Antidepressant-induced weight changes. Boston, MA – A new study finds that bupropion users are 15-20% less likely to gain significant weight compared to sertraline users. The findings are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on July 2.
Antidepressants are widely prescribed in the U.S., with 14% of adults using them.
Weight gain is a common side effect that can impact long-term health and lead to the cessation of medication. Different antidepressants affect weight differently. Researchers from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute identified which common antidepressants are linked to the most and most minor weight gain.
Lead author Joshua Petimar noted that this real-world evidence helps patients and clinicians make informed decisions when choosing an antidepressant. Researchers analyzed prescription data from eight U.S.
health systems in PCORnet, involving 183,118 adults aged 18-80 starting antidepressants. Though rigorous, randomized control trials are costly and time-consuming. Instead, the team simulated a trial by designing an ideal study and aligning data to match it closely.
They compared weight changes over 6, 12, and 24 months for eight common antidepressants: sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, bupropion, duloxetine, and venlafaxine. In the study, bupropion users gained the least weight compared to other antidepressants. They were 15-20% less likely to gain a significant amount of weight than those taking sertraline, a common a.
