Revealed on: 03 Apr 2023
Psychological well being is an integral a part of our total well-being. Once we expertise sure psychological well being situations, medicine will be an efficient element of our psychological well being therapy plan. Lexapro (escitalopram) is a standard psychiatrist-prescribed medicine that’s been confirmed efficient in serving to to handle signs associated to despair and anxiousness. It’s not with out unwanted effects, although. Analysis suggests that some folks acquire weight on Lexapro or different antidepressants.
If you happen to’re contemplating taking Lexapro or are already on it and have observed weight change, you could be questioning about Lexapro weight acquire. When you perceive extra about this potential facet impact, you can also make knowledgeable choices about whether or not or not Lexapro is best for you.
Preserve studying to be taught extra about Lexapro and weight acquire. We’re overlaying how a lot weight some folks acquire, why weight change may occur, how one can keep away from it, and extra.
Does Lexapro Trigger Weight Achieve?
Lexapro is an antidepressant medicine that belongs to a category of medication referred to as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It’s used to deal with despair, generalized anxiousness dysfunction (GAD), and different temper problems. Whereas it may be efficient for many individuals in treating these situations, Lexapro and weight acquire has been present in some folks.
“All drugs have some stage of unwanted effects related to them. It’s no totally different with Lexapro. A generally reported symptom is weight acquire. This may be because of a mess of causes but it surely does exist. Managing the opportunity of weight acquire by changes in train and food regimen will likely be necessary.”
How a lot weight do you acquire on Lexapro?
Some analysis discovered that as much as 41% of individuals who take Lexapro may expertise elevated physique weight. It may well take wherever from 6 – 8 weeks to see the unwanted effects of Lexapro absolutely, and it’s throughout that point it may be extra widespread to begin seeing fluctuations in weight.
Lexapro and weight acquire can differ from individual to individual. One research discovered that folks on Lexapro for 9 months gained a median of two.4 kilos.
Why Does Lexapro Trigger Weight Achieve?
A number of components can contribute to Lexapro and weight acquire. For instance, some drugs are recognized to trigger a rise in urge for food, adjustments in metabolism, or fluid retention. As well as, some folks discover it difficult to keep up an lively way of life when feeling low or anxious — which may additionally contribute to weight acquire over time if left unchecked.
The precise cause Lexapro may trigger weight acquire isn’t absolutely understood but. Nonetheless, many consultants imagine that adjustments in metabolism or urge for food might play a job in inflicting this explicit facet impact. Different potential explanations embody elevated cravings for carbohydrates or elevated fats storage because of decreased bodily exercise brought on by low power ranges related to despair or anxiousness drugs like Lexapro.
Analysis identifies a number of potential explanations for why somebody may acquire weight on Lexapro. A few of them embody the next:
Sedentary way of life
Some individuals who aren’t lively or don’t work out could be extra liable to gaining weight when on despair or anxiousness medicine like Lexapro.
Serotonin ranges altering
One principle about Lexapro and weight acquire is that elevated serotonin ranges can result in adjustments in urge for food or metabolism, leading to undesirable weight acquire.
Elevated cravings
One other chance is that an SSRI antidepressant like Lexapro can improve cravings for sure forms of meals, together with carbohydrates or sweets.
Smoking
Some folks with a historical past of smoking may acquire weight after beginning prescription antidepressant therapy.
As all the time it’s necessary to speak to your physician earlier than you smoke or use any substance alongside Lexapro. Lexapro and alcohol usually are not beneficial collectively so make certain you all the time discuss to your physician about potential interactions.
Improved urge for food
Lastly, some folks merely eat extra when feeling higher emotionally because of improved moods from antidepressants like Lexapro. Despair and anxiousness may cause a decreased urge for food so a discount of these signs can enhance somebody’s urge for food.
Does Lexapro Weight Achieve Go Away?
It’s not unusual for folks to expertise weight acquire whereas taking Lexapro. The excellent news is that this facet impact typically may go away as soon as the physique adjusts to the drug and your metabolism returns to regular.
How lengthy does weight acquire from Lexapro final?
The period of Lexapro weight acquire varies from individual to individual. Some folks expertise it instantly after beginning the medicine. Others, although, may solely discover adjustments as soon as they’ve taken it for a number of weeks or months. It could be the case that the longer you are taking Lexapro, the extra possible it’s that you just’ll expertise some weight acquire.
Tips on how to Keep away from Gaining Weight on Lexapro
If you wish to attempt to keep away from the potential facet impact of gaining an excessive amount of weight whereas on Lexapro, there are steps you possibly can take. Listed below are some ideas for avoiding weight acquire when taking Lexapro:
- Eat wholesome meals: Maintaining a healthy diet meals equivalent to vegatables and fruits, lean proteins, entire grains, and low-fat dairy merchandise can assist maintain your physique fueled with the vitamins it wants with out including additional energy or fats. Keep away from processed meals excessive in sugar and saturated fat which may result in weight acquire.
