A new study has found that people who take antidepressants are more likely to gain weight over time. In fact, those who take these medications continuously may double their risk of becoming obese.
The study was done by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute in Spain and published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry. Researchers looked at the health records of over 3,000 adults. They discovered that people who took antidepressants gained more weight than people who didn’t.
The study followed 3,127 adults for six years. Most were around 55 years old. About 16% of them used antidepressants at some point during the study. Some had taken them before the study, others started during the study, and some continued using them throughout all six years.
Although everyone gained a little weight (around 0.5 kg on average), those who took antidepressants gained more. People who used the drugs the entire time gained the most weight.
On average, people who started or continued using antidepressants gained 2% more body weight. Even those who stopped taking them still gained 1.8% more weight than non-users.
The study also found that people taking antidepressants continuously were twice as likely to become obese.
The research team looked at many other factors like age, gender, income, lifestyle, and whether the person had depression. But even after accounting for these, the link between antidepressant use and weight gain was still strong.
Women, older adults, and people who didn’t follow healthy lifestyles were more likely to gain weight while taking antidepressants.
Dr. Camille Lassale, one of the study’s lead authors, said that anyone taking antidepressants has a higher chance of gaining weight. The risk is even higher for those who stay on the medication long-term.
Another researcher, Dr. Gabriela Lugon, explained that antidepressants are very important for treating mental health problems, but doctors also need to think about side effects like weight gain.
The team suggests that doctors should keep an eye on the weight of people who are taking antidepressants. They should also check other health signs, like blood sugar and cholesterol.
Dr. Víctor Pérez, head of Psychiatry at Hospital del Mar, said that not all antidepressants cause weight gain. But some, like mirtazapine and paroxetine, are more likely to lead to weight problems.
He warned that many people stop taking antidepressants because of weight gain, which can hurt their mental health treatment. So, he recommends combining medicine with other types of support or therapy.
Depression affects about 280 million people around the world. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from it. At the same time, more than 650 million people live with obesity. These two conditions often affect each other. This is why the findings of the study are so important.
Spain is one of the countries with the highest rates of antidepressant use in Europe. The study’s results highlight the need to balance the benefits of antidepressants with their possible side effects.
This is the first major study of its kind in Spain. It involved researchers from several respected institutions, including University College London and the Girona Biomedical Research Institute. In the future, they hope to study which antidepressants affect weight the most and how to help patients stay healthy while getting the mental health care they need.
If you care about health, please read studies that scientists find a core feature of depression and this metal in the brain strongly linked to depression.
For more health information, please see recent studies about drug for mental health that may harm the brain, and results showing this therapy more effective than ketamine in treating severe depression.
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