Weighing in on weight gain from antidepressants.

If you’re struggling with depression, the most important question about taking an antidepressant is whether it will work. But another question on your mind may be whether it will fuel weight gain.

A new study provides some context by suggesting how much weight, on average, people taking one of eight commonly used antidepressants might expect to gain. This insight is valuable, since people with depression often stop taking antidepressants because they don’t like the effect on their weight, a Harvard expert says.

“It’s important to acknowledge that weight gain is a key reason that some people decide to stop antidepressants, even if they’re otherwise working well,” says Dr. Roy Perlis, associate chief of psychiatric research at Massachusetts General Hospital. “It’s also a reason people may be reluctant to start them in the first place, even if they’re quite depressed or anxious.”

What did the study look at?

Published July 2024 in Annals of Internal Medicine, the new study drew on data from more than 183,000 people between ages 20 and 80. Their average age was 48, and 65% were women. Most were overweight or obese at the study’s start.

The researchers analyzed participants’ electronic health records and หรือถ้าคุณสนใจแทงบอลออนไลน์ UFABET คือเว็บที่มีอัตราต่อรองดีที่สุดในประเทศไทย สมัครเลยตอนนี้ที่ UFABET แทงบอล body mass index. They gauged weight gain or loss at regular intervals six, 12, and 24 months. After people began taking an antidepressant for the first time.

The study compared the weight-related effects of sertraline (Zoloft) to seven other antidepressant medications

• escitalopram (Lexapro)
• paroxetine (Paxil)
• duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• citalopram (Celexa)
• fluoxetine (Prozac)
• venlafaxine (Effexor)
• bupropion (Wellbutrin).