Another drawback: weight gain as a side effect can interfere with dosing compliance, said Dr. Devika Umashanker, MD, System Medical Director, Obesity Medicine Expert, Hartford Healthcare Medical and Surgical Weight Loss Program. Stated.
Continue reading to see why each of these common medicines causes weight gain and what you can do to prevent changes in your scale.
1. Diabetes drug
Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of treating type 2 diabetes. But here’s the rubbing: some of the medicines prescribed to help manage the condition often result in weight gain. For example, consider injectable insulin.
Hormones work by helping the body’s cells absorb glucose. However, when cells absorb too much glucose and the body converts it into fat, insulin causes a surge in weight. Not all people with type 2 diabetes are taking insulin. However, insulin is not the only type 2 treatment that has this side effect.
Sulfonylureas (glipizide, glipizide, glimepiride, etc.) lower blood sugar levels by 20%, but Medical archive.. It stimulates the beta cells of the pancreas to release insulin.
What should I do? “These medicines have been used for many years and are common in diabetes management, but there are new medicines that can help you lose weight and need to be considered,” says Batsis. Conclusion: Talk to your doctor if you are worried.
2. Antidepressant
If you’ve been taking antidepressants for a while and gained weight, and weight loss is a symptom of depression, it may be a sign that you’re feeling better.
Significant weight gain, on the other hand, can be a side effect of the drug itself, especially if you are taking SSRI (short for selective serotonin uptake inhibitor), the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants. There is sex. The reasons are as follows. SSRIs such as paroxetine (paxil), sertraline (zoloft), and citalopram (selexa) work by “increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain, an important neurotransmitter involved in depression.” “But serotonin is also involved in the processes of biological and neurotransmitters that regulate body weight and appetite. There are many serotonin receptors, but at high levels they interfere with this process.”
Good news? Many new second-generation antidepressants often do not gain weight.Some, such as bupropion (wellbutrin), can even lead to weight loss, says Batsis, reflecting the results of a review of studies published in the journal. Graduate medicine..
“Bupropion is unlikely to cause weight gain and, when combined with naltrexone (vivitrol), is a potential treatment for obesity,” he says. “But in the elderly, bupropion is safe, but it can have more central nervous system side effects and needs to be balanced with other medical problems.” His advice: Working with your medical team And find the best treatment for your situation.
3. Beta blockers
Beta blockers work by slowing heart rate, heart load, and their blood drainage, all of which lower blood pressure. Therefore, it is often prescribed as a treatment for high blood pressure, angina, and arrhythmias. If you are using beta blockers, no one needs to say side effects such as fatigue, insomnia, or low heart rate. All of this can lead to a lifestyle that is not physically active and, of course, can result in extra weight.
“Weight gain often occurs in the first few months after starting beta-blockers such as atenolol and metoprolol,” says Batsis. This is “believed to be due to metabolic changes, insulin sensitivity, and effects on skeletal muscle metabolism.”
If you are using beta-blockers and weight gain is an issue, talk to your doctor about possible alternatives, such as the non-specific beta-blocker carvedilol. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor; angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB); or calcium blocker, says Batsis.
4. Oral corticosteroids
Oral corticosteroids such as prednisone and methylprednisolone are prescribed for everything from severe allergies and rashes to rheumatoid arthritis, but they have many side effects such as weight gain. culprit? Fluid retention.
“Electrolyte imbalances lead to water retention,” explains Umashanker. “Oral steroids also reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin and cause insulin resistance.” It then increases the production of the appetite-stimulating hunger hormone ghrelin.
To avoid weight gain, Umashanker recommends a diet rich in hypoglycemic foods such as fruits and vegetables, beans, minimally processed grains, low-fat dairy products, and nuts. With blood sugar level. “
5. Migraine medicine
Let’s talk about the virtuous circle. If you are overweight and suffer from migraines, extra weight increases your risk of more frequent and more severe migraines. Still, weight gain is a side effect of migraine prophylaxis such as propranolol (Inderal) and divalproex sodium (Depacoat).
According to the American Migraine Foundation, people of healthy weight who experience migraine headaches are about 3 percent more likely to develop chronic headaches. However, if you are overweight or obese, you are 3-5 times more likely to have a chronic migraine.
If you are taking migraine medications that cause weight gain, ask your doctor about switching to medications that may suppress your appetite, such as topiramate, zonisamide, and protriptyline. Please consult.
Kimberly Goad is a New York-based journalist who has covered health in some of the top consumer publications in the United States.Her work has appeared in Female health, male health When Reader’s Digest..
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