Weight gain is a common side effect of antidepressants, which can lead patients to stop their treatment. A study reveals that some medications may cause less weight gain than others.
Researchers compared the effects of eight common antidepressants: sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, bupropion, duloxetine, and venlafaxine. Patients taking bupropion were “15 to 20% less likely to gain clinically significant weight” than those using the most common medication, sertraline. Escitalopram and paroxetine were associated with a “risk of about 15% higher of gaining clinically significant weight.”
Weight gain is one of the unwanted side effects of antidepressant medications, used by around seven million people in France to treat depression. This weight gain can affect the metabolic health of patients and may lead some to discontinue their treatment, increasing the risk of relapse.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that not all antidepressants have the same impact on weight gain. Some medications may cause less weight gain than others.
Researchers at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute in the United States analyzed the profiles and medical records of over 180,000 adults aged 18 to 80 who were new users of antidepressants. They compared the weight of participants at 6, 12, and 24 months after starting their treatment with eight common antidepressants: sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, bupropion, duloxetine, and venlafaxine. The study revealed that patients taking bupropion, a selective inhibitor of the neuronal reuptake of catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine), gained the least amount of weight compared to users of other antidepressants.
Specifically, those taking bupropion were “15 to 20% less likely to gain clinically significant weight” than those using the most common medication, sertraline. The study also showed that a significant percentage of patients were taking medications that led to greater weight gain than other available options in the same class. For example, escitalopram and paroxetine were associated with a “risk of about 15% higher of gaining clinically significant weight” than sertraline in the first six months.
“This study provides concrete evidence of the differences in weight gain that can be expected after starting some of the most common antidepressants,” concluded Professor Joshua Petimar, who led the research. Physicians and patients can use this information, among other factors, to make informed treatment decisions.