Lexapro, Paxil, and Cymbalta are associated with a higher risk of weight gain than Zoloft, but Wellbutrin users are less likely to gain weight. According to a new study It is one of eight common antidepressants.
Researchers at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute (HPHCI) analyzed the weight of more than 183,000 adults taking antidepressants six months, one year, and two years after starting the medication.
Admission data for Celexa (citalopram), Lexapro (escitalopram), Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), Wellbutrin (bupropion), Cymbalta (duloxetine), and Effexor (venlafaxine) were compared with Zoloft (sertraline). Most Prescribed Antidepressants In the United States.
After six months, Lexapro, Paxil and Cymbalta users were 10% to 15% more likely to have gained at least 5% of their starting weight than Zoloft consumers.
Prozac was not associated with weight change over the six-month period, but Wellbutrin users were 15% less likely to experience a 5% weight gain. Wellbutrin also showed the least weight gain at the one and two year points.
The findings were published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers believe that Wellbutrin works by increasing levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, improving wakefulness and attention.
The drug, which is used to treat depression and seasonal affective disorder and to aid in smoking cessation, has also been shown to stimulate the central melanocortin system, which regulates appetite, energy balance and body weight.
The results of this study are: Increased use of antidepressantsThis is especially true among young people and teenagers.
According to a study About 14 percent of U.S. adults take antidepressants, and the HPHCI researchers noted that many stop taking their medications if they experience weight gain.
“This study provides important real-world evidence about the amount of weight gain to expect after starting some of the most common antidepressants,” said lead author Joshua Pettimer, an assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School.
“Clinicians and patients can use this information, along with other factors, to determine the right choice for them,” he added.
Highest risk of weight gain of at least 5% within the first 6 months of use
- Lexapro
- Paxil
- Cymbalta
- Effexor
- Celexa
- Zoloft (baseline)
- Prozac
- Wellbutrin
