5Īlternatives: Discuss this with your doctor. 4 Scientists believe the drugs’ action on the histamine receptor in the brain is responsible for the effect. The weight gain associated with these medications is often rapid and significant, with research showing as much as a 37 pound weight gain during the course of treatment. These drugs include Depakote, Risperdal and Olanzapine. If you must take prednisone or any steroid, it is very important to be aware of its ability to increase appetite and watch your calorie intake very carefully. To make matters worse, excess calories consumed in the setting of elevated corticosteroid levels tend to be preferentially deposited around the middle.Īlternatives: Doctors should prescribe prednisone when there is no option for a less potent drug. And while prednisone is a catabolic hormone, meaning it causes the breakdown of fat and protein, these effects are more than offset by its appetite stimulating properties. Prednisone causes water retention and increased appetite. It is used to treat asthma flares and allergic skin conditions, as well as certain autoimmune diseases and arthritis. 4) PrednisoneĪ synthetic corticosteroid, prednisone has potent anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, they may cause fatigue, which will then lead to decreased activity and less caloric expenditure.Īlternatives: If you are taking a beta blocker for high blood pressure, discuss other medication options with your doctor. ![]() ![]() One of the ways these drugs work is by slowing down the heart, which decreases exercise capacity. While it is unclear exactly how these drugs contribute to weight gain, it is likely at least partially related to metabolic slowdown. These drugs are used to treat high blood pressure as well as certain heart conditions. 3Īlternatives: These should be discussed with your doctor. Certain SSRIs, like Prozac, are associated with short term weight loss, though this is temporary and long-term data show a weight-neutral or weight gain effect. This paradoxical effect is not completely understood, though likely has to do with the complex interaction between serotonin and other appetite regulating mechanisms. Serotonin is also well known to be an appetite suppressant, so it stands to reason that these drugs will help with weight loss. SSRIs allow serotonin to stay active longer, contributing to enhanced mood in many people. Simply, serotonin is thought to play a role in mood, and brain levels are low in many depressed patients. The most widely prescribed antidepressants are from a class called SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. no caffeine late in afternoon, no TV in bed room, etc.). If you have trouble sleeping, consider natural remedies and better sleep habits (i.e. 2Īlternatives: Ask your doctor about inhaled medications for allergies which are not generally associated with weight gain. A large review study found that people who used antihistamines had higher weights, waist circumferences, and insulin concentrations than those who did not. 1 When the histamine receptor is blocked, its effect on appetite is decreased, leading to increased food intake and weight gain. It may also increase the breakdown of fat. Histamine is a chemical crucial for regulating food intake, causing appetite suppression when it binds to a specific receptor in the brain. Here is a list of commonly used drugs associated with weight gain: 1) Benadrylīenadryl (Diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine, which is used for allergies and as a sleep aid. This can be even more frustrating when other options exist that do not cause this nasty side effect. Unfortunately, all drugs have side effects, and weight gain is common to many drugs.ĭoctors often do not address this when prescribing medicine, despite weight gain being very troubling for the patient. ![]() Given the amount of patients that traditional doctors must see in a day, it is usually easier (read: quicker) to give a medicine than address the underlying cause. We seem to live in a prescription-happy society.
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