What medicines make you fat and lose weight?

Expert answer:

Among the medicines that can make you fat are:

  • Tricyclic antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline): They increase appetite, leading to weight gain. Fluoxetine, which is part of the serotonin reuptake inhibitor group, does not gain weight, while paroxetine in the same group may cause weight gain;
  • Antihistamines (Cetirizine, Fexofenadine): The drugs are "antiallergic";
  • Antipsychotics (Olanzapine, Risperidone): Used in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis and obsessive compulsive disorder;
  • Antihypertensives (Atenolol, Metoprolol): They can make you fat because they increase the feeling of fatigue, contributing to the lack of physical activity;
  • Corticoids: They increase water retention in the body, cause insulin resistance, stimulate appetite and may slow down metabolism;
  • Medications for diabetes:
    • Glibenclamide, Glicazide, Glimepiride: They raise blood insulin rates, causing increased appetite and fat accumulation;
    • Insulin: It can also make you fat, for the same reasons mentioned in the item above;
    • Pioglitazone and Rosiglitazone: They cause water retention and affect the cells responsible for storing body fat;
  • Mood Stabilizers (Valproic Acid, Lithium): They increase the appetite;
  • Hormonal contraceptives: They cause fluid retention, leading to weight gain.

Read too:

Is there any medicine to get fat?

Taking antidepressant gets fat?

B complex fattening?

What are the remedies that make you lose weight?

The remedies used to lose weight can be divided into 3 main groups:

  • Saciethogens (Sibutramine): They promote a sense of satiety, making the person satisfied with a smaller amount of food. In the case of sibutramine, it can also accelerate metabolism, thus increasing energy expenditure;
  • Inhibitors of fat absorption (Orlistat, Cetilistate): Inhibits up to 30% absorption of fats by the intestine, aiding the process of weight loss;
  • Anorexigenics (Amfepramone, Femproporex, Manzidol): They are appetite suppressants and have amphetamines in their compositions. Because of the increased risk of side effects, these medications are usually only used when the other two groups have not produced the expected effects.

In addition to these medicines used specifically for weight loss, thyroid remedies and laxatives can also cause weight loss if used exacerbated.

You may also be interested in:

Is Sertraline Fatty or Fattening?

Is Clonazepam fattening?

I do not want to get fat, which contraceptive pill to take?