A new study from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute has found that people who take antidepressants are more likely to gain weight over time.
In fact, those who use these medications continuously have double the risk of becoming obese. The research was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
The study followed more than 3,000 adults over six years. The average age of participants was 55. During this time, 16.4% of the people used antidepressants at some point. Some started during the study, some took them the whole time, and others stopped after a while.
While everyone in the study gained a little weight—about half a kilogram on average—those taking antidepressants gained more. The people who took antidepressants for the full six years had the highest weight gain.
Dr. Camille Lassale, one of the researchers, explained that all people who took antidepressants were more likely to gain weight and develop obesity, especially those who used them without stopping.
The researchers looked at many other possible causes like age, gender, lifestyle, income, and existing depression. Still, the link between antidepressants and weight gain remained strong.
People who had stopped taking antidepressants still gained nearly 2% more body weight than people who never took them. People who took them continuously or started during the study also gained around 2% more weight.
In addition, those who used antidepressants long-term were twice as likely to become obese as those who didn’t use them. The study also found that women, older adults, and people with unhealthy habits were more likely to gain weight while using these medications.
Dr. Gabriela Lugon said that although antidepressants are very important for treating mental health problems, the side effects like weight gain should not be ignored. Doctors should monitor weight changes and keep an eye on heart health and other important health signs in patients using antidepressants.
Dr. Víctor Pérez added that not all antidepressants lead to weight gain. But some, like mirtazapine and paroxetine, are more likely to cause it.
He also pointed out that weight gain is one of the main reasons people stop taking antidepressants, which can hurt their mental health treatment. He suggested that doctors might need to use other methods along with medication to help patients stay healthy.
Depression affects about 280 million people around the world. Women are twice as likely to suffer from it. At the same time, more than 650 million people worldwide are living with obesity. These two health problems are closely connected, making it even more important to understand how treatment affects the whole body.
This study is the first of its kind in Spain. It involved researchers from several organizations, including CIBEROBN, CIBERCV, University College London, and the Girona Biomedical Research Institute.
In the future, researchers hope to study different antidepressants more closely and find ways to help patients manage their weight while still getting the mental health support they need.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies about orange that could help obesity, and a berry that can prevent cancer, diabetes and obesity.
For more health information, please see recent studies about ginger’s journey in weight management, and green tea: a cup of weight loss.
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