- Train usually: Common train helps keep a wholesome weight. Figuring out additionally releases endorphins that may enhance temper and cut back stress ranges (each of which have been linked to overeating or unhealthy consuming habits). Intention for at the very least half-hour of reasonable bodily exercise every day. Attempt issues like strolling, jogging, yoga, or biking.
- Monitor your weight: Preserving observe of your weight usually will show you how to determine any adjustments rapidly to be able to make changes if wanted. Some folks discover it useful to weigh themselves as soon as per week on the identical time, carrying comparable clothes every time for accuracy.
“Studying to handle weight acquire whereas on Lexapro will likely be useful in making certain the advantages of the medicine are aiding the signs of despair. Weight acquire may cause extra health-related dangers but in addition extra signs of despair closely associated to the burden acquire. Guaranteeing proactive adjustments to food regimen and train, using wholesome coping expertise, and speaking to the psychiatrists and therapists will likely be necessary in managing these unwanted effects.”
If you happen to discover vital adjustments in your urge for food or sudden unexplained will increase in weight whereas taking Lexapro, discuss to your physician instantly. They might counsel adjusting the dosage or switching drugs if needed. Moreover, they’ll advise on how finest to handle every other unwanted effects related to this drug, together with undesirable weight acquire.
By making way of life adjustments and monitoring your weight whereas taking Lexapro, you possibly can keep away from gaining weight.
Some pure dietary supplements are additionally out there which were proven efficient at lowering signs related to despair. Some are efficient with out inflicting vital Lexapro unwanted effects like elevated urge for food or cravings. You possibly can ask your physician about these choices as properly.
Discuss to Your Physician About Lexapro Aspect Results
It’s necessary to ask your physician the query: can Lexapro trigger weight acquire? Whereas it may be efficient in treating your psychological well being situation, there are unwanted effects — like the opportunity of weight acquire — to concentrate on earlier than beginning the medicine.
Understanding the potential Lexapro unwanted effects can assist decide if the drug could be an excellent choice as a part of your therapy plan. Your physician will make sure you perceive what may happen and how one can finest handle unwanted effects like weight acquire if you happen to expertise them. Be sure you additionally discuss to your physician about different medical recommendation concerning Lexapro, equivalent to utilizing Lexapro whereas pregnant.
Lexapro weight acquire generally is a widespread facet impact, but it surely doesn’t impression everybody who takes this medicine. A number of research conclude that SSRIs like Lexapro may end up in weight acquire. Nonetheless, it varies from individual to individual relying on particular person components equivalent to age, way of life habits, food regimen, and exercise stage.
Are you battling weight acquire whereas taking Lexapro? Are you on the lookout for an answer to assist handle your signs and cut back the danger of unwanted effects? On-line remedy from Talkspace supplies personalised help to deal with the bodily, psychological, and emotional facets of coping with any psychological well being situation.
Talkspace provides handy, reasonably priced, evidence-based remedy tailor-made to your wants. With the assistance of a Talkspace therapist, yow will discover aid from signs and cut back your fear about undesirable unwanted effects like weight acquire. Contact us at this time to get began in your journey towards wellness.
Sources:
- Gafoor R, Sales space HP, Gulliford MC. Antidepressant utilisation and incidence of weight acquire throughout 10 years’ follow-up: Inhabitants based mostly cohort research. BMJ. 2018. doi:10.1136/bmj.k1951. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5964332/. Accessed December 12, 2022.
- Anagha Okay, Shihabudheen P, Uvais NA. Aspect impact profiles of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The Major Care Companion For CNS Problems. 2021;23(4). doi:10.4088/pcc.20m02747. https://www.psychiatrist.com/pcc/despair/side-effect-profiles-selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-cross-sectional-study-naturalistic-setting/. Accessed December 12, 2022.
- Escitalopram (Lexapro). NAMI. https://www.nami.org/About-Psychological-Sickness/Remedies/Psychological-Well being-Drugs/Sorts-of-Medicine/Escitalopram-%28Lexapropercent29#: Accessed December 14, 2022.
- Blumenthal SR, Castro VM, Clements CC, et al. An digital well being data research of long-term weight acquire following antidepressant use. JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(8):889. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.414. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1878922. Accessed December 14, 2022.
- Shi Z, Atlantis E, Taylor AW, et al. SSRI antidepressant use potentiates weight acquire within the context of unhealthy life: Outcomes from a 4-year Australian follow-up research. BMJ Open. 2017;7(8). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016224. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content material/7/8/e016224. Accessed December 14, 2022.
- Lee SH, Paz-Filho G, Mastronardi C, Licinio J, Wong M-L. Is elevated antidepressant publicity a contributory issue to the weight problems pandemic? Translational Psychiatry. 2016;6(3). doi:10.1038/tp.2016.25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26978741/. Accessed December 14, 2022.
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