Some antidepressants affect weight more than others

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Antidepressants can produce a range of side effects, but weight gain is one of the most prevalent complaints about taking medication.

The reasons for this phenomenon aren’t fully understood, but a new US study has found certain antidepressants lead to more weight gain than others.

Researchers in Boston analysed the health records of 19,244 adults prescribed with one of the 11 most common types of antidepressants, including citalopram (sold in Australia as Cipromil and Celapram, among other names), which was used as the study’s control. An additional 3,366 patients receiving a non psychiatric intervention were also examined.

The patients’ reported weight gain was compared in three month increments over a 12-month period, and the findings have been published this week in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

According to the study, the antidepressants which produced the highest rate of weight gain were mirtazapine and paroxetine hydrochloride (Aropax). Patients treated with bupropion (Prexaton and Zyban sustained release tablets), amitriptyline (Endep) and nortriptyline (Allegron) experienced a lower rate of weight gain than those using citalopram.

The researchers hope their findings will be reassuring, rather than scary, for people currently using antidepressants or seeking treatment for depression.

“People care a lot about weight gain,” study author Dr. Roy Perlis told TIME. “I think the two questions I hear the most are ‘Is this going to affect my sexual functioning?’ and ‘Is this going to make me gain weight?'”

If you are experiencing weight gain, and suspect it might be caused by your medication, speak with your GP.