Patients on These Antidepressants Likely to Gain Weight

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July 2, 2024 – Users of escitalopram (which is sold under the brand name Lexapro), paroxetine (Paxil) and duloxetine (Cymbalta) were 10% to 15% more likely to gain at least 5% of their baseline weight than sertraline (Zoloft) users. Bupropion (Wellbutrin) users were 15% less likely to gain weight than sertraline (Zoloft) users, while fluoxetine (Prozac) use was not associated with a weight change.

The study’s authors describe these as “small differences,” but hope the findings will help patients and providers make more informed treatment decisions.

“Patients and their clinicians often have several options when starting an antidepressant for the first time. This study provides important real-world evidence regarding the amount of weight gain that should be expected after starting some of the most common antidepressants,” lead author Joshua Petimar, Harvard Medical School assistant professor of population medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, said in a news release.