • Nortriptyline (Aventyl ®, Pamelor ®)
 • Protriptyline (Vivactil ®)
 • Trimipramine (Rhotramine ®, Surmontil ®)
Other antidepressants and weight gain:
Other antidepressants that do not strictly fall in the rankings of SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants or MAO inhibitors are:
 • Buproprion HCL (Wellbutrin ®)
 • Mitrazapine (Remeron ®)
 • nefazodone (Serzone ®)
 • Trazadone (Desyrel ®)
 • Venlafaxine (Effexor ®)
Venlafaxine (Effexor ®) has been shown to cause weight uncreated, but not as bad as the SSRIs (Paxil ®), fuoxetine (Prozac ®) and sertraline (Zoloft ®).
Mitrazapine (Remeron ®) has been associated with significant increase, possibly secondary to interactions with the histamine (H1) receptor
Trazadone (Desyrel ®) is an antidepressant with sedative properties that is frequently used as a sleep aid, and as treatment for depression. It appears to cause less weight gain than amitriptyline (Elavil ®), but most of bupropion HCL (Wellbutrin ®).
Bupropion HCL (Wellbutrin ®) has not been associated with weight gain and is commonly used with some success in quitting.
The first solution is to lower doses and then switch to another medication (with the help of a doctor). This is not as easy as one might wait. Often people who have been through some really bad times with his depression and feeling good are very reluctant to lower the dose or change medications for fear return of the blues. Most people have very specific responses to their medications. So one has to be very careful in adjusting dosages and collect the "right" medicine for the "right" person. For this to work you need to check with the doctor who prescribed the medication. Making changes to medicines without supervision can be dangerous.
More and more evidence is accumulating that exercise increases daily, even for 15 to 20 minutes a day can have an effect not only on weight loss, but in depression. In a Finnish study, researchers found that men who exercised at least two or three times a week with experience
While experts can not be sure of why antidepressants cause weight gain, they know that drugs change can make a difference.
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