- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
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Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, board certified in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, is a St. Louis native looking to the Internet as a way to help people improve their health and be more active participants in their own health care by learning from Mayo Clinic's experts.
Dr. Hall-Flavin served on the faculties of Cornell University Medical College, New York Medical College and The George Washington University Medical School before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 1996. He has special interests in adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine. He served as medical director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence from 1986 to 1999, and is currently involved in translational medicine research involving the introduction of pharmacogenetic technology into the daily practice of community psychiatry.
"With the advent of pharmacogenetics and related fields and the advances in translational medicine, informed collaborative relationships between knowledgeable, capable health professionals and informed, proactive individuals and their families are more vital than ever," he said.
"I'm optimistic that our Internet health education activities will contribute to ever-improving health outcomes for all who participate and apply what is learned."
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Alternative medicine (3)
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Question
Antidepressants and weight gain: What causes it?
Can antidepressants cause weight gain?
Answer
from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Weight gain is a possible side effect of nearly all antidepressants. However, each person responds to an antidepressant differently. Some people gain weight when taking a certain antidepressant while others don't.
Generally speaking, some antidepressants seem more likely to cause weight gain than do others. These include:
- Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, imipramine (Tofranil), and doxepin (Sinequan)
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as tranylcypromine (Parnate), isocarboxazid (Marplan) and phenelzine (Nardil)
- Paroxetine (Paxil)
- Mirtazapine (Remeron)
- Trazodone
Some antidepressants that may be less likely to cause weight gain include:
- Venlafaxine (Effexor)
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) other than paroxetine (Paxil) — fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro)
While some people gain weight after starting an antidepressant, the antidepressant isn't always a direct cause. There are many factors that can work together to contribute to weight gain during antidepressant therapy. For example:
- Overeating as a result of depression can cause weight gain.
- Some people lose weight as part of their depression. In turn, an improved appetite associated with improved mood may result in increased weight.
- Adults generally tend to gain weight each year, regardless of the medications they take. Getting regular exercise and watching what you eat will help you maintain a healthy weight whether you take an antidepressant or not.
If you gain weight after starting an antidepressant, discuss your concerns with your doctor. If your antidepressant seems to be the culprit, it may help to adjust the dose or switch medications.
Next questionFish oil supplements: Can they treat depression?
- Deshmukh R, et al. Managing weight gain as a side effect of antidepressant therapy. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. 2003;7:614.
- Bostwick JM. A generalist's guide to treating patients with depression with an emphasis on using side effects to tailor antidepressant therapy. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/early/2010/04/29/mcp.2009.0565. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 3, 2010.
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