Medications and excess weight. What drugs cause overweight?

There are certain medications that are known to cause weight gain, but this does not mean that if you are taking one of them, weight gain will be inevitable. If you know that the medication you are taking may cause weight gain on your scale, you can take steps to prevent this from happening.

Sometimes weight gain occurs not due to the drug itself, but due to stimulation of the appetite center. In such a situation, there is an increase in appetite, resulting in an increase in body weight.

Proper assessment of weight gain

To check if you are really gaining weight, you should carefully weigh yourself before taking the drug. Only then can we tell if weight gain has occurred since the start of the drug. The risk of weight gain can indeed come with certain medications (such as antidepressants or corticosteroids), but you also need to pay attention to your lifestyle and diet. Medications are not always to blame.

What drugs cause weight gain?

Medications most commonly associated with weight gain include:

• antidepressants

• antipsychotics

• antiepileptic drugs

• medicines used to treat bipolar disorder

• sedative drugs

• drugs for the treatment of arrhythmias

• medicines used for allergic diseases

• neuroleptic drugs

• medicines for diabetes

• medications for hypothyroidism

• drugs used to treat obesity

• medicines for high blood pressure

Overweight and hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism

Weight fluctuations are very common in thyroid disorders. With hyperthyroidism, the most common problem is rapid weight loss, with hypothyroidism - weight gain. Too low levels of thyroid hormones can slow down metabolism by up to 30 percent. This leads to the fact that he begins to gain weight quite quickly, even if we do not change our eating habits.

It is necessary to accurately determine the level of thyroid hormones and begin treatment. Only by taking medications that balance the work of the thyroid gland, we are able to restore the balance. The balance of thyroid hormones will also stop the weight and we will not gain excess weight.

Overweight and hormone therapy

Hormonal drugs can also cause weight gain. Some birth control pills cause weight gain due to estrogen. Excess estrogen slows down the process of burning fat in the body, which quickly becomes noticeable on the scales.

If the drugs do not affect our body properly, this should be reported to the gynecologist who leads us. However, it is worth remembering that the body needs to get used to the action of birth control pills and that you should usually observe your reactions for 3 months. After this time, the hormonal balance should return to normal.

you’re on steroids

Weight gain is very common after starting glucocorticoids. Adipose tissue usually accumulates in certain places, for example. on the face, neck or torso. This is due to the effect of drugs on the water-electrolyte balance and the deposition of water in the body. Unfortunately, some conditions require steroid treatment, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and sarcoidosis. High doses of the drugs most commonly used to treat these conditions can cause weight gain. If you are constantly taking medication and observe a slowdown in metabolism, tell your doctor about this fact. It is also worth remembering that while taking steroids, you must ensure that you move regularly and strengthen your muscles and joints.

Medicines for obesity and allergies

Allergy medications can also cause side effects, including weight gain. This is due to the fact that pharmaceutical preparations with histamine affect the functioning of the central nervous system and stimulate the center of appetite. When taking drugs containing histamine, you may experience an increased appetite, so you should control your weight.

Overweight and antidepressants

Weight gain has also been seen in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. More often than not, though, it’s not because of the drugs themselves, but because of overeating and mood swings. In such a situation, it is worth paying attention to what we eat and try to choose foods that do not consist of a large amount of carbohydrates and fats.

Weight gain and sedatives

Some sedatives containing diazopromine can act on the appetite center and stimulate appetite. However, these types of drugs are taken for a short time, so they do not cause permanent weight gain.

Even if you start to gain weight, you should always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your treatment. You should not stop taking medications, especially medications for the treatment of mental illness, without the supervision of your doctor.