Antidepressant medications are the treatment recommended andprescribed for people suffering from depression (as the name of the drugssuggests). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use ofantidepressants as a therapy for depression. However, this is not the onlyuse of these drugs, because many of them are “off-label” used as weight lossaids, although off label treatment is not approved by the FDA.
Most doctors disagree that anti-depressive medications shouldbe used as the treatment for obesity and weight loss, but people still usethem. Before starting any treatment for weight loss it is necessary to consultyour doctor. Hear his/her advice and follow the prescription for weight lossmedications to the letter, in order to avoid any potential harm for your body. Youshould never use antidepressants without consulting your doctor first.
Weight Loss Antidepressants
It is difficult to choose specific antidepressant for weightloss, because there are many medications used for the treatment of depressionthat are believed to help people wanting to lose extra pounds. These medicationswork in several different ways, and the mechanism of work may include: increaseof metabolism, increase of energy in people on diet, as well as the reductionof hunger and food cravings.
Selegiline and pramipexole are antidepressants that work by inhibitingthe hormone prolactin. Reduction of prolactin in the body has been known to increasethe production of thyroid hormones, leading to increased metabolism. Speeding upour metabolism, human body is able to burn even more calories than it is usual,even if the person is eating more food.
Reboxetine is an antidepressant which is believed to decreasethe craving for certain foods, such as cookies, sweets or some carbohydratefoods and decrease the appetite. It is doing so by increasing the level ofnorepinephrine in the body.
Bupropion is one of the antidepressants found to be lesseffective for depression. Patients using this drug for weight loss have reportedloss of some 4.4 kg in 6 to 12 months.
Adderal is one of the anti-depressive medications that wasused for weight loss, but these days, it is mainly used as treatment for the attentiondeficit disorder (ADD) in children.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such aslexapro, Paroxetine and fluoxetine (Prozac) are not advised for weight loss. Inmost cases these medications provoked weight gain, and people alreadyexperiencing problems with their weight should avoid them.
Antidepressant Adverse Effects
Patients are very likely to suffer from certain side effectswhen using these drugs. Dry mouth, nausea, constipation and sleepiness are verycommon, and such as sexual problems. Antidepressant overdose can put you athigh risk of developing heart failure, while pregnant women may cause harm totheir unborn child if using these medications.
